Notre Dame Football: 5 breakout players to watch in 2018
By Jacob Wilson
2. Alize Mack, TE
It’s now been over two years since tight end Alize Mack, formerly Alize Jones prior to changing his name in honor of his stepfather, made his commitment to play for Notre Dame. Given Notre Dame’s exceptional success at producing NFL caliber tight ends, Mack seemed like a perfect fit for an Irish program that had seen a recent decline in the position after the departure of Tyler Eifert.
While hopes were high for the four star product out of Las Vegas, Mack’s full potential has yet to be reached. Mack started off his career on a decent note despite his positioning on the depth chart, finishing the 2015 season with 13 catches for 190 yards.
However, Mack’s solid start would be forfeited as the sophomore was forced off the field for the entirety of the 2016 season after being deemed academically ineligible. Consequentially, Mack would miss out on a significant amount of playing time with pro-style quarterback DeShone Kizer, forced to settle for the run-first Wimbush instead.
The quarterback change would hurt Mack as he finished this past season with only 166 yards and one score. Fresh off yet another suspension, Mack will have to get things together off the field before revitalizing his career on it. However, with the possibility of Book taking over the starting job, Mack may finally have the ability to jumpstart what has manifested into a lackluster career.