Notre Dame players made themselves some money this week in Mobile, Alabama at the Senior Bowl. All week long in practice, former Irish standouts made news for their impressive performances in practice. That carried over to the field on Saturday when a quartet of Notre Dame’s stars from 2019 shined bright playing against other college football all-stars.
In case you missed who all was down in Alabama this week from Notre Dame, here’s the list of the four Golden Domers who participated.
- Chase Claypool, WR
- Troy Pride Jr, CB
- Jalen Elliott, S
- Alohi Gilman, S
Chase Claypool does what he does, finds the end zone
If there was one player of the four who had the most to gain this week, it was Claypool. His Notre Dame teammates had more to prove as potential late-round picks, but Claypool has top end of the draft talent. His only problem this year is that this is a historically deep and talented wide receiver draft class. In other words, Claypool needs to take advantage of every opportunity he has to move himself into the early round discussion because amazingly, he was absent on many 3-round mock drafts and top 100 lists before the Senior Bowl.
Yesterday he capped off an impressive week of practice by finding the endzone with a nice route on a beautiful play design (or maybe it was just busted coverage). Either way, here is Claypool finding paydirt as he did for Notre Dame 13 times this year (tied for 7th in the nation).
Chase Claypool ?
— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 25, 2020
Yesterday wasn’t just a fluke play for Claypool either. He was dominant all week long in practice. Here is what NFL.com had to say about the work Claypool did throughout the week.
Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame. I really enjoyed watching Claypool on tape and couldn’t wait to see him perform in person on the Senior Bowl stage. I was not disappointed, and neither were the NFL evaluators in attendance. Not only does he look the part of a big, imposing receiver, he showed off how fluid and natural he is with his movement. He snatched the ball away from his frame with strong hands and created separation using his size and athleticism. The easy comparison for him is former teammate Miles Boykin, who had the same type of size and explosiveness, but Boykin went to the Baltimore Ravens at the end of the third round in last year’s draft. Claypool may not last that long now. I think he pushed himself into Round 2 this week.
Some mock drafts have as many as seven receivers going in the first round this year – that is how deep this wide receiver class is. If Claypool played himself into the second round, that’s a big win for him this week considering where he was projected a few weeks ago. With his size and speed, the second round really should be the floor for him in the draft. He is going to wow scouts at the combine the way Miles Boykin did a year ago.
Troy Pride Jr Caps Off Week with Interception
I wrote on Friday about how Troy Pride Jr was rocketing up draft boards with the way he played in practice all week long already, and like Claypool, he capped off an impressive week of work with a big play. Here’s a clip of Pride picking off Colorado QB Steven Montez for the North squad late in the third quarter.
Troy Pride Jr. (@NDFootball) with the pick for the North!
?: @seniorbowl on NFL Network pic.twitter.com/lWc1OjLKEA
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) January 25, 2020
The interception itself was more o a product of the pass rush – and terrible blocking – but Pride getting his hands on the ball and remembering he can now get up off the ground if he hasn’t been touched and run with the ball can’t hurt his soaring stock. If Pride comes out and runs a low 4.3 40 yard dash like expected, he is going to get drafted a lot higher than most expected initially. In fact, if he does run a blazing 40, it shouldn’t be a surprise if he gets drafted higher than Julian Love did last year.
Jalen Elliott Wins Defensive Back of Week
Like his teammates, Jalen Elliott was listed as one of the risers by many during the week of practice. Elliott came in without a lot of fanfare but showcased excellent coverage skills all week long – skills that sometimes went overlooked at Notre Dame because he was doing his job and not giving up plays this year. In 2019 Elliott got his hands on more footballs, so on the surface, it may have appeared he regressed this year, but he was a big reason why Notre Dame ranked 5th in the country in pass efficiency defense in 2019.
Here is a little taste of what Elliott did all week long in practice.
Some NFL scouts at the Senior Bowl said Notre Dame's Jalen Elliott was the biggest riser of any prospect in Mobile. pic.twitter.com/no5JLmqzH9
— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 25, 2020
For his efforts, he was named the North team’s defensive back of the week as voted on by the players who he practiced against all week long. He is still probably more of a late-round pick, but he very likely ensured himself of being selected as opposed to being an undrafted free agent with his performance this week.
Alohi Gilman Flashes Speed
The knock on Alohi Gilman is and always has been size and speed. One of those things he can’t really do anything about (size), but the other (speed) he can help himself with between now and the draft. And he did a hell of a good job dispelling that argument this week in Mobile. Gilman was one of the five fastest clocked players in practice this week – just a hair slower than Pride and faster than Claypool.
“He can’t run” ? https://t.co/7afFtFcuq5
— Alohi Gilman (@alohigilman) January 23, 2020
Gilman clearly has heard he can’t run and is tired of hearing it.
He also has apparently been told he can’t cover. Well, he covered pretty well this week.
“He can’t Cover” ?…Line me up anywhere on the field it’s a done deal‼️ https://t.co/HI0hhIspR7
— Alohi Gilman (@alohigilman) January 26, 2020
For Gilman, putting up numbers like that at the Senior Bowl, at the Combine, and then at Notre Dame’s Pro Day will be the difference between signing as an undrafted free agent, and being a mid to late-round pick. His tape shows a guy who is always around the football and lays the wood when he gets a chance. By some, however, he is still looked at as a “former Navy football player,” which carries the stigma of being slow and undersized.
While the wide receiver class is historically deep, the defensive back class isn’t. Gilman took a big step towards securing himself a spot in the later rounds of the draft this week and can improve his stock even more at the Combine and at Notre Dame’s pro day.
This is going to be a really fun Draft to follow for Notre Dame fans with these four in the mix along with Cole Kmet, Khalid Kareem, Julian Okwara, Chris Finke, Jamir Jones, Tony Jones Jr, and Asmar Bilal. We’ll have plenty of coverage of their journeys to the NFL over the next few months.
I’m sensing tension between you guys.
First step Christine you rip KELLY as a bad coach 23-3 last two seasons, wrong again dumbass!! You said you have better arm than BOOK, what a stupid comment that was again!! BOOK listed for possible HIESMAN, wheres your boy PJ? 2 catches 6 yards in the game for Claypool, wow he showed a lot there but don’t let performance matter! You are a dumbass tell us again how you and your sister are bored with the game, you should break out your lego’s and invite jeffy over!! JURKOVEC 2020! hahahahahahahaha Go bye your jersey now, and I told you months ago to ride your big wheel try to come up with something on your own! THROW THE BOMB TO JEFFY!
Pathetic NDCM, pathetic…
Big Wheel Mike, Notre Dame has been the beneficiary of weak schedules the last two years. USC, Stanford, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Florida St, and Michigan have been really solid programs over the last 15 plus years. All these teams mentioned have been struggling the last couple of years. Notre Dame has benefitted from those teams current slide. I’m not a big fan of Brian Kelly but I’ll give him credit because he has gotten the Irish back into the bottom third of the Top 20 on a somewhat regular basis. Mostly due to weak opponents which isn’t his fault. Now as far as quarterbacks go at ND Ian Book has been for the most part outstanding and deserves to be the starter but he has yet to shine
against elite competition and was horrible against Michigan. I honestly don’t know whether Jurkovic or Clark is better than Book. What frustrated me with Kelly is when several games this year were out of hand he refused to give PJ or Clark for that matter any meaningful reps. Thought that was bullshit on Kelly’s part. Ian Book is a poor man’s Jake Browning. He will be the starter for most of four years, put up inflated numbers, but wont win any big games for the Irish. Notre Dame could’ve stuck with Wimbush and still been 23-3 over the last two years. Now Dabo took a chance and removed a good QB and replaced him with a true freshman. Worked out pretty good for him. I wonder if Kirby Smart has nitemares about letting Justin Fields get away. Doubt the same thing will happen to Kelly but I would laugh if it did. I don’t know whether Claypool should be considered elite or not. The draft this year is loaded with receivers so that may hurt his draft position but I would say he was clearly Notre Dame’s best WR. No one else was even close to his production so if he clearly is NOT elite than ND is pretty sorry at that position. Keep rockn the BIG WHEEL stud.
I’ll THROW THE BOMB for 60 yards through the air to you guaranteed! (further than Book!) LOL! 🙂
Hilarious post Jeff!
Just keep throwing me the ball Chris. Big Wheel Mike cannot cover me. I’m running by that fool all day long. lol
And that’s with him playing safety LOL!
To all posters on here…not to be childish but will you all please be honest and put NDCM and his 10 devices to hit the dislike button in his place just one time for me?
Do you all think Chase Claypool was an elite receiver for ND and within college football generally? Yes or no is all I’m looking for. I’ll stop bothering NDCM about this if we can just put him in his place this time around because him thinking Claypool is not an elite receiver is absolutely ridiculous.
NDCM still rockn the BIG WHEEL
I DONT HIT DISLIKE DUMBASS THATS YOUR THING! GO BUY YOUR PJ JERSEY AND CHEER AGAINST THE TEAM DUMBASS!! I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WERE DONE WITH THIS SITE WHEN PJ TRANSFERRED, REMEMBER ” IM SORRY GUYS BUT IM MAD NOW ” ! STILL HERE CRYIN HA CRISSY!!
If Kelly is still our coach when BC comes to town in a couple of years, I will definitely be wearing my Jurkovec jersey for the game. Such a huge mistake letting that kid go.
And nice CAPS NDCM! You must be small because you sure feel the need to talk big on the internet, LOL!! You haven’t said one meaningful thing in the entire time I’ve seen you post on here. You have no real football knowledge obviously, you have no judge of talent whatsoever (Claypool not elite LOL) and all you do is comment on other people that post. It’s seriously embarrassing to be you man. And you’re lucky everyone is being nice and not calling you out for Claypool. Sorry but I can’t hold back because that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard on this board.
Agree with Jeff, NDCM rockn the big wheel again for sure!
But Chase Claypool isn’t elite right NDCRAZYMIKE LOL! This fool will never live that down.
HEY STUPID he had 2 catches for 6 yards!! WOW! HE’S not listed in the top 15 for WRS in the draft!! HE had to play in the game to try and get noticed!! GO BUY YOUR JURKOVEC JERSEY AND THROW THE BOMB DUMBASS!! JURKOVEC 2020, WHATS HE RUNNIN FOR PRESIDENT? OR IS THAT HIS VISION? lol, chill bro, heres one for ya GFYS!!
Did you not read the article? Did you not read the write up from NFL.com? He was dominant all week against some of the best DBs from college. He is projecting a round 2 if not higher pending 40 times and other workouts. I’d say if you are going to the NFL under higher than the third round that you are pretty much an elite college receiver.
You know NDCM, it is OK to admit you were wrong. It’s one of the first steps….
The idea that any Notre Dame fans doesn’t think Claypool is elite is really pretty insane to me. He is going to be a monster in the NFL because he is still improving.
Thank you Frank. I was getting ready to write up a question to all posters on this board asking whether or not they thought Chase Claypool was an elite receiver. NDCM knows he’s wrong on this one but just won’t admit it.
Claypool is one of the best to come through ND and will represent well in the NFL.
STILL IMPROVING DOESN’T MEAN ELITE!! WHAT ARE THE 15-20 WRS IN THE DRAFT RATED ABOUVE HIM FRANK H.O.F. ERS? I like CLAYPOOL but he’s not an ELITE receiver right now if he were he’d be a 1st or 2nd rounder! WHICH HE IS NOT!
This post is so incredibly laughable, wow….
NDCM, you are too stupid to even realize that Claypool is an elite college receiver and Frank said that he is THAT GOOD but still improving on top of it which means he hasn’t even hit his potential yet.
And lastly, you are going to eat your words boy!! “I like Claypool but he’s not an elite receiver right now. If he were he would be a 1st or 2nd rounder” LOLOLOLOL….can you read son??? The article literally says NFL scouts are projecting him moving up as a 2nd rounder with just this week of practice at the senior bowl alone. He hasn’t even done his pro day or combine yet, LOL!! Again, embarrassing NDCM, embarrassing…