Notre Dame Football: 5 reasons Josh Adams should return for senior year

Notre Dame Football: 5 reasons Josh Adams should skip NFL, return in 2018

SOUTH BEND, IN - NOVEMBER 04: Luke Masterson #12 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons tackles Josh Adams #33 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on November 4, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Wake Forest 48-37.(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

3. Fallen out of first-round discussions

At the end of October, mock drafts everywhere were projecting the junior running back to go in the first round. He was even considered a top-15 or top-20 pick by some and it was because of his strong, yet explosive, running style.

Adams was averaging about 10 yards per carry and had over 1,100 yards with a month left to play. He was firmly in the Heisman race as his team was also a national title contender. However, the final month saw him drop out of first-round discussions.

Dropping out of that first-round discussion is usually enough to bring a player back for another season, especially when he didn’t expect to climb into the first round in the first place. He was entering his first season as the team’s full-time starter and wasn’t going to split carrier nearly as much.

The junior did have his best season yet, but if 2017 showed him anything, it’s that he can be one of the best running backs in the country. He should return in 2018 and prove that he’s a first-round talent instead of getting selected on day two or three.

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