Scouts Inc. on Notre Dame's best

by Dan Kadar on Jun 12, 2009 10:59 AM EDT

This might be the slowest time of the draft year, but every now again a good nugget finds its way online. Hat tip to Draft Daddy for notcing a break down of Notre Dame players by Scouts Inc.

Steve Muench provides analysis of quarterback Jimmy Clausen, receivers Golden Tate, safety Kyle McCarthy, middle linebacker Brian Smith and the defensive and offensive lines.

Muench says a lot of nice things about Tate, McCarthy and offensive tackle Sam Young.

For me, Notre Dame's best draft-eligible pro prospect is Tate. He's really dynamite and has a lot of toughness for a smaller receiver. If he measure at 5-foot-10 or better, he'll likely be a first day draft pick.

There's something being put together for next week on Clausen, so I'll avoid analyzing him for now. Here's some of what Muench had to say:

I like the fact that he's willing to take a big hit before he lets the ball go. But sometimes throwing the ball away or throwing it out of bounds is a better decision.

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Comments

Golden Tate is a playmaker. I hope he doesnt go pro after this year.

Sam Young will be a great NFL tackle.

Jimmy Clausen will be the best QB in the 2010 draft.

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Jun 12, 2009 12:15 PM EDT reply actions

Clausen

If he’s that good, you should make a fan post about him. If it doesn’t suck, I’ll pull it over…

by Dan Kadar on Jun 12, 2009 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ll consider it, but I dont know if i have the time.

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Jun 12, 2009 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Tate may well be the best draft eligible prospect

However, he isn’t even the best WR prospect on the team. Michael Floyd is going to be very, very good. While it’s still a little early in his career, and being from Minnesota, there were comparisons to Larry Fitzgerald. I certainly hope he shows it the next 2-3 years.

Hopefully Tate will have the opportunity to show off more skills of his, rather than just the fly pattern. He’s come a long way from being a RB in high school, and I’m certainly looking forward to next season.

I still don’t see any way either Tate or Clausen comes out after this season though. QB is going to be 2004 deep, and I think Clausen will wait it out.

NFC North and NFC South writer for SB Nation's NFL Draft blog: Mocking the Draft

by mgrex03 on Jun 12, 2009 4:07 PM EDT reply actions

Floyd is incredibly good. That class of receivers is outstanding all around and the best one might be the guy who plays for So. Miss.

Who would you put ahead of Clausen besides Snead, Bradford and McCoy?

by Dan Kadar on Jun 12, 2009 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

An argument can be made for Tebow as well

Clausen can look like a #1 pick overall sometimes, and he can look really bad sometimes (see BC game), which is not good for an NFL prospect. His decision making is still somewhat suspect, much like Muench said. There are times I think he still believes it is like high school, where he was far superior to everyone on the field, and he can use his arm strength to fit balls in. At this level, it just doesn’t work.

Junior year is when Brady Quinn took off, and he had Weis calling plays for him, much like Clausen will this season. Clausen also has a veteran OL, which (should) keep him upright for the most part. He doesn’t have the ability to avoid rushers like the other QBs do, and sometimes takes some really deep sacks (15+ yards). A competent running game will also take some pressure off of him, because whatever offense ND had last season, it mostly came from his arm.

The one thing he has on all the QBs above him right now though, is the ability to throw the 15 yard out. It is a thing of beauty how he puts it on the WR hands going to the sideline.

NFC North and NFC South writer for SB Nation's NFL Draft blog: Mocking the Draft

by mgrex03 on Jun 12, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

He’s just a true sophomore so his ability to read defenses should improve. He will also improve because of the players around him(RBs, OL).

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Jun 13, 2009 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions

My take

Clausen-He’ll be a junior and he will not go pro after next year. He may be a first round prospect if the offensive line improves. He will have to keep his interception number down if he is going to be a first rounder. He has the ability and the targets to throw for 30-some touchdowns though.

Tate-Tate is a joy to watch. He does it all. He has great hands. He makes great adjustments. He’s a great deep threat with his speed and he can return punts. I hope he doesn’t go pro, but he could be a top 20 pick if he does as well as I think he will do. He should end up breaking every Notre Dame season receiving record in team history next year. Mgrex is dead on about Michael Floyd. He is a Larry Fitzgerald clone and could very easily be a top 3 pick in 2011. If he played at Texas Tech he would have made Michael Crabtree look like a walk-on. He would hold every receiving record in NCAA history if he played in a high-flying offense. He will go pro after junior year and it will be sad to see him leave.

Young-Young has always underachieved, but he has never had any talent around him. Last year was his first good year. I’m hoping that he falls to the Colts in 2010 because he is just what the team needs. He is a big right tackle who is a great pass blocker and is improving as a run blocker.

Ian Williams-Williams will be a 3-4 NT I believe. That’s what he played his freshman year and sophomore year. Now that we are running a 4-3 base he will be a 4-3 NT, but I see him as a 3-4 NT or just a big ass 4-3 NT.

Brian Smith-Smith is the leader of the defense. I am a huge Brian Smith fan. He is great at pass defense. I don’t think he will go pro after next year since he is just not the best run stopper, but he is the heart and soul of the defense and he will be a mid-round prospect in 2011.

Kyle McCarthy-McCarthy will be a first day pick in 2010. He will have the stats and the workouts to warrant it. Last year was his first year starting and he was one of the best tacklers in the country.

2011 looks like a Notre Dame draft. I can see a bunch of first day prospects coming from ND.

Clausen
Tate
Floyd
Kyle Rudolph (tight end)
Dan Wenger (center)
Brian Smith
Ian Williams
Darrin Walls (corner)
Robert Blanton (corner)

All of them could be first day picks in 2011. Blanton, Rudolph and Floyd are some of the best sophomores in the country. Rudolph is huge but also has great speed and is a deep threat. Blanton is a lockdown corner who picked off NFL QBs Mark Sanchez and Curtis Painter last season.

"I saw a commercial on late night TV, it said,'Forget everything you know about slipcovers.' So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were."
-Mitch Hedberg

by Colts Homer on Jun 14, 2009 3:05 PM EDT reply actions

GOod post. I agree with most of the things you said exect I dont think that Blaton, Floyd, AND Rudolph will all go pro in 2011. I hope Sam Young is picked up by the Browns.

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Jun 14, 2009 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions