The best game of Audric Estimé's college career might have been his last one. The Notre Dame running back set career highs in carries (25), rushing yards (238) and rushing touchdowns (4) in a 56-23 win at Stanford to close the 2023 regular season.
Estimé will look to carry that momentum into an NFL career with the Denver Broncos. The organization selected him Saturday in the fifth round of the NFL Draft with the No. 147 overall pick.
"I was just really excited," Estimé told reporters in a conference call about the moment he learned about his draft destination. "I was ready for an opportunity. I was ready and waiting for the phone call.
"I got the phone call, and I am just ready to be a Bronco. They have a winning culture and winning tradition. I am ready to add to that and help contribute to a championship.”
The 5-foot-11, 221-pound Estimé joined offensive tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher, linebackers Marist Liufau and JD Bertrand and cornerback Cam Hart as the sixth former Notre Dame player selected in this year's draft.
The Los Angeles Chargers picked Alt with the No. 5 overall pick in the first round Thursday night and Hart in the fifth round on Saturday. The Houston Texans drafted Fisher in the second round, and Liufau went in the third round to the Dallas Cowboys on Friday night. The Atlanta Falcons picked Bertrand in the fifth round as well.
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The last Notre Dame running back to be drafted has worked out well so far. The Los Angeles Rams picked Kyren Williams in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. After an injury-riddled rookie season, Williams rebounded last season with 1,144 rushing yards, the third-highest total in the NFL.
Like Williams, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine, Estimé may have been hurt by his combine 40 time of 4.71. Estimé clocked at 4.58 at Notre Dame's Pro Day.
"I knew there were going to be ups and downs in the process," Estimé said. "I just need to stay right in the middle and not let one thing affect my whole process. I did not run the time I expected to run.
"I had been running a lot faster through my time leading up to the 40-yard dash, but that is over now. It is time for me to play football, and I am ready to be a Bronco and play high level football.”
Estimé rushed seven times for 60 yards in 2021 when Williams wrapped up his Notre Dame career. Then Estimé became one third of a three-headed rushing attack with Logan Diggs and Chris Tyree for the Irish in 2022. Estimé rushed 156 times for 920 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore. Diggs totaled 821 yards and four touchdowns on 165 carries. Tyree rushed 100 times for 44 yards and three touchdowns.
Estimé was the last man standing from that trio in Notre Dame's backfield last season. Diggs transferred to LSU and transferred again to Ole Miss following the 2023 season. Tyree moved to wide receiver for Notre Dame last season and has since transferred to Virginia to finish his college career.
The Associated Press and The Sporting News recognized Estimé as a second-team All-American following a 2023 season in which he rushed for 1,341 yards, the fifth-most in program history, and 18 touchdowns, a program record. He rushed for at least 100 yards in half of the 12 games he played in last season. Estimé chose to sit out the Sun Bowl to finish the year.
Estimé became just the fourth Notre Dame running back selected in the last 10 drafts following Kyren Williams, Dexter Williams in 2019 and C.J. Prosise in 2016.
Notre Dame signed Estimé as a four-star recruit out of Montvale (N.J.) St. Joseph's. Rivals ranked Estimé as the No. 6 running back and No. 131 overall prospect in the 2021 class. He flipped his commitment to Notre Dame from Michigan State in December 2020 before signing with the Irish.
The Irish spent most of the 2021 recruiting cycle trying to land running back Will Shipley, but he ended up committing to Clemson. Notre Dame recovered by signing Diggs and Estimé in the class, which ended up working out just fine for the Irish.
Shipley also entered the 2024 NFL Draft pool after rushing for 2,747 yards in three seasons at Clemson. The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Shipley in the fourth round Saturday with pick No. 127 overall. Estimé finished with 2,321 rushing yards at Notre Dame with most of them coming in the last two seasons.
The Denver Broncos have two former Notre Dame offensive linemen on their roster: tackle Mike McGlinchey and center Sam Mustipher. McGlinchey was Denver's starting right tackle last season. Mustipher played in nine games for the Baltimore Ravens.
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