Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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140 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW Name (Years At Notre Dame) NFL Season Pos. Current Team George Atkinson (2011-13) 3rd RB Oakland Raiders Did not play in 2015 after spending most of the season on the practice squad. Robert Blanton (2008-11) 5th DB Buffalo Bills Signed with the Bills after recording 34 tackles and three pass breakups in 2015 for the Vikings. Chris Brown (2012-15) 1st WR Dallas Cowboys Signed as an undrafted free agent this offseason. David Bruton (2005-08) 8th S Washington Redskins Helped lead the Broncos to a Super Bowl season before leaving in free agency. Amir Carlisle (2012-15) 1st WR Arizona Cardinals Signed as an undrafted free agent this offseason. Sheldon Day (2012-15) 1st DL Jacksonville Jaguars Selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Tyler Eifert (2009-12) 4th TE Cincinnati Bengals Caught 13 touchdown passes and emerged as a top tight end in 2015. Matthias Farley (2011-15) 1st DB Arizona Cardinals Signed as an undrafted free agent this offseason. Anthony Fasano (2002-05) 11th TE Tennessee Titans Caught 26 passes for 289 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2015. Michael Floyd (2008-11) 5th WR Arizona Cardinals Registered 52 receptions for 849 yards and 6 touchdowns in 15 games. Will Fuller (2013-15) 1st WR Houston Texans Selected in the first round (No. 21 overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. Jarrett Grace (2011-15) 1st LB Chicago Bears Signed as an undrafted free agent this offseason. Jonas Gray (2008-11) 5th RB Jacksonville Jaguars Rushed 45 times for 176 yards in 2015. Ryan Harris (2003-06) 10th OT Pittsburgh Steelers Departed the Super Bowl champion Broncos for the Steel City. Robert Hughes (2007-10) 7th RB Arizona Cardinals Did not appear in a game in 2015. Bennett Jackson (2010-13) 3rd DB New York Giants Spent 2015 on injured reserve after enduring a shoulder injury. J.J. Jansen (2004-07) 9th LS Carolina Panthers Played in all 16 games for the seventh consecutive season. TJ Jones (2010-13) 3rd WR Detroit Lions Caught 10 passes for 132 yards and one touchdown in 2015. Ben Koyack (2011-14) 2nd TE Jacksonville Jaguars Spent last season on the practice squad. Kapron Lewis-Moore (2008-12) 4th DE Baltimore Ravens Recorded three tackles in five games. Nick Martin (2011-15) 1st OL Houston Texans Selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Name (Years At Notre Dame) NFL Season Pos. Current Team Zack Martin (2009-13) 3rd OL Dallas Cowboys Started all 16 games at right guard and made the Pro Bowl. Troy Niklas (2011-13) 3rd TE Arizona Cardinals Caught four passes for 33 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games. Louis Nix (2010-13) 3rd DL New York Giants Played in four games but did not record any stats. Romeo Okwara (2012-15) 1st DE New York Giants Signed as an undrafted free agent this offseason. C.J. Prosise (2012-15) 1st RB Seattle Seahawks Selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Theo Riddick (2009-12) 4th RB Detroit Lions Caught 80 passes for 697 yards out of the Lions backfield in 2015. Cody Riggs (2014) 2nd CB Tennessee Titans Registered 14 tackles and two forced fumbles in 11 games as a rookie. Trevor Robinson (2008-11) 5th OG San Diego Chargers Played in 16 games and started 13 for the Chargers. Kyle Rudolph (2008-10) 6th TE Minnesota Vikings Caught 49 passes for 495 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games. KeiVarae Russell (2012-15) 1st CB Kansas City Chiefs Selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Harrison Smith (2007-11) 5th S Minnesota Vikings Recorded 66 tackles and two interceptions in 13 starts. Jaylon Smith (2013-15) 1st LB Dallas Cowboys Selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Ronnie Stanley (2012-15) 1st OT Baltimore Ravens Selected in the first round (No. 6 overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. John Sullivan (2003-07) 9th C Minnesota Vikings Spent the 2015 season on injured reserve. Golden Tate (2007-09) 7th WR Detroit Lions Caught 90 passes for 813 yards and six touchdowns. Manti Te'o (2009-12) 4th LB San Diego Chargers Recorded 83 tackles in 11 games. Stephon Tuitt (2011-13) 3rd DE Pittsburgh Steelers Notched 6.5 sacks in his second season with the Steelers. Darrin Walls (2006-10) 6th CB Detroit Lions Signed with the Lions this offseason. Chris Watt (2009-13) 3rd OL San Diego Chargers Played in five games and missed the rest of the 2015 campaign due to injury. Ian Williams (2007-10) 6th DT San Francisco 49ers Recorded 65 tackles in 16 games. Ishaq Williams (2011-14) 1st DE New York Giants Signed as an undrafted free agent this offseason. Sam Young (2006-09) 7th OT Jacksonville Jaguars Played in 16 games and started three. Irish In The NFL Theo Riddick, RB, Detroit Lions In 2015, Riddick grabbed a significant amount of na- tional attention with 80 receptions out of the backfield for 697 yards and three touchdowns. He only rushed the ball 43 times, but that number could grow in 2016, especially with starting running back Ameer Abdullah's status in question after labrum surgery. Riddick can be viewed as a sort of niche player as a professional, but there is still room for him to grow his game before hitting free agency next year. Stephon Tuitt, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers Tuitt is entering his third season in the NFL and has shown signs in 2015 that he is ready to emerge as a prolific pass rusher in the league. His sack total increased from 1.0 to 6.5 last fall, and that was even after missing two games due to injury. Pittsburgh boasted one of the league's top offenses by most measures in 2015, but the defense could decide just how close to the Super Bowl the Steelers come. Tuitt will have a big say in that effort. Manti Te'o, LB, San Diego Chargers Because of injuries, the former Butkus Award winner has missed 13 games in three seasons with the Char- gers, a surprise for a player that never missed a down while in South Bend. When he has been on the field, however, Te'o has received praise from coaches and teammates alike, and has progressively grown more comfortable with the professional game. He recorded a career-high 83 tackles in 2015 and would likely reach 100 as the centerpiece of San Diego's defense if his health allows it. ON THE RISE Linebacker Manti Te'o recorded a career-best 83 tackles in his third season with San Diego. PHOTO COURTESY SAN DIEGO CHARGERS IRISH IN THE NFL