Notre Dame Football: Did Josh Adams make the right decision to go pro?

Notre Dame football lost another big piece on Friday as junior running back Josh Adams made the decision to forgo his senior year. Was it the right choice?

Just one day after losing defensive coordinator Mike Elko to Texas A&M, Notre Dame lost another key piece in junior running back Josh Adams who declared for the 2018 NFL Draft.

Adams had his best season as Notre Dame’s running back, finishing with 497 yards more than he did as a sophomore. He also had four more rushing touchdowns and averaged 6.9 yards per carry — a full 1.0 yard per carry more than 2016.

Was this a surprise? Not really, but did he make the right decision? In my opinion, he could boost his stock more with another year in South Bend. Running backs do have a short shelf life in the NFL, so I can see why he would want to utilize what he has left in the tank for another year in the league.

Still, he is entering a draft loaded with top-tier running backs, which could drop him to maybe rounds 3-5. He has the talent to be one of the top backs in next year’s class and potentially even a first-rounder.

There’s no doubt Adams has the tools to be successful in the NFL, but his transition, after starring for a couple years under Brian Kelly, could take a bit longer than if he’d stay for his senior year and put together a full season — he did drop off near the end of the year.

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It’s hard to knock these kids for making a decision that will be better for them and their families in the long run, but if he’s looking for immediate NFL success, another year may have been necessary.