Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/140522
missing two games with an injury … Started 10 times as senior and recorded 45 tackles, highlighted by two sacks during 18-14 loss to Florida State in Champs Sports Bowl … Projected for major role in 2012 before a torn Achilles early at Michigan State in game three ended his season and Notre Dame career. An appeal for a sixth season was rejected by the NCAA. Final Analysis: The fact that he was selected in the sixth round this April by the Cleveland Browns — despite missing almost all of the 2012 campaign — speaks to his football smarts and playmaking skills, Deion Walker • WR Christchurch, Va. (Christchurch) Prep Ranking: Considered a four-star recruit, the No. 7 player in Virginia and the No. 25 wide receiver in the country by Rivals.com … Awarded four stars by Scout.com, which listed him as the No. 11 receiver in the nation … Invited to Under Armour All-American Game. Career Summary: Did not play as a freshman … Appeared in five games as a sophomore, making one catch for 15 yards … Didn't play under new head coach Brian Kelly in 2010 … Was inserted in two games as a senior, but had no receptions. Final Analysis: After receiving a degree from the Mendoza College of Business, he used his fifth year of eligibility at Massachusetts, coached by 2010-11 Irish offensive coordinator Charley Molnar … Started 10 games and led the 1-11 Minutemen in receiving with 59 receptions for 667 yards (11.3 yards per catch) and three touchdowns. Hafis Williams • DL Kyle Rudolph arrived at Notre Dame ranked as the nation's top high school tight end and made an immediate impact, starting all 13 games as a freshman and setting school standards for catches (29) and receiving yards (340) by a rookie at his position. photo by joe raymond Became a fixture at right guard in his final three seasons, missing only one start (the loss to Navy in 2011). Final Analysis: From 2007-12, he was the lone Irish offensive lineman out of 19 to play enough as a freshman to not be eligible for a fifth season … Although it was a bit surprising that he wasn't taken in the NFL Draft, he displayed his typical mettle by making the Cincinnati Bengals roster as a free agent and starting the last nine games (including playoffs) at center in 2012. Kyle Rudolph • TE Cincinnati (Elder) Prep Ranking: Deemed a five-star prospect, the No. 2 recruit in Ohio, the No. 1 tight end nationally and the No. 20 overall player in the land by Rivals.com … Scout.com also assessed him with five stars, rating him as the No. 1 tight end in the country and the No. 21 overall prospect nationally … A USA Today first-team All-American, he participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Career Summary: Became first tight end at the school to start every game (13) his freshman year, and set new school standards for Irish rookie tight ends with 29 catches for 340 yards and two scores … His 343:38 playing time during the regular season was the most-ever by a Notre Dame freshman at any position … Followed with 33 catches for 364 yards and three scores as a sophomore, despite missing several games with a shoulder injury … His junior year saw him nab 28 catches for 328 yards and three touchdowns, highlighted by a 95-yard score in the loss to Michigan, before a hamstring injury sidelined him the final seven games … Turned pro after his junior season with career totals of 90 receptions, 1,032 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Final Analysis: The first tight end selected in the 2011 NFL Draft (in the second round with the No. 43 overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings) has been fulfilling his immense potential, including taking home MVP honors in this year's Pro Bowl … Yet his departure wasn't crippling when future firstround pick and Mackey Award winner Eifert replaced him … Caught 28 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie, and then pulled down 53 balls for 493 yards and nine scores last season for the Vikings. Jamoris Slaughter • S Tucker, Ga. (Tucker) Prep Ranking: Named a four-star prospect, the No. 13 safety in the country and the No. 14 player in Georgia by Rivals.com … Also classified with four stars by Scout. com, which placed him No. 11 nationally among safeties … Played in the Under Armour All-American Game in Orlando. Career Summary: After not playing as a freshman, received his first monogram in 2009 by appearing in all 12 games, mainly on special teams (110 snaps), and making one start while amassing 14 tackles … Rotated with Zeke Motta at safety as junior, finishing with five starts, 31 tackles, three passes broken up and an interception despite Elizabeth, N.J. (Elizabeth) Prep Ranking: Listed as a three-star player, the No. 9 prospect in New Jersey and the No. 35 defensive tackle in the country by Rivals.com … Also rated as a three-star prospect by Scout.com, which classified him as the No. 38 defensive tackle in the land. Career Summary: Did not play as a freshman … Appeared in six games as a sophomore, logging 9:25 playing time … As a junior, totaled 244 snaps and played in all 13 games with 11 tackles to earn monogram …Saw action diminish in 2011 with influx of star freshmen Aaron Lynch and Stephon Tuitt … Recorded eight tackles in five game appearances. Final Analysis: Joined receiver Deion Walker at UMass for his fifth season after receiving undergraduate degree at Notre Dame … Finished fifth on the Minutemen in tackles with 50 (five for loss) while starting seven times and playing all 12 contests. ✦ Final Grade: D When you are ranked as the No. 2 class in the country by almost every recruiting service, the expectation is to receive at least a couple of Bowl Championship Series bids while earning top-10 rankings. Through its normal four-year undergraduate cycle from 2008-11, this class was only 29-22 (.569), produced zero top-25 finishes and did not have a season with less than five defeats. In 2012, Notre Dame played for the national title, but only six members of this 23-man class — center Braxston Cave, right guard Mike Golic Jr., receiver John Goodman, safety Dan McCarthy, defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore and safety Jamoris Slaughter (who suffered a season-ending injury in the third game) — remained. Each member has been a success story in his own way individually, but as a collective, super-hyped class it didn't live up to the billing. Blue & Gold Illustrated 2013 Football Preview ✦ 153 148-153.Class of 2008.indd 153 6/25/13 1:04 PM