Notre Dame fans haven’t had much to look forward to during the last 10-15 years of the NFL draft. Before the days of DVR, you would have to concoct a mixture of Red Bull, Snickers, Cocaine, and BP 93 gasoline just to have the energy to stay up long enough to watch the first Irish player taken. See, not many Notre Dame players have been getting selected (early), and not many have been making an impact in the NFL. (Odd, lack of elite players has coincided with lack of success on Saturday afternoons.) First rounders since the mid 90’s don’t go very deep. Brady Quinn in 2007, Jeff Faine in 2003, Luke Petigout in 1999, and Renaldo Wynn in 1997. Sure there have been some mid rounders that have had moderate success (Bert Berry, Allen Rossum, Justin Tuck) but the Irish don’t blow up the draft like Miami, USC, Ohio State, and others. (Miami and Ohio State have had more 1st rounders than the Irish have Catholics.)

Not surprisingly, the Irish can’t compete with these programs.

But, the program is on the rise, and there are a number of guys on the current roster who have NFL days and 1st round pick potential ahead. Here is my rundown of the players that could be big impact picks:

STUD ALERT

Jimmy Clausen.

He still has a lot to prove, but Jimmy has 1st round talent. Period. Brady Quinn had the most NFL tools of any Irish quarterback I’ve seen, but Clausen should be better than him in almost every area by the time he’s done. Jimmy has a stronger arm, more accuracy, and at least equal intelligence. He was bred with genetically modified DNA proteins to be an NFL quarterback. If he can equal Quinn’s leadership and poise in the next 2 years, this guy is a top 10 pick (hey, it doesn’t hurt to be ND’s quarterback either).

Golden Tate.

Notre Dame’s rawest receiver is also its biggest playmaker. He is the guy who brings Notre Dame the big play potential of the Rocket or Tim Brown. Cornerbacks tried kryptonite to stop is go route, only to find that the Golden one is indeed human. Speed, elusiveness, leaping ability, and hands-Tate has everything you want except the Randy Moss-size. Tate’s hands and concentration are unparalleled in college ball-if the ball is in the air, he will get it. If he perfects the nuances of the position (route running, setting up defensive backs), he can sneak into the first round.

Micheal Floyd.

If Golden Tate wants to be the Irish’s biggest play receiver, he might have to go Anderson “The Spider” Silva all over Mr. Floyd-and knock him out of commission. If Tate is Rocket (with better hands), then Floyd is Larry Fitzgerald. The fellow Minnesotans have strikingly similar games, and everything you could want in a receiver. Floyd can run every route, and beat you with his height, his wheels, or his moves. He only needs to improve his concentration (he had a few too many almost spectacular plays where he didn’t quite come down with the ball). Floyd translates to the NFL better than Tate (size/speed combo), and will be a top 15 pick if he stays on pace.

Kyle Rudolph.

He will be Notre Dame’s best tight end. Ever. (Sorry Mark Bavarro, Dave Casper, Irv smith, Anthony Fasano, etc.) He can block. He can run. And he can catch. He is athletically gifted enough to travel with the Harlem Globetrotters in the off season, but won’t because he hates Scooby-Doo, and has never forgiven the team for allowing their animated countenances on the show. Basically he is in the same mold as Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, and Shannon Sharpe. Weis loves tight ends, and Rudolph will get to showcase his skills to the NFL for 3 more years. That’s enough to sneak into a late 1st round pick.

Darrin Walls.

He needs to have 2 big years, but this man will be the best Irish cover corner since Bobby Taylor. He is smooth like Smokey Robinson on the field, and doesn’t give receivers an inch. He has speed, acceleration, is able to change directions, and has ball skills. He also has decent size for a corner (6′0, 180). He has all around ability to the extent that he will be considered for kick returns, and could probably play both sides a la Charles Woodson. He is a guy that can be left in man to man coverage without worry. He has the tools to be a mid-to-late 1st round pick.

Ethan Johnson.

This is based on glimpses, but Ethan is strong enough to play inside and quick enough to play outside on the defensive line. He is a walking mismatch for for offensive lineman. Think of him as either a quicker Victor Abiamari, or a bigger and stronger Justin Tuck. He can bring the pass rush right up the middle through the guards, and can either run by or through offensive tackles. He is explosive, and has more potential than the players mentioned above. It all equals a 1st round pick somewhere in the 20’s to me.

Robert Blanton.

The man that already thinks he’s a first round draft pick. He displays the swagger needed to go up and lock down #1 receivers. He is just a ball player, I don’t know what his 40 time or his vertical is, but he can play. Notre Dame fielded a better defense when they let this frosh play over senior speed demon Terrail Lambert. At 6′1, he has the size to go against bigger receivers, but is quick enough to play against the dwarfs as well. All in all, Blanton dispalayed as much talent as any freshman corner I’ve seen at Notre Dame, and he will get even better as the years go on. Which means he has the potential to be drafted in the late first round.

Final Note.

The Irish have some other players with potential, but they have not shown enough (or any) evidence to be considered yet. (Darius Fleming, Steve Filer, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Harrison Smith.)

The first 7 are the chosen ones that will show Notre Dame has elite players once again. Do you think I am seeing greatness in the right guys? Or are there other Notre Dame players you can see in the first round? Let me know.

Notre Dame does not accept JUCO athletes … period. The football team consists solely of high school students who decide to attend the university, or transfers from other universities who must sit out a year and follow other various NCAA rules. Other schools are open to JUCO athletes. Each year, a hundred or so JUCO transfers make rosters across the nation. The acceptance of these students ranges from the minimal:

• USC, Florida, etc. take one or two a year

To the ridiculous:

• Dennis Erickson builds entire programs based on JUCO players (remember that Oregon State team from the Fiesta Bowl in 2001?)

So what is the significance of this phenomenon? Barring the Erickson teams – which are outliers – programs across the country use JUCO transfers to bolster already-stable rosters. Maybe USC needs a new starting corner. Perhaps Texas could use a backup left guard. In general, JUCOs offer a few substantial benefits:

• Depth – A team is only as good as its depth. You may have the best frontline players, but if they are dragging around the field in the 4th quarter, or on the sidelines with strained quads in November, what good are they? JUCO transfers add to the depth of thin positions.

• Experience – JUCOs come into a program with 2 years of college football experience. Is it D-1? No, of course not. But, it’s at a level higher than prep school, possibly playing with other guys who may make it to D-1. Also, they’ve had 2 years to mature as individuals, get bigger in the weight room, and get past a bunch of college class requirements.

• Gamebreakers – Heard of Chad Johnson? Steve Smith? TJ Houshmandzadeh? JUCO, JUCO, and JUCO. These guys entered programs and made a difference from day 1. The right transfer can propel a team to the elite level, overnight.

• Competition – You may think that you’re best running back on the west coast, but your coach has news for you: there’s a guy who can step in tomorrow and take your job. Looks like you better show that you belong in the starting lineup. Good players make each other better. Competition breeds success.

I am not advocating that ND start admitting junior college transfers to its football program in order to win another game or two a season. I am, however, pointing out a disadvantage that gets little attention. Still, a part of me would be excited if we didn’t take seemingly every opportunity to tie our own hands.

David Bruton was never a sure thing for the NFL. Even his coach didn’t always see playing in the league as his future. He may always have been an athlete (as his combine numbers can attest), but he turned himself into a football player.

(From The South Bend Tribune:)

“David Bruton was a skinny, little track kid,” Weis recalled. “He walked in here, and I thought when the wind blew, he was going to fall over. Seriously. Soaking wet he might have been 180 pounds. Maybe.

So, what did he do when he realized he would be picked by the Broncos in the 4th round (114th)? When his dream of playing in the NFL came true?

Let’s just say he got a little too excited and:

HE JIZZED IN HIS PANTS ( but it was an accident)