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Notre Dame Football: Fighting Irish Stars Who Will Be NFL Draft Gems

Notre Dame is football factory.

The Fighting Irish consistently breed talent that enters the NFL draft and makes an impact in the league. This year will be no different. Here are three players to watch that’ll hear their names called on draft weekend quite early next April.

3. Cierre Wood, RB

Notre Dame’s offense didn’t impress in 2011, but any flashes of brilliance that weren’t provided by Michael Floyd were of Cierre Wood’s doing. The 6’0”, 215-pound halfback rushed for 1,102 yards and nine touchdowns last season on 5.1 yards a pop. He also showed the ability to contribute in the passing game, reeling in 27 receptions for 189 yards.

Wood may not go off the board until the third day, but he’s still a top-10 player at his position, and there are always mid-to-late round backs that find the field from day one in the NFL.

2. Tyler Eifert, TE

If the Fighting Irish get any consistency from the quarterback position next season, Tyler Eifert will blow up. It’d be a shock if the 6’6”, 251-pound monster doesn’t enter the draft process as the No. 1 tight end prospect in the class.

Last season, he recorded 63 catches for 803 yards and five touchdowns. Despite posting solid numbers, he only scratched the surface of his potential.

1. Manti Te’o, LB

Manti Te’o would’ve been a first-round lock if he entered the draft this past year, but he chose to return for his senior season. In his three years at Notre Dame, he racked up a whopping 324 tackles. Expect him to wreck enough havoc throughout the 2012 campaign to contend for multiple postseason awards.

Again, he’s a first-round lock with potential to sneak into the top half of the draft if he blows up at the combine (a likely possibility).

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels

Read more Notre Dame Football news on BleacherReport.com

Taking a Look at the Kansas City Chiefs Offseason

July 25, 2012 – Vincent Frank

Two of the biggest acquisitions that the Kansas City Chiefs made this offseason were Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry, both of whom return after missing most of the 2011 season. This is going to be huge for a franchise that is looking to get back to the postseason after a one year hiatus.

Other than that, Kansas City did a damn fine job adding talent in both free agency and the draft. They’re going to be right in the mix of things when it comes to the ultra-competitive AFC West this season.

Let’s take a look at what the Chiefs did to improve their roster.

One of the biggest acquisitions this team could have made was the signing of Eric Winston from the Houston Texans. Winston, a five-year starter in Houston, is the best run-blocking offensive tackle in the National Football League. He has the ability to both pull to the outside and maul between the hashes. The Texans were forced to release the former third-round pick due to salary cap issues, but I am pretty sure Kansas City isn’t going to complain about it.

You can bet that Winston will help Charles on sweeps to the outside and give the young running back more lanes and angles to run through. Winston will also help recently signed Peyton Hillis between the hashes. The former Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos running back can be one of the best between the hashes runners in the league as long as he is motivated. A wide array of different issues in Cleveland last season caused Hillis to quite literally fall off the map.

You have to remember that the former Arkansas standout is just one year removed from compiling 1,600 total yards and 13 touchdowns for the Browns. He will act as a great change of pace guy for Charles.

It was nearly impossible for the Chiefs to retain Brandon Carr in free agency. No NFL team, no matter their salary cap dynamics, can afford to pay two conerbacks top of the line money. With Brandon Flowers already in the mix on a long-term deal the Chiefs had to sit back and watch Carr leave for the Dallas Cowboys. Rather than trying to replace him with an in-house candidate or unproven rookie, Kansas City immediately signed Stanford Routt after he was released by the Oakland Raiders.

Routt may not be the dynamic cover guy that Carr was, but he did contribute 30 starts, 28 passes defended and six interceptions for the Raiders over the course of the last two seasons.

The draft was also pretty friendly to Kansas City. Many scouts had Dontari Poe pegged as nothing more than a “workout warrior” leading up to the draft. After watching ample tame of Poe at Memphis I refused to fall in line with those observations. The massive defensive tackle was forced to take on three and sometimes four blockers at Memphis and was still able to provide a legitimate pass-rush. What Poe will be asked to do in Kansas City is a bit different. They’re going to ask him to clog the middle for pass-rushers Justin Houston and Tamba Hali from the outside. They’re also going to ask him to stop the run and act as a gap-filler. These are two things that I believe Poe can contribute immediately.

There wasn’t a great deal of talk about former Illinois offensive tackle Jeff Allen in the months leading up to the draft. All he did in college was quietly become one of the best offensive lineman in the entire country. Allen is strong against the pass-rush, but makes his money mauling opposing defenders at the line of scrimmage. This is one of the reasons that Kansas City selected Allen solely to play guard in the NFL. Moreover, he should provide stiff competition for Ryan Lilja, who struggled a great deal in 2011. In fact, you might see Allen starting directly out of the gate.

Overall, the Chiefs did a tremendous job in free agency. You have to remember that they were missing two of their best players, Charles and Berry, for all but a couple of games last year. Imagine how the Baltimore Ravens would have fared without Ray Rice and Ed Reed. It was kinda the same dynamic with this Chiefs in 2011.

Couple those two returning stars with a nice offseason and there is on reason to believe that Kansas City cannot win the AFC West after a one year hiatus.

As is the case with most teams, it is all going to come down to quarterback play. Matt Cassel needs to revert back to 2010 form if the Chiefs are going to take the division.

Should be an interesting season for the Arrowhead’ faithful.

Free Agent Signings

TE- Kevin Boss, Oakland Raiders

S- Abram Elam, Dallas Cowboys

RB- Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns

QB- Brady Quinn, Denver Broncos

CB- Stanford Routt, Oakland Raiders

OT- Eric Winston, Houston Texans

2012 NFL Draft Picks

1. DT- Dontari Poe, Memphis

2. OL- Jeff Allen, Illinois

3. OT- Donald Stephenson, Oklahoma

4. WR- Devon Wylie, Fresno State

5. CB- DeQuan Menzie, Alabama

6. RB- Cyrus Grey, Texas A&M

7. DT- Jerome Long, San Diego State

7. WR- Junior Hemingway, Michigan

Follow me on Twitter at VincentFrankNFL for more insight

Taking a Look at the Oakland Raiders Offseason

July 24, 2012 – Vincent Frank

Once again, the Oakland Raiders franchise was forced to go through another massive overhaul. The death of long-time owner Al Davis coupled with front office issues forced their hand.

New managing partner Stephan Davis made the decision to start from square one. Only on the job one season, Hue Jackson was fired as the Raiders’ head coach. The younger Davis also made a wise decision to bring in long-time Green Bay Packers’ executive Reggie McKenzie to run the front office. For the first time in nearly a half-century this franchise actually has a general manager to run things, not just a figurehead. McKenzie’s first order of business was to hire a head coach, former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who becomes the youngest head man in the NF, which has become somewhat of a trend with this franchise.

McKenzie’s second order of business was to “cut” the proverbial fat from a roster that had grown a bit too right in this salary cap era. The time for fiscal discipline and modern economic philosophy under the cap was now for a new Raiders organization.

They released Kamerion Wimbley and Stanford Routt, both starters along their previously under achieving defense. Both were wildly overpaid as well. This is what McKenzie was talking about in regards to fiscal discipline.

Even with those two large contract off the roster, Oakland was in a precarious salary cap situation and didn’t have a whole lot of money to spend. Additionally, they were missing selections in each of the first three rounds of the draft due to trades made by previous regimes. Although a slew of compensatory selections helped a bit, it is safe to say that McKenzie was behind the proverbial eight-ball.

That being said, the new general manager did an amazing job with what he had.

Oakland made a few tremendous under-the-radar signings in the offseason. First, they were able to bring in one of the best run-blocking guards in the form of Mike Brisiel, formerly of the Houston Texans. He fits the Raiders zone-blocking scheme to a T and will be a tremendous upgrade over who they had there previously.

Dave Tollefson may have gotten lost in the New York Giants elite front-seven, but make no mistake about it, he was one hell of a rotational performer for the defending Super Bowl Champions last season. The veteran defensive end will come in to spell starter Lamarr Houston on the left side of the line.

Oakland also brought in two veteran cornerbacks who are coming off injury. Shawntae Spencer started every game for the San Francisco 49ers in 2009 and 2010 before seeing an injury-plagued season cost him a spot in their improved secondary. If healthy, Spencer will be a nice little addition. Ron Bartell was a fixture in the St. Louis Rams secondary from 2007 to 2010, starting a total of 55 games during that span. While these two veterans cannot be counted on as true shutdown guys, they add depth and experience to a secondary that was lacking in those two areas last season.

Oakland utilized the trade route to replace backup running back Michael Bush when they acquired Mike Goodson from the Carolina Panthers. General manager Reggie McKenzie had previously stated he wasn’t going to trade future picks for veterans and maintained that philosophy in sending Bruce Campbell to the Panthers in the trade.

Goodson, also coming off an injury-plagued season, tallied nearly 800 total yards for the Panthers in 2010. While he wont be able to match the production of Bush, the veteran running back came in on the cheap.

There wasn’t much to see in regards to the draft though. The Raiders first selection was the final pick of the third round. That being said, they did a pretty decent job with what they had to work with.

Third-round pick Tony Bergstrom from Utah figures to challenge for the starting left guard position with incumbent Cooper Carlisle. The former Ute’ has the experience and physical ability to move inside from tackle and be a solid force for the next decade. He was, by all accounts, one of the better mid-round selections in the entire draft.

Another favorite, Miles Burris in the fourth round, fills a tremendous need for depth and young talent at the outside/weak side position for Oakland. All he did at San Diego State was become one of the most productive linebackers in the entire country. Of course people will question the talent that Burris played against in college, but that cannot be held against him right now.

Many experts, including myself, had Juron Criner going in the third round. The Arizona product fits the mold of Oakland’s previous regime, namely the deceased Al Davis, in terms of speed. Look for him to add an immediate deep threat for Carson Palmer in the passing game.

These are the moves that solid franchises make. They are signs that McKenzie took the Packers philosophy with him to Northern California. While they might not payoff in the form of a postseason performance in 2012, the Raiders are much better off with the talented general manager at the helm.

Free Agent Signings

CB- Ron Bartell, St. Louis Rams

G- Mike Brisiel, Houston Texans

RB- Mike Goodson, Carolina Panthers (Trade)

QB- Matt Leinart, Houston Texans

FB- Owen Schmidt, Philadelphia Eagles

CB- Shawntae Spencer, San Francisco 49ers

DE- Dave Tollefson, New York Giants

LB- Phillip Wheeler, Indianapolis Colts

2012 NFL Draft Picks

3. G- Tony Bergstrom, Utah

4. LB- Miles Burris, San Diego State

5. DE- Jack Crawford, Penn State

5. WR- Juron Criner, Arizona

6. DE- Christo Bilukidi, Georgia State

7. LB- Nathan Stupar, Penn State

Notre Dame’s Tyler Eifert Is Head and Shoulders Above the 2013 Draft TE Class

The two tight end set might be the new craze in the NFL, so the tight end class will be under more scrutiny than ever when we get to draft season in January. That brings up the obvious question, who is the top tight end in the 2013 draft eligible class?

The answer right now is Tyler Eifert of Notre Dame. The 6’6″, 250-pound tight end filed his paperwork with the NFL and got a third-round grade back in January, according to Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports. Eifert decided to return to South Bend for his junior year and could cement his place much higher in the draft if he picks up where he left off last season.

Eifert is a tough, physical player, who can line up in the slot or as an inline tight end. He is a willing blocker, but not a dominant one. The best result he achieves in the running game is usually a stalemate, but he can move a smaller defensive back down the field when he gets leverage.

Eifert is a smart receiver who can find soft spots in between defenders and correctly read and execute option routes, although he is not a particularly tight or graceful route runner. He understands how to situate his big frame between the ball in flight and a defender.

Athletically, Eifert is not especially gifted when it comes to speed or explosiveness, but his size is rare for a player with his ball skills and toughness. Eifert has great hands catching the ball away from his body, and his toughness allows him to own the middle of the field. Eifert does not back down from safeties that try to play intimidator between the hashes.

What really separates Eifert from the pack is his play “above the rim.” Eifert has outstanding body control for a tight end and can spring himself and torque his body to make tough catches at the same time, never fearing the oncoming tackler even though his ribs are left open for the big hit:

Notre Dame’s quarterbacks seem to grasp that they can place the ball where no one else can get it and still make completions when they target Eifert, and he delivers. When he has an even better quarterback and supporting cast in the NFL, he’ll frustrate defenses with his ability on the stratosphere.

Read more Notre Dame Football news on BleacherReport.com

Matt Barkley believes he would have been drafted ahead of RG3

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Some people wonder if USC quarterback Matt Barkley may have been drafted ahead of Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Barkley was a guest on a Dan Patrick show and was asked how high he thinks he would have been drafted.

“I had confidence that I was going to go high, it wasn’t really a question of that as to why I came back,” Barkley said, via ProFootballTalk.com. “I think it was a sure bet that Andrew was going to go No. 1.”

Barkley was asked if he would’ve been drafted ahead of Robert Griffin III.

“I had confidence in that — I think I could have been,” Barkley said.

I think Barkley might be right. It seems like once he made it clear he was returning to USC, Griffin’s stock sky-rocketed.

Browns take Josh Gordon in the 2nd round of the supplemental draft

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According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cleveland Browns drafted former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon in the second round of the 2012 supplemental draft.

The Browns will now give up a second round pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Even though it looks like drafting Gordon so high might be a reach, the Browns need more play makers at the receiver position, and now they have a guy that has some potential to make a difference down the road.

Browns take Josh Gordon in the 2nd round of the supplemental draft

Getty Images

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cleveland Browns drafted former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon in the second round of the 2012 supplemental draft.

The Browns will now give up a second round pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Even though it looks like drafting Gordon so high might be a reach, the Browns need more play makers at the receiver position, and now they have a guy that has some potential to make a difference down the road.

Josh Gordon runs a 4.52 forty at his supplemental draft work out

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Former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon ran a 4.52 forty yard dash at his work out today. There were reports earlier in the week that his time would be around 4.4, that was obviously not the case.

Gordon reportedly pulled his quad while running the forty. So that could be a factor in his 4.52 time.

Gorden measured in at 6-foot-3 1/8 and 224 pounds and put up a 36-inch vertical leap with a 10-foot, 1-inch broad jump, with 13 reps on the bench press.

There’s been a lot of recent hype that’s surrounded Gordon. Some people say he looks a little like Terrell Owens. There’s some belief he could go as high as the second or third round in next week’s supplemental draft.

Teams that might be targeting Gordon are the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins.

Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd invited to draft, visiting with teams

NFL Football News

NFL.com – Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd will have a busy schedule leading up to the 2012 NFL Draft.

Floyd will be one of the players attending the draft in New York City, NFL.com’s Gil Brandt said Sunday on SiriusXM Radio.

“My dream is to be an NFL superstar — to make it into the NFL,” Floyd said. “I don’t think the whole excitement has hit me yet. Once I’m there in New York and I hear my name called out, I’ll be jumping up and down because the dream came true.”

NFL announces full 2012 draft order

After Monday’s awarding of 32 compensatory picks, the full 2012 NFL draft order has now been revealed.

Round Pick Overall
1 1 1 Indianapolis
1 2 2 Washington from St. Louis
1 3 3 Minnesota
1 4 4 Cleveland
1 5 5 Tampa Bay
1 6 6 St. Louis from Washington
1 7 7 Jacksonville
1 8 8 Miami
1 9 9 Carolina
1 10 10 Buffalo
1 11 11 Kansas City
1 12 12 Seattle
1 13 13 Arizona
1 14 14 Dallas
1 15 15 Philadelphia
1 16 16 New York Jets
1 17 17 Cincinnati from Oakland
1 18 18 San Diego
1 19 19 Chicago
1 20 20 Tennessee
1 21 21 Cincinnati
1 22 22 Cleveland from Atlanta
1 23 23 Detroit
1 24 24 Pittsburgh
1 25 25 Denver
1 26 26 Houston
1 27 27 New England from New Orleans
1 28 28 Green Bay
1 29 29 Baltimore
1 30 30 San Francisco
1 31 31 New England
1 32 32 New York Giants

Get the whole list on Pro Football Talk

Five team needs for the Miami Dolphins

Sun-Sentinel – Free agency came and went and the Miami Dolphins still have plenty of holes to fill, and positions General Manager Jeff Ireland must address in April’s NFL draft. Here’s a breakdown on the team’s top five needs heading into the 2012.

Georgia Tech’s Stephen Hill lights up the 40-yard dash

Georgia Tech wide receiver Stephen Hill has just done a whole lot to improve his NFL draft stock.

Hill put up a sensational 40-yard dash time of 4.30 seconds on Sunday morning in Indianapolis. That’s easily the best time we’ve seen so far. On his other attempt he ran in 4.31 seconds, so he actually has the two fastest 40 times of the 2012 Scouting Combine to date.

Full story on Pro Football Talk

14 Of 15 NFL Scouts Pick Andrew Luck Over Robert Griffin

It’s been a virtual lock for nearly a year now that quarterback Andrew Luck, formerly of the Stanford Cardinal, would be the overall No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. The 2011 regular season featured regular updates on which NFL team had the worst record and was thus most likely to earn the “Andrew Luck pick” this year.

Even after Luck wound up in second place in the Heisman Trophy voting for the second year in a row, his stock hardly took a hit.

The 2011 Heisman winner ended up being another quarterback in the 2012 NFL Draft, Robert Griffin III of the Baylor Bears. Despite the fact that Griffin was voted as being the better player and quarterback in the country and given the most prestigious award in college football, Luck is still scouted as being the more “NFL-ready” of the two young men.

Full story on SB Nation

5 Best Available QBs in 2012 NFL Draft

There were four quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft. There is a good chance that it will take three rounds in this draft before the fourth quarterback is taken.

That does not mean, however, that this quarterback class is weak. Andrew Luck is the best quarterback prospect to come out of college in a decade, and Robert Griffin III is not far behind him.

Add in Nick Foles, Brandon Weeden and Ryan Tannehill.

Full story on Bleacher Report

Ex-Bama star Kirkpatrick arrested on drug charge

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Former Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick has been arrested on a marijuana possession charge.

An arrest report on the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office web site says Kirkpatrick was arrested at 12:48 a.m. Tuesday and charged with possessing less than 20 grams of marijuana. He was released on $120 bond.

Kirkpatrick is regarded as a potential top 10 NFL draft pick. The second-team All-American announced last week he was skipping his senior season with the national champions to enter the draft.

No further information was immediately available on his arrest. Messages left with the department weren’t immediately returned.

It isn’t clear what Kirkpatrick was doing in Bradenton, but the town is home to IMG Performance Institute, which helps athletes train for the NFL combine.

A message left with IMG wasn’t immediately returned.

Oregon QB Darron Thomas entering NFL Draft

Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas is skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

Thomas made the announcement, which caught many by surprise, on Saturday night. He follows Oregon running back LaMichael James, who announced last week that he would skip his final year of eligibility.

“I am ready to go,” Thomas told ESPN’s Joe Schad. “I left on a good note with the Rose Bowl. And I am ready to further my life.”

“I feel like I’m leaving my brothers but I leave them in good hands,” Thomas told Schad. “I loved all my times there.”

Full Story on ESPN

Former Aggies QB Ryan Tannehill has broken foot

Former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill broke a foot in training recently and will miss the Senior Bowl, according to his agent, Pat Dye.

Tannehill broke a fifth metatarsal in a passing drill, an injury that might require surgery. The Senior Bowl is Jan. 28 in Mobile, Ala.

Even if he has the surgery and misses throwing at the NFL scouting combine, he may be able to throw in March, before the NFL draft.

The 23-year-old Tannehill is one of the highest-rated QB prospects in the next NFL draft. ESPN Scouts Inc. ranks him as the third-best QB prospect behind Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, and 28th overall of available players.

Full Story on ESPN

LSU players Claiborne and Shepard entering NFL Draft

LSU All-American cornerback Morris Claiborne has decided to leave school a year early to enter the NFL draft, a source told ESPN’s Joe Schad, and junior receiver Russell Shepard will follow him.

LSU has not announced Claiborne’s decision, while Shepard indicated on Twitter that he will not return for his senior season.

LSU has scheduled a news conference Thursday afternoon with coach Les Miles.

Claiborne, the third-rated player on ESPN Scouts Inc.’s draft board, led LSU with six interceptions this season and returned one for a touchdown. The winner of the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back also was LSU’s top kickoff returner, averaging 25 yards per return, with one touchdown that went 99 yards.

Full Story on ESPN

Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler passes on senior year

Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler announced Friday that he will bypass his senior year and enter the NFL draft, according to ESPN.

Osweiler, the first Arizona State quarterback to throw for more than 4,000 yards, completed 63.2 percent of his throws with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions this season. The tallest quarterback in the nation last year at 6 feet, 8 inches, Osweiler played in 25 career games, including 15 starts.

It was an exceptionally difficult decision to make, but having spoken to my family and close friends, it became clear to me that this is the next path I must take to advance my personal and professional career

Arizona State LB Vontaze Burfict enters NFL draft

Monday, Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict dropped a hint on his Facebook page that he was ending his college football career, according to the Arizona Republic, writing that he was “expanding (his) talents to the next level.”

Tuesday, Burfict made good on the hint, announcing he would forgo his senior season to enter the NFL draft, ESPN college football reporter Joe Schad reported.

Continue Story on ESPN