Notre Dame’s Joe Wilkins Jr.: Out From The Shadows
For the past two years, junior wide receiver Joe Wilkins Jr. was a name that repeatedly came up in Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly’s assessment of players who are on the cusp of emerging into a major figure.
It even began prior to Wilkins’ freshman season, when in 2018 summer workouts the defensive back recruit was such a conspicuous playmaker that the coaching staff opted to move him to wide receiver.
That was in spite of already signing four wide receivers in the same class: Top 100 prospect Kevin Austin, game-breaking speedster Braden Lenzy, prototype slot Lawrence Keys III, and the rangy 6-4 ½ Micah Jones.
The then listed 6-2, 180-pound Wilkins possessed neither the strength or fanfare of Austin, the pure speed of Lenzy, the height and wingspan of Jones nor the natural slot skills of Keys … yet he did join Austin as the only two rookie receivers to take snaps in two game situations that year (although not enough to lose a year of eligibility).
Last year Austin was suspended and it was Lenzy and Keys who made inroads in the lineup, with Keys playing 263 snaps and snaring 13 passes (most among returning wideouts), while Lenzy had 259 and showcased his explosiveness by scoring four touchdowns on passes of 22 and 70 yards, and on runs of 61 and 51.
Meanwhile, there was Wilkins — consistently listed in the two deep but with only 81 snaps on the year in six games and still no touches.
Maybe an opportunity would arise when junior Michael Young left the team last October — but it was Lenzy who received the call on the field side.
Maybe with second-round draft pick Chase Claypool off to the pros, an opportunity would open — but Northwestern graduate transfer Ben Skowronek, with 110 career catches, enrolled in January as a probable boundary-side wideout.
Maybe Wilkins could move to slot — but it was running back Avery Davis who got the call there to complement Keys.
Wilkins was listed behind Skowronek entering last weekend’s opener versus Duke, but when Skowronek pulled a hamstring in the first half while the offense was muddling along with three straight three-and-outs to open the season, Wilkins’ opportunity to carpe diem arrived.
Right before halftime with the Irish taking possession at the 1:13 mark at their 16-yard line and leading 7-6, Wilkins snared three passes in four plays, the latter two for 15 and 13 yards to help set up a 48-yard field goal by Jonathan Doerer as time expired.
“We’ve always felt like when Joe got his opportunity he’s talented enough to make some plays,” said Kelly, who noted that Wilkins also was temporarily slowed by an injury this training camp. “It’s just fun to watch him some plays … There were a lot of players who just needed an opportunity and were stuck behind some really good players.”
In the third quarter, Wilkins next made a sensational, leaping NFL-like catch near the sideline while keeping both feet inbounds for a seven-yard gain. That helped set up a fourth-and-one situation that resulted in running back Kyren Williams breaking free for a 26-yard touchdown and a 17-6 lead in the hard fought 27-13 victory.
Only seven of the 19 pass completions on the day went to Notre Dame’s wideout corps. Wilkins led the way with four grabs, while slot men Avery Davis (2 for 26 and a touchdown) and Keys (one for four) had three between them. Lenzy did not see action, with no reason specified on why.
“It’s not in a situation where [quarterback Ian Book] knows exactly where they are going to be,” Kelly said. “He will. So I told him, ‘Don’t expect that to happen overnight.’ … At times, Ian wants to be great, and he can’t be great yet because a lot of those guys are young and may need more time. So just make those easy plays.”
Per Book, Wilkins “brings a ton of energy” to the attack and could become a reliable figure to lean on.
“He’s extremely confident — he should be,” Books said of the now listed 6-1 ½, 190-pound Wilkins. “He’s very versatile. I felt a lot more comfortable with him. We’ve been able to put in a lot more reps. He’s someone out there I’m always talking to on the field.
“When his named is called, he’s going to be ready … He’s got more to go. He’s going to be a really good player for us.”
This time, the evidence on the field went beyond just the talk off it.
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