With Weis out, which of the Fighting Irish will go pro?

by Dan Kadar on Nov 30, 2009 2:55 PM EST in 2010 NFL Draft

According to several published reports, Notre Dame has fired head coach Charlie Weis. In five season with the Fighting Irish, Weis accumulated a 35-27 record. In the last three, though, Notre Dame went 16-21 with no wins against a ranked opponent.

Notre Dame players are meeting today vote on whether or not the 6-6 team will play in a bowl game, if invited. Athletic director Jack Swarbick has reportedly said he'd consider the player vote in deciding on a bowl trip.

One of the big issues now Notre Dame is which talented juniors will enter the NFL Draft. Typically when a coach is fired more players than usual will jump to the pros.

Chief among those eligible to enter early is quarterback Jimmy Clausen. There has been a lot of speculation of late about Clausen going pro. After a season in which he threw 28 touchdowns and only four interceptions, expect Clausen to be in the draft.

The next best player after Clausen is wide receiver Golden Tate. The junior's season really took off when he became the Irish's primary receiver following an injury to Michael Floyd that knocked him out of five games. On the year, Tate has 93 receptions for 1,496 yards and 15 touchdowns. A top special teams performer, Tate should go pro.

Leading rusher Armando Allen also has the choice to go pro. On the season, he has 697 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Allen has shown throughout his career that he projects to little more than a backup at the next level. Because of that, it might best for him to stay in school and hope to have a breakthrough 2010 campaign. The same can be said for linemen Dan Wenger and Chris Stewart.

It may be a coin flip situation for inside linebacker Brian Smith. He's second on the team in tackles with 71. He has good size at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, but isn't a playmaker.

If you're wondering about tight end Kyle Rudolph and Floyd, both are sophomores and ineligible for the draft. When they are, however, both should be considered first-round talents.

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Comments

Not sure.

I’m sure most ND fans want them all to return.

Clausen I know said he came to ND to play for Weiss specifically. Tate I’m sure would have similar ideas.

I can’t see them going back. Clausen with some good workouts could be the #1 overall. Tate could be a top 15 pick, but more likely a late 1st to early 2nd rounder.

Especially with what happened to Bradford and Gresham and OU….they probably are locks to declare.

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 30, 2009 3:57 PM EST reply actions

no comment on Tate and Jimmy.

by TheRealSlimShady on Nov 30, 2009 5:14 PM EST reply actions

Oh don't do that now

You’ve been saying they won’t leave all year why change now

Draft guru in training.

by tj.hendricks on Nov 30, 2009 11:12 PM EST up reply actions

I haven’t said that since the navy loss

by TheRealSlimShady on Nov 30, 2009 11:22 PM EST up reply actions

Just to let you know, Wenger didn’t even start this year.

by TheRealSlimShady on Nov 30, 2009 5:15 PM EST reply actions

Tate and Clausen are both gone.

"It ain't over till it's over." - Yogi Berra

by 49er16 on Nov 30, 2009 5:19 PM EST reply actions

Agreed.

by Brendan Scolari on Dec 1, 2009 2:41 AM EST up reply actions

yep

Current Phinsider Feud Points: 23

T.Lex doesn't want to be fed, he wants to hunt. Can't just suppress sixty five million years of gut instinct.

by Patssuck456 on Dec 1, 2009 11:19 PM EST up reply actions

For players of their calibre, it does not make any sense to come back for another year.

The risk is much higher that they will hurt their draft standing, than improve it. Clausen especially is top ten material now. He would have to repeat this outstanding year without getting injured to possibly improve to the #1 lock like Elway, Aikman, Vick, and Peyton Manning were. Even then it could come down to who has the first pick.

Tate is slightly different. If he repeated his current year or even improved, he might move into the top fifteen or so. Now he looks to be a late first, early second pick. But the likelihood of him repeating this year’s performance without Clausen is fairly small.

Personally, I would jump at the chance if I were these two guys.

by NorthLeft12 on Dec 1, 2009 7:21 AM EST reply actions