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Notre Dame Freshman Receivers: Best Numbers

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Micah Jones was the lone early entrant among the four 2018 Notre Dame wideout recruits.
Micah Jones was the lone early entrant among the four 2018 Notre Dame wideout recruits. (Angela Driskell)
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The 27 Notre Dame scholarship freshmen were issued their jersey numbers as they begin summer school this Monday (June 18).

While the numbers are subject to change, we look at who some of the best were to don the ones issued to them. Part I featured quarterback/running backs, while Part II has the four-man receiving crew:


Kevin Austin: No. 4

Best To Wear Number at Notre Dame: Adam Walsh (1922-24) & Bert Metzger (1928-30)

Both linemen starred for Knute Rockne teams that won national titles, and both are enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. Walsh was a center and the team captain for the Four Horsemen and Seven Mules, and Metzger played guard on back-to-back national champions.

Best WR To Wear No. 4: To Be Determined

There hasn’t been one, although running backs Lee Becton (1991-94)and Ryan Grant (2001-04),both of whom rushed for more than 1,000 yards in a season and 2,000 in their career, would be the closest. Becton caught 19 career passes for 212 yards and three scores, while Grant snared 26 for 144 yards and no scores.

Honorable Mention: Frank Dancewicz (1943-45) & Kory Minor (1995-98)

Dancewicz was the No. 1 pick in the 1946 NFL Draft at quarterback despite getting sandwiched between Heisman winners Angelo Bertelli and John Lujack.

Minor was a four-year starter who recorded 44.5 tackles for loss, second to Ross Browner’s unbreakable 77 on the school career chart.


Lawrence Keys: No. 13

Best To Wear Number at Notre Dame: Tom Carter (1990-92)

A third-team All-America cornerback in 1992, he joined classmate Jerome Bettis by putting his name into the NFL Draft after his junior season. Carter was chosen in the first round as the No. 17 overall selection and played nine seasons in the pros. He picked off five passes in each of his last two seasons with the Irish.

Best WR To Wear No. 13: Pat Eilers (1987-89)

He caught only 11 passes for 119 yards in the run-dominant attack that won a school record 23 consecutive games his last two seasons, but his blocking prowess made him a co-starter at flanker with Ricky Watters for the 1988 national champs and the full-time figure for the 12-1 unit in 1989. Eilers also played six seasons in the NFL at safety and on special teams.

Honorable Mention: Bert Berry (1993-96)

Defensive end/outside linebacker was a third-round draft selection after recording 10 sacks as a senior, and he played more than a decade in the NFL.


Braden Lenzy: No. 25

Best To Wear Number at Notre Dame: Raghib “Rocket” Ismail (1988-90)

The Walter Camp Award winner as a junior was one of the most breathtaking triple threats ever to play college football. His 71 career catches averaged a school record 22.0 yards, his 131 career carries averaged 7.7 yards and he scored six touchdowns on special teams

Best WR To Wear No. 25: Ismail

It also should be noted that Earl Brown (1936-38)received All-American notice at “end” for the 1938 unit that lost the national title in the finale at USC.

Honorable Mention: Al Hunter (1973, 1975-76), Randy Kinder 1993-96) & Tony Driver (1997-2000)

Hunter, who ran the 100 yards in 9.3 seconds, began the “tradition” of No. 25 representing speed — which is Lenzy’s forte. Hunter helped the Irish to the 1973 national title in the Sugar Bowl win over Alabama with a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, and in 1976 he became the first single-season 1,000-yard rusher at Notre Dame.

Kinder and Driver also were state sprint champions. Kinder totaled 2,295 yards rushing and 5.7 yards per carry. Driver began his career at running back, shifted to safety and became a sixth-round pick.


Micah Jones: No. 80

Best To Wear Number at Notre Dame: Monty Stickles (1957-59), Art Hunter (1951-53) & Tyler Eifert (2009-12)

Both Stickles and Hunter excelled as ends on offense and defense in the days of one-platoon football, but Hunter also started at center and tackle and was the No. 2 pick in the 1954 draft. Stickles, who also made a couple of game winning kicks, was selected No. 11 overall, but unfortunately developed a reputation as one of the dirtiest players in the game.

Eifert caught 116 passes his last two seasons at Notre Dame, won the Mackey Award as the the nation's best tight end during the 12-1 season in 2012 and became the most recent Irish tight end drafted in the first round.


Best WR To Wear No. 80: Omar Jenkins (2000-03)

He matched his jersey number with 80 career catches that averaged 14.2 yards. During the 10-3 season in 2002, he served as a complement to Arnaz Battle, grabbing 37 passes for a 17.1 per catch average.

In the 1970s, Willie Townsend (1971-73) paced the 1972 squad with 25 catches, and successor Dan Kelleher (1974-76) had a strong senior year, with his 24 catches averaging 21.8 yards.

Honorable Mention: Tight end Oscar McBride(1990-94) played behind first-round picks Derek Brown and Irv Smith most of his career but still was a regular his last four years (18 catches, four TDs) and played a couple of years in the NFL.

We should also note that No. 4 had two outstanding kickers in Chuck Male (1978-79) and Mike Johnston (1980-82), as did No. 13 with Dave Reeve (1974-77) and Nicholas Setta (2000-03).

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