Four Notre Dame Players Picked In Latest NFL.com Mock Draft

NFL.com's Chad Reuter has four former Irish players in his three-round mock draft.

Author:
Bryan Driskell
Publish date:
Feb 4, 2020 6:08 PM EST

The closer we get to the April NFL Draft the deeper we get into mock drafts. More are starting to go beyond the first round, which is giving a better feel for where more former Notre Dame players stand.

Earlier today I posted a seven-round Bleacher Report mock draft that had eight Notre Dame players being selected. NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter has released his first three-round mock draft, and he had four Irish players selected.

Reuter had former Irish tight end Cole Kmet going No. 20 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“When Nick Foles excelled with the Eagles in 2013, he had very good tight ends in Brent Celek and Zach Ertz. Kmet should be more than just a safety valve in the NFL.”

The last time Jacksonville took a Notre Dame player in the first round was 1997 when they selected defensive end Renaldo Wynn (No. 21 overall). Jacksonville has picked five Notre Dame players: Wynn, Anthony Denmark (2001), Derek Landri (2007), Ben Koyack (2015) and Sheldon Day (2016).

The vast majority of mock drafts I’ve evaluated have Kmet and end Julian Okwara as the first two former Notre Dame players selected, but Reuter went a different direction, projecting cornerback Troy Pride Jr. to the New York Jets early in the third round (No. 68 overall). Pride would join former Irish standouts Josh Adams, Matthias Farley and Bennett Jackson in New York.

In over 50 years the Jets have drafted just four Notre Dame players: John Huarte (1965), Paul Seiler (1967), Bob Crable (1982) and Craig Hentrich (1993).

Reuter has Okwara going one spot later at No. 69 overall to the Carolina Panthers. That would be a homecoming for Okwara, who played high school ball in Charlotte. Okwara would join former Irish players Cole Kmet and J.J. Jansen with the Panthers.

Quarterback Jimmy Clausen (2010) was the last player selected by the Panthers. The only other former Irish player to get picked by Carolina was linebacker Kinnon Tatum (1997).

Reuter had the Cleveland Browns picking safety Alohi Gilman in the third round, No. 74 overall.

Quarterback DeShone Kizer (2017) was the last Notre Dame player to be selected by the Browns. The. Browns have selected 16 former Notre Dame players, with two (Kizer, Jamoris Slaughter) coming during the Brian Kelly tenure.