Midweek thoughts about the Notre Dame football program, its recruiting efforts and college football.
BIG YEAR FOR THE TIGHT ENDS ON THE HORIZON?
Since Brian Kelly was hired prior to the 2010 season, Notre Dame has produced six drafted NFL tight ends. The first three were picked in the first two rounds of the draft, but the last three have been a pair of seventh-round picks and a fourth-round pick.
From 2010 to 2013 the tight ends averaged 56 catches, 751.5 yards and 5.8 touchdowns per season. That nose-dived to 16 catches, 196 yards and 2.5 touchdowns per season in 2015-16. The last two seasons the Irish tight ends have averaged 50.5 catches and 510 yards to go with five touchdowns.
Outside of a few key seam routes from Durham Smythe in 2017 and a great sideline grab from Alizé Mack against Michigan in last season’s opener, the tight ends have been mostly possession players, and pass catchers that were often secondary options for the quarterbacks.
There is a chance Notre Dame could see a significant jump in tight end production this season, at least from a yards and yards per catch standpoint, and the result would be an offense far more difficult to defend.
