Courtesy: Getty Images

Debate This is a recurring series on HerLoyalSons in which two writers take opposing sides on a hot topic. Today and tomorrow, we will debate whether or not Jaylon Smith should have played in the Fiesta Bowl. Today, IrishJimmy leads us through the “he should have skipped it” argument. Tomorrow, andrewwinn takes the other side.

Jaylon Smith should have skipped the Fiesta Bowl because it was far more important for him to stay healthy and protect his financial future than it was to win a meaningless bowl game.

MONEY LOST

In a Feb. 19 interview, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. said:

To get anything out of Jaylon Smith this year would be a surprise. But this is a kid, unlike Cedric Ogbuchi last year, or even Todd Gurley — you can make an argument that Jaylon Smith is the best player in this draft.

Smith tore his ACL and LCL and suffered nerve damage during the first quarter of the Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl. Had he skipped the bowl and stayed healthy, Smith could have been the top overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Jared Goff, the actual first pick, will sign a $27.9 million contract – all guaranteed – with an $18.5 million signing bonus.

Smith dropped to the fourth pick of the second round and will sign a contract estimated to be worth $6.5 million, with a $2.9 million signing bonus. He’ll also capitalize on a loss-of-value insurance policy worth $900,000, which is not subject to taxation.

If these numbers are accurate, Smith’s injury cost him as much as $21.4 million.

MEANINGLESS GAME

Smith’s injury could be the impetus for high profile stars to skip essentially bowl games that are essentially meaningless in the playoff era. If this is the case, the players who opt not to play couldn’t be more right.

Jaylon Smith is a perfect example. The linebacker was not going to return to Notre Dame to play his senior year, so why play in a bowl game that has zero national championship implications?

Sure, people will say all the right things. As athletes – or, in my case, former athletes – were are conditioned from a young age to finish what we have started. Some will argue that college players have an obligation to the team and the university.

However, we are well past the point of blasting athletes who leave college early for the NFL. Although they may not like it, most people understand that these athletes have a ton of money at stake.

There was an era when Notre Dame would not play in a bowl game unless it could significantly improve the final ranking. In this day and age, though, almost every college participates in a bowl game regardless of ranking.

Imagine if Smith has suffered this catastrophic injury in the Quick Lane Bowl, playing for a 6-6 Notre Dame team. Perhaps even more people would make the suggestion that players should avoid these games.

Most colleges enter these games simply for the bowl payout, of which nothing goes to the player. And don’t forget: It isn’t the bowl game that poses the only risk. Most coaches who advocate for accepting a bowl bid do so because it entitles them to 15 additional practices. That, in essence, amounts to 15 more opportunities to have a devastating injury.

BLAMING COACHES IS MISPLACED

https://twitter.com/BartHubbuch/status/726108303877660672

https://twitter.com/BartHubbuch/status/726111324451799041

https://twitter.com/BartHubbuch/status/726115630118801408

With all the above being said, I don’t blame the coaches for this situation. Bart Hubbuch, the New York Post columnist who publicly blasted Brian Kelly for playing Smith, is, at best, naïve and, at worst, pointing the finger in the wrong direction.

Coaches are employed and retained purely for winning percentage. No coach has ever saved a job because of a high graduation rate, team GPA or lack of player injuries. They have to win. As such, they should be purely evaluated on win-loss record.

The responsibility for this issue falls squarely on the NCAA. If the NCAA cares about the “kids” as much as they claim to, they should foot the bill to insure potential high draft picks prior to bowl game participation.

Some schools out there don’t even guarantee scholarships for four years. Conceivably, it’s possible a underclassman could have a career-ending injury in a meaningless bowl game and later find themselves without a scholarship.

While it paints me to think that high-profile Notre Dame players may skip these games in the future, I truly believe they have every right to do so. In fact, a projected Top 5 pick would be foolish, in my mind, to play.

Players would be wise to view Jaylon Smith’s injury as a cautionary tale on the downside of bowl game participation.

The post Debate This: Jaylon Smith Should Have Skipped Fiesta Bowl appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Notre Dame’s Elijah Shumate (22) tackles Virginia’s Taquan Mizzell (4) during the second half of the Fighting Irish’s 34-27 win over Virginia Saturday, September 12, 2015 in Charlottesville. (SBT Photo/BECKY MALEWITZ)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed former Irish safety Elijah Shumate, according to Irish Illustrated’s Pete Sampson.

Shumate was ranked as the 14th overall Strong Safety out of 193. At 6’ 216 pounds he more than possesses the size to play that position at the next level. In fact, Shumate actually remarked that he had cut too much weight for the East-West Shrine game and was now back a more viable playing weight. His strength (18 repetitions on 225 lb. Bench Press) and (4.10) in the 20 yard shuttle were both respectable.

Shumate worked out and met with a number of teams during the lead up to the draft.

While at Notre Dame, he played in 48 games with 27 starts. He also piled up 168 career tackles and 10 Tackles for a loss.  If you combine this with 2 interceptions and 10 passes broken up you have a player in Elijah Shumate who had a pretty productive career at Notre Dame. Most of the mock draft boards had Shumate as a likely 7th round selection with some even pegging him as a free agent. Much like Matthias Farley who I profiled earlier, Shumate has extensive special teams experience.

Where Shumate may struggle seems to be in regards to overall athleticism. As pointed out by some other prognosticators, Shumate finished in the lower half of some of the speed and jumping tests at the NFL Combine. The NFL.com analysis seems to support this also. Citing one scout from the midwest, NFL.com highlighted an overall weakness in man coverage but some ability to play the run. They further indicated that he would have to play well on special teams to make a roster. That being said, as I mentioned previously there seems to be a shift by some teams away from the combine numbers that have often defined the draft in recent years.

We wish Shumate the best of luck in landing a roster spot with the Buccaneers.

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Irish Legacy: Amir Carlisle. The name alone is a great blend of very Irish sounding (Carlisle) and a very Middle Eastern sounding (Amir). Doesn’t it just make you think of world peace? Amir Carlisle was a USC transfer and, therefore, instantly beloved by all. Unfortunately, he missed his sophomore season due to injury. Thankfully, he bounced back and gave the Irish yet another dynamic option. On the ground, Carlisle amassed over 400 rushing yards, and as a receiver, he put up over 650 yards and collected 4 touchdowns. But, perhaps his most satisfying score was the punt-block-recovery-touchdown against USC in 2015.

What the ‘experts’ are saying:

“Carlisle is tougher than he is given credit for and demonstrated a willingness to block downfield. Carlisle showed impressive burst in and out of his cuts. He has quick feet and plays stronger than his size would indicate, capable of breaking arm tackles and pushing for more yards. His speed is his strength, giving him possible special teams abilities as a kick/punt returner” – Fansided.com

Measurables

• 5 feet, 10 inches
• 190 pounds
• 4.43 40 time
• 35 inch vertical
• 20 yard shuffle 4.24 seconds
• 3 cone drill 7.39 seconds
• Bench reps of 225 pounds: 17 times

Weaknesses: Relatively small size. Age. He will be 24 by start of rookie season. But, hey! I heard we don’t stop growing until we are 25 or 26 so… In fact, his physical maturity might explain how he was able to block down field so well.

Strengths: Speedy slot receiver that can also block. See Bench press reps. The man is deceptively strong. He has done well in special teams production as a kick-returner. Also, watch this postgame interview he did in 2014. Is he not one of the smartest Irish players you’ve ever heard? A man of deep faith.

Optimistic Conclusion: I think Amir Carlisle has the potential to be the feel good story of the NFL. A ‘deep sleeper’ pick who has the maturity level at 24 to make a surprising splash right away.

The post Arizona Cardinals Strike Twice, Add Amir Carlisle Post-Draft appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Brown will join former Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith in Arlington; Smith was drafted in the second round by the Cowboys.

Credit: Irish Sports Daily

Irish Legacy: Chris “Breezy” Brown’s first catch for Notre Dame was at Oklahoma for 50 yards! That 50 yard game winner was 1 of the 2 total catches Chris had his freshman year. Brown’s improved sophomore year ended with his first career touchdown against Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl. In his junior year, Brown had a big breakthrough. And Irish fans took notice. Especially since, he became known for saving the team’s collective butt on long 3rd down plays. In 2014, “24 of his 39 receptions went for a first down or touchdown and eight of his nine third-down receptions went for a first down or touchdown”- (UND.com). In his farewell season, Chris Brown put up career highs with 48 catches for 597 yards and 4 touchdowns. Getting beyond the numbers though, Chris Brown was truly the most reliable and consistent wide receiver in 2015 (and yes, that includes Will Fuller). And, of course, we will never forget Brown’s corner of the endzone snag against Boston College! The catch heard round the world.

The Experts:

Credit: RedeyeChicago.com

Erik Lambert of Fansided sees similarities with pro “Steve Johnson, the former Bills receiver (now with Chargers). Brown flashes the capability to create big plays and to get open consistently. He’s just not quite a #1 option type. Johnson had one great year in 2012 but typically averages around 50 catches and between 500-700 yards. That is territory for a classic #2 or #3 receiver type who will move the chains and create mismatches in the slot.”

“I felt like I caught everything great and that I tested well,” said Brown, who officially was clocked at 4.44 in the 40. “I felt like I ran a lot faster than a lot of people said I would. During my all-star game, I think somebody told me I’d run mid-4.5s. I’m pretty sure I ran faster than that.”

“Brown caught all but one pass thrown to him last Thursday by former Irish quarterback Everett Golson, who returned to Notre Dame for his Pro Day performance. Brown wasn’t the least bit hesitant to extend his 6-foot-2, 193-pound frame to make a catch,” added Irish Illustrated’s Tim Prister.

In other words, Brown is already going after the ball like a professional.

Height: 6-2
Weight: 193 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.44
20-yard shuttle: 4.35
3-cone drill: 7.37
Vertical leap: 33.5
Broad jump: 10 feet, 10 inches (8th among receivers)
Bench reps: 14

Bottom Line: Chris “Breezy” Brown exceeded expectations at Notre Dame. Then he did so over and over again at Pro-day/NFL workouts. Could Chris Brown be the next John Brown (3rd round pick)? Chris would only need around 50 receptions, 700 yards and 5 touchdowns in his rookie season! Easy Breezy.

The post Undrafted, Chris Brown To Join Jaylon Smith In Dallas appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) carries the ball as Notre Dame safety Elijah Shumate (22), cornerback Matthias Farley (41) and cornerback Cole Luke (36) defend. Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Matthias Farley, a former Notre Dame safety, announced that he will be joining the Arizona Cardinals after not being picked in the 2016 NFL Draft.

I flat out love Farley.

There will be some who will look at his size and 5’11 and 205 pounds and conclude that was an obstacle to be drafted. Others will point out his somewhat uneven career at Notre Dame as a reason he did not get drafted. Farley currently is ranked the 25th overall strong safety out of 193 and has a stock that appears to be on the rise. So what is it that got Arizona’s attention?

For starters, Farley had a monster pro day at Notre Dame. His 40 time (4.45) and repetitions on the 225 lb. bench press (21) would have placed him second overall among safeties at the NFL combine. (He was not invited.) These numbers alone indicate that Farley has the raw ability to perform at the next level.

The Pro Day numbers alone made Farley an attractive undrafted free agent. What separates him, in my mind, is his production, intangibles, and ability to perform on special teams.

Farley played in 52 games during his Notre Dame career while making 26 starts on defense. During his time in South Bend, he had close to 200 tackles and 8 interceptions. He also had 9.5 tackles for losses and 3.5 sacks. No matter what position Farley was called on to play he was productive.

In an era where top coaches like Belichick are questioning the value of the combine, Farley combines solid pro day numbers with solid production on the playing field. Another area that makes Farley attractive his the leadership and selflessness he will bring to an NFL locker room. Matthias Farley is a team guy. Although his playing time diminished during his time in South Bend his impact on the Irish and his work ethic apparently did not. Farley’s teammates thought so much of him prior to the 2015 campaign that he was chosen as a Captain despite making only three starts on the season, the fewest of his career.

Finally, often the linchpin for a late round draft pick or undrafted free agent to make a roster is special teams play. Farley played on every special team during his final season at Notre Dame and was named the Special Teams Player of the Year for his efforts.

I can't wait to get to the Desert! pic.twitter.com/TqICPaIfQ7

— Matthias Farley (@mfarley41) April 30, 2016

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Okwara’s #NDFB career could be chronicled “The Curious Case of Romeo Okwara,” due to his unusual youth.

SOUTH BEND, IN – OCTOBER 19: Cody Kessler #6 of the University of Southern California Trojans passes as Romeo Okwara #45 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes at Notre Dame Stadium on October 19, 2013 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated USC 14-10. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Okwara, born in Nigeria, began school at the early age of 3, and he and his family moved to the United States years later. Once residing in North Carolina, Romeo had finished the 6th grade at age 10. He was a 3 star recruit (247sports composite ranking) coming out of Charlotte, North Carolina and turned 17 years old just prior to his freshman year at Notre Dame.

Despite his age, he was pushed into playing time and played in all 13 games in the 2012 season, where he served predominantly as a special team player contributing 7 tackles (4 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, and forced a fumble. He played in all 13 games in his sophomore season as well, recording 19 tackles (10 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, and a half sack. During his junior season, Okwara worked his way into a starting role – starting 12 of the 13 games. He made 39 tackles (15 solo), 4 tackles for loss, 4 sacks (team leader), and forced 2 fumbles. Moving into his senior year, Okwara was 19 and just turned 20 before the start of the season. To put that into perspective, it is common for high school seniors to turn 19 going into their freshman year of college.

Again, despite his youth, his senior year proved to be his most productive, where he (once again) lead the team in sacks with 9, registered 49 tackles (32 solo), 13.5 tackles for loss, and recovered and forced a fumble (all stats credit to und.com and sports-refernce.com). It appeared that a switch was flipped during his senior year, and he provided a much needed rush end dynamic to a defensive that admittedly has struggled getting to the quarterback. Okwara’s most memorable moment came in a November game against Wake Forest, where he leaped a potential cut block and recorded one of his three sacks in the game. He then proceeded to celebrate by showing some love to the nationally acclaimed Notre Dame fencing program, who will be highly represented at this year’s summer Olympics with 5 members joining Team USA. Moving on, let’s jump into Okwara’s NFL combine.

Okwara recorded the following measurables at the 2016 NFL combine:
• 6’5” – 265 lbs. – 34 1/8” arm length – 10 1/8” hand size
• 4.90 seconds 40 yard dash
• 23 reps on bench press
• 33.0 inch vertical jump
• 120.0 inch broad jump
• 7.38 seconds 3 cone drill
• 4.53 seconds 20 yard shuttle

I, sadly, am no NFL scout nor am I a self-proclaimed “draft expert” (if such creatures exist), thus my opinions on these numbers are about as irrelevant as Jim Harbaugh’s opinions on…anything. Instead of my commentary I’ll paraphrase Lance Zierlein of NFL.com and thesidelineview.com. Strengths include above average arm length and hand size coupled with natural upper body strength. Zierlein doesn’t sugarcoat his hesitations of Okwara explaining, “Extremely raw. Slow reaction time off the snap and doesn’t have the twitch to burst upfield and threaten an edge as a rusher.” In summary, Zierlein believes Okwara will need to break out of his normal stiff and mechanical movements, and translate his raw and natural power into on-field production if he hopes to make a roster. You can find Zierlein’s entire profile on Okwara at NFL.com.

In my totally meaningless and unsolicited opinion, I thought that a team would take a late round chance on Okwara, purely because of his intriguing youth. Even though he signed with the Giants, he won’t be legally allowed to celebrate with a cold one because he is only 20 years old (but I’ll fall on the sword and drink his share).

In any event, the Giants are getting an uncharacteristically young, bright, physically and mentally strong defensive lineman that will hopefully be given time to develop into a serviceable contributor.

Happy to announce that I am going to be a New York Giant #GMEN pic.twitter.com/jvLtyB3EZa

— Romeo Okwara (@RomeoND45) April 30, 2016

The post Romeo Okwara Signs With N.Y. Giants After Draft appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith (9) celebrates a big stop in the Wake Forest red zone during the Notre Dame-Wake Forest game on Nov. 14, 2015. SBT Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

Jaylon Smith believes he’s still a Top 10 pick despite his serious injury. If he falls past the first round, the former Notre Dame linebacker may be silently rooting to drop all the way to the middle of the third round.

What is seemingly a perverse incentive – to diminish your draft stature – may actually be a sound financial decision for Smith, according to NFL draft expert Jason Fitzgerald.

Because NFL rookie contracts are fixed according to the league’s 2011 collective bargaining agreement with its players’ association, an accurate projection can be made about what each pick stands to earn.

There are three ways at looking at this.

MAXIMUM CONTRACT

Fitzgerald, founder of OverTheCap.com, projects the final pick of the first round – currently held by the Denver Broncos – will be paid $8,235,538 over the life of the four year contract.

Smith purchased a “loss of value” insurance policy before suffering an ACL/LCL injury in the Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl. It will reportedly pay out $700,000 if he is not among the first round picks. It will also pay $100,000 for each subsequent pick in which he is not selected, up to a maximum of $5 million. Darren Rovell, ESPN’s business reporter, said the policy pay out is tax free.

Smith’s policy maxes out at the 75th pick, a middle-of-third-round selection currently owned by the Raiders. That pick will be paid $3,126,100 over the four year contract, Fitzgerald says. Therefore, the linebacker would make $8,216,100 including the insurance payout.

If Smith is selected with the first pick in the second round or up to the 10th pick in the third round, he’ll paid be paid between $7.29 million and $8.05 million.

Conclusion: If Jaylon Smith isn’t selected in the first round, he should hope to go in the mid-third round to maximize his money.

GUARANTEED MONEY

Jason Fitzgerald / OverTheCap.com

Fitzgerald says, in general, guarantees are as follows:

• The first 23 or so picks: Entire contract is guaranteed.
• The remaining first round picks: Full signing bonus, plus three years of salaries guaranteed
• Second round: Full signing bonus plus first two years’ salaries guaranteed**
• All other rounds: Full signing bonus guaranteed.

The insurance policy, I’ll assume based on reporting, is guaranteed money.

The final pick of the first round is paid $8.24 million, of which $6,662,509 is guaranteed money. Then Smith’s insurance policy kicks in, creating a roller coaster where some picks are more valuable than others.

They are, in order of most valuable to least valuable to Smith:

• Round 2, Pick 5
• Round 2, Pick 32 (last pick of the round)
• Round 2, Pick 6
• Round 2, Pick 3
• Round 2, Pick 7
• Round 2, Pick 8
• Round 2, Pick 9
• Round 2, Pick 4
• Round 2, Pick 2
• Round 2, Pick 10
• Round 2, Pick 12
• Round 2, Pick 11
• Round 2, Pick 31
• Round 2, Pick 1
• Round 2, Pick 13

…and so on.

Conclusion: If Smith doesn’t go in the first round, he’ll want the team who holds the fifth pick in the second round – currently the Jaguars – to select him to maximize his guaranteed money.

** Fitzgerald says: “The second round is actually a little less than the first two years as it gets later and it fluctuates team to team. But that’s a safe estimate to use.”

Longhorns quarterback Tyrone Swoopes (18) is tackled by Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith (9) in the second quarter. Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

AFTER FEES & TAXES

Fitzgerald made a great point.

“If this policy is truly tax free, then to do a full analysis you would probably need to pull the tax money and agent fees out of the contract numbers too. With that in mind you may be able to make a case that being picked 76 is better than being picked say, 23,” he wrote.

Agents earn up to 3 percent on money actually received, and a draft pick will have to pay Uncle Sam next April for any earnings made this year. I’m not a tax professional, but I have a rudimentary understanding of how tax brackets work. Using Bankrate.com as a reference, I’ve determined:

The 28th pick in the draft will earn $9,269,432 over the life of a four-year contract, of which up to $226,662 would go to his agent (over a four-year period) and $1,277,056 would go to the federal government for 2016 earnings. (I can’t calculate taxes beyond 2017 because we may have a different tax system by then. I also didn’t attempt to calculate state taxes, since those vary.) That leaves him with approximately $6.05 million.

If Smith falls below that pick, by my analysis, the best way to maximize his take-home pay would be to be selected with the final pick of the second round. In that instance, he would collect $3.8 million from the insurance policy (remember, it’s reportedly tax free) and an additional $2.13 million from his contract (minus fees & taxes). Smith’s take home pay would be $5.93 million.

Conclusion: If Smith falls below pick #28 – currently held by the Chiefs – he should hope to be picked at the end of the second round (in a pick currently held by the Broncos).

Credit: South Bend Tribune

OTHER VARIABLES TO CONSIDER

If Smith has to take a “redshirt” year to fully recover from his injury, but then subsequently plays a lot for his team, it could be a blessing to fall to the third round. Rookie contracts include a “Proven Performance Escalator” which rewards players selected in rounds 3 through 7 for exemplary play.

Smith would receive a increase to his fourth-year salary by either 1) participating in at least 35% of his team’s defensive plays for either two of his first three seasons, or at least 35% over the course of his first three years.

“If you were certain on playtime, he would also stand to earn an extra $900,000 to $1 million in the fourth year of his contract as a third rounder,” said Fitzgerald. “That would definitely bump it into a better position than a late first rounder.”

The contract expert said the other side should be examined as well.

“Generally, players picked in the first and second rounds have an easier time securing a second contract even if the play is average,” Fitzgerald said. “You generally need to work harder to get on the field as a third rounder than a higher pick.”

Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith (9) leaps over Boston College’s Myles Willis (23) as QB Jeff Smith (5) passes during the second half of the Notre Dame-Boston College NCAA football game on Nov. 21. SBT Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

IT JUST TAKES ONE TEAM

Smith, according to several media reports, failed his physical examination with multiple teams and at least 3 clubs say they won’t consider drafting him before a re-check of his knee in April. NFL Media’s Kimberly Jones said Sunday “that the first round now seems unlikely for Smith based on what she’s hearing from NFL decision makers.”

But it’s important to remember: Smith doesn’t need to convince every team to draft him; he just needs one.

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King reported Monday that at least one G.M. is still high on Smith.

“No way he won’t play at some point, and play well,” the G.M. said.

Les Snead, Los Angeles Rams’ general manager, may have said it best: “Like I’d tell Jaylon, whether you got hurt or not, it really doesn’t matter where you get drafted. It matters, whether we’re talking about Jaylon or any other player who has been injured in four, five, six, seven, eight to 10 years.”

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When Mel Kiper releases a big board, people pay attention (and Frank Caliendo gets an extended lease on relevancy). Kiper released his “way too early Big Board for 2016” ($$) today, and the Irish were well represented in the top 25. The players are unsurprising. Finding himself in Kiper’s top 10 is returning receiver offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley. Stanley’s draft stock rose towards the end of last season and by the time the deadline to declare for the NFL draft neared, Stanely seemed perhaps more likely to go than stay. Many draft professionals/analysts have suggested that had Stanley come out this year, he would have been the first offensive tackle off the board. With players like Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss) and Jack Conklin (Michigan State) also draft eligible after next season, Stanley may no longer be a lock to be the first lineman off the board, but barring a serious catastrophe (someone please light a candle at the Grotto for me saying this), Stanley’s a near lock to go in the top 10-15 of next year’s draft.

The other player Kiper (and others) are already sold on is favored son Jaylon Smith. Smith’s combination of athleticism and production make him a near lock to go early in whatever draft he decides to wade into. That’s the catch with Smith. I tend to this early in the process be among the people who think Jaylon will comeback for his senior season in order to graduate regardless of what the draft report says about him. He’s had a bright light shone on him for quite sometime being a top national recruit and immediate starter for the Irish following in the footsteps of a similarly touted player, Manti Te’o. It’s a gut instinct based off of Smith’s interviews, but unless his relationship with the university sours, I view him as a guy more likely than not to comeback despite being draft eligible.

Kiper’s colleague and on again, off again lover Todd McShay put out his “Way-too-early 2016 Mock Draft” ($$) recently as well. Similar to Kiper, McShay views both Stanley and Jaylon Smith as early favorites to be first round possibilities.

So I’m not accused of being a corporate shill for ESPN Insider subscriptions, I’ll point you to another early 2016 draft big board that might have ND fans losing their damn minds. Matt Miller over at Bleacher Report’s released his early Top 50 for the 2016 draft, and ummmm…he might be receiving a paycheck from Brian Kelly.

In addition to having Stanley (4) and Smith (8) in his top 10, he also has Sheldon Day (18), Corey Robinson (!)(22), and KeiVarae Russell (28) all as (theoretic) first round caliber players. Both Day and Russell are names that I would expect to gain momentum as the season goes along. Prior to Russell’s off field problems last season, he seemed like a guy in a fantastic position to get himself into the first or second round draft conversation. Coming back to graduate and gain additional exposure while rehabilitating his character has an opportunity to reap major rewards for his stock.

Day’s another guy who I’ve seen written about multiple times. He seems destined to be drafted but has plenty riding on his on field performance this year. No one doubts Day’s technique or quickness. The question will be his weight and durability. Throughout his ND career, Day’s had a propensity to get nicked up at times. Additionally, from what I’ve read, several NFL scouts would like to see him add some weight while maintaining his quickness. A productive and healthy final season in South Bend could lead to him reaching Miller’s lofty rating, but for my taste, his early ranking feels like more of a cap than a starting point.

Then there’s Corey Robinson, who I’ll confess, had my jaw dropping a bit that he was mentioned in any spring early look ahead to the 2016 draft articles. Miller does not have individual write ups, so it’s tough to tell exactly what his thought process was. However, it appears to be based more on Robinson’s potential given his size than on production to this point in his career. At 6’5” and with a strong athletic background, this is not as far-fetched as it may initially seem. After all, Rob Rang at CBSSports also put Robinson into the first round of his early 2016 mock draft. Miller also likes Chris Brown as a potential sleeper candidate.

With all of these write ups, I didn’t even see guys like Greg Bryant, Tarean Folston, or Will Fuller mentioned, and well, that’s fine by me. I will be happy to keep as much talent in South Bend for as long as possible. In the short run though, people legitimately worried about 2015’s 1 draft pick should be able to put those fears to rest because in 2016 it sounds like there’ll be a lot of Irish in attendance wearing flashy suits and hugging the commish.

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