Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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WIDE RECEIVERS In 2015, played in all 13 games as the primary punt and kickoff returner as well as a reserve slot receiver … Returned 28 kickoffs for 640 yards (22.9 yards per return), including a 93-yard touchdown at Stanford … Brought back 25 punts for 182 yards (7.3 yards per return), including a 50-yard TD return versus UMass … Made his lone catch of the season, for no gain, against UMass … One of nine FBS players, and the only freshman, with a kick and punt return for TD in 2015 … Became the fourth player in Notre Dame history to return both a punt and a kickoff for a TD in the same season. Prep: Ranked as a four-star recruit, the No. 34 player in his home state, and the No. 24 wide re- ceiver and No. 222 overall prospect nationally by 247Sports … Transferred from Nashville (Tenn.) Brentwood to Sherman Oaks (Calif.) Notre Dame prior to his senior year … Logged 35 catches for 562 yards and eight touchdowns, rushed 41 times for 437 yards and nine scores, and returned a pair of kickoffs and two punts for touchdowns … Named first-team all-area by The Los Angeles Daily News … Started in the Semper Fidelis All-American Game … As a junior, won Tennessee's Division II state title in the 100 meters (10.76) and 200 meters (21.88), and anchored two second-place finishes in sprint relays. Personal: Born Sept. 18, 1996 … Has nine movie or television show acting credits to his name, includ- ing playing a young Ray Charles in the movie "Ray" when he was 6 … His father, Chris, was a three-year starter at flanker at Ohio State from 1992-94 and still holds the school record in the indoor long jump … His dad also played seven seasons in the NFL with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, made 177 career receptions from 1995-2001 and now coaches high school football in the Nashville area … His mother played basketball at Michigan … His step- father, Corey Harris, played football at Vanderbilt, then 12 seasons (1992-2003) as a defensive back (594 career tackles) in the NFL … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. Year G-GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 2015 13-0 1 0 0.0 0 2016 12-7 24 293 12.2 2 Totals 25-7 25 293 11.7 2 EQUANIMEOUS ST. BROWN • WR Jr. • Anaheim, Calif. Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 204 Career Highlights: Had a break- out season in 2016, leading the Irish and setting career highs in receptions (58), receiving yards (961) and touchdown grabs (nine) while starting all 12 contests … Averaged 16.6 yards per reception, which ranked 59th nationally … Had scoring grabs of 79 and 67 yards versus Syracuse, making him the first Irish pass catcher with multiple touchdown catches of at least 67 yards in one game since Michael Floyd in 2009 … Played in seven games as a reserve wide receiver and on special teams in 2015, before suf- fering a season-ending shoulder injury during prac- tice and missing the final four games of the season … Caught one pass for eight yards … Blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown in the victory over USC. Prep: ESPN tabbed him as a four-star recruit, the No. 8 prospect in California, and the No. 9 wide receiver and No. 63 overall prospect in the land … As a senior, hauled in 32 passes for 485 yards and four scores … Caught 42 passes for 725 yards and six scores as junior … Played in the Under Armour All-American Game, catching one pass for six yards. Personal: Born Sept. 30, 1996 … Fluent in English, German and French … His mother, Miriam, was born in Germany … His father, John Brown, was a two-time Mr. Universe and three-time Mr. World in bodybuilding … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business. Year G-GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 2015 7-0 1 8 8.0 0 2016 12-12 58 961 16.6 9 Totals 19-12 59 969 16.4 9 CAMERON SMITH • WR 5th-Sr. • Coppell, Texas Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 203 Career Highlights: Announced in June that he was heading to Notre Dame as a graduate trans- fer, and he will be immediately eligible to play his final season for the Irish this fall … Posted 61 catches for 917 yards (15.0 per grab) and six touchdowns while seeing action in 30 games three of the past four years at Arizona State … Reeled in 12 passes for 192 yards in eight games last year … Missed the 2015 campaign due to injury … Notched 41 recep- tions for 596 yards and six touchdowns in 2014 … Contributed four catches for 67 yards and one score in the Sun Devils' 55-31 win over Notre Dame that season … Appeared in 11 games as a true freshman in 2013 and hauled in eight catches for 129 yards. Prep: Rated as the No. 123 wide receiver in the class of 2013 by Scout … Enjoyed a stellar senior season after being limited due to injury as a junior, catching 59 passes for 1,071 yards and 15 touch- downs while helping lead Coppell High to an 11-1 record. Personal: Reportedly runs a 4.4 40-yard dash … Played for current Irish assistants Chip Long and DelVaughn Alexander while at Arizona State. Year G-GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 2013* 11-0 8 129 16.1 0 2014* 11-0 41 596 14.5 6 2015* Did Not Play 2016* 8-0 12 192 16.0 0 Totals 30-0 61 917 15.0 6 * At Arizona State KEVIN STEPHERSON • WR So. • Jacksonville, Fla. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 180 Career Highlights: Saw action in all 12 games and made three starts as a true freshman in 2016 after enrolling in January … Com- piled 25 receptions for 462 yards and five touchdowns, one of the five best statistical years by a Notre Dame freshman wideout … Aver- aged a team-best 18.5 yards per catch. Prep: Rivals ranked him as a three-star recruit and the No. 66 wide receiver in the land … Caught 48 passes for 835 yards and 10 touchdowns en route to 2015 Associated Press Florida Class 7A all- state honorable mention accolades as a senior … Notched 33 receptions for 756 yards and 11 scores as a junior. Personal: Born Oct. 1, 1997 … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. Year G-GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 2013 12-3 25 462 18.5 5 NEWCOMERS JAFAR ARMSTRONG • WR Fr. • Lee's Summit, Mo. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 170 Prep: Tabbed as a four-star prospect, the No. 1 player in Kansas, and the No. 33 wide receiver and No. 254 overall recruit nationally by 247Sports … Set the Kansas state record for career touchdown receptions with 45 … Also set the Bishop Miege record for career receiving yards with 3,744 while amassing 172 career receptions and scoring 50 career touchdowns … Hauled in 54 receptions for 1,277 yards (23.6 yards per catch) and 21 touch- downs as a senior while leading Bishop Miege to a 12-1 record and its third straight state cham- pionship … Recorded seven games with at least 100 receiving yards during his senior campaign, including 222 yards on eight grabs in the state title game … Received 2016 MaxPreps Medium Schools All-America accolades … Named the 2016 Kansas Offensive Player of the Year and listed as an All- USA Kansas selection by USA Today … Recognized as a first-team Class 4A DI all-state performer by the Kansas Football Coaches Association from 2014-16. Personal: Born Jan. 5, 1999 … Former Notre Dame offensive lineman Tim Grunhard (a starter on the 1988 national championship team) is the offensive line coach at Bishop Miege … Also participated in track, and won 4A state championships in 2016 in the 100 meters (10.83) and 200 meters (22.13), plus ran on the state champion 4x100 relay squad to help Bishop Miege capture the state team title … Plans to major in business administration or busi- ness marketing. MICHAEL YOUNG • WR Fr. • Saint Rose, La. Ht.: 5-10 • Wt.: 170 Prep: Listed as a three-star recruit, the No. 20 prospect in Louisiana and the No. 71 wide receiver nationally by Rivals … Hauled in 35 catches for 507 yards and six touchdowns despite missing four games during his senior season … As a junior, com- piled 641 receiving yards and seven touchdowns … Tabbed as a first-team wide receiver on the Louisi- ana District 7-5A squad in both 2015 and 2016. Personal: Born Feb. 11, 1999 … His uncle, Joseph Addai, was a running back at LSU from 2001-05 and rushed for 2,576 yards and 18 touchdowns, before spending six seasons with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts (2006-11) … Became the second Louisiana player to sign with Notre Dame during the Brian Kelly era, joining rising junior defensive lineman Jerry Tillery. 64 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW