One school that could feature a top quantity of players selected in the 2018 NFL Draft is Notre Dame football. How will the Pro Day turn out?
Notre Dame football has a lot of attention on the program’s 2018 Pro Day festivities, that take place on March 22 in South Bend, IN. There’s a good list of players from Notre Dame who are ready to go early in the 2018 NFL Draft. That list includes offensive lineman like Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson.
A few other players to watch at the Pro Day on the offensive side of the ball include tight end Durham Smythe, running back Josh Adams and wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown. The amount of returning talent for the Notre Dame football program in 2018 does put them in contention in the national picture again next season.
However, there’s no doubting the pure amount of losses for the Fighting Irish, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Notre Dame could send more than five former players that will be picked up in the 2018 NFL Draft. That’s why so much spotlight falls on this individual Pro Day.
With the 2018 NFL Combine fully wrapped up, the last real chance for a lot of NFL Draft prospects to make an impact on their stock is the Pro Days. The former Heisman Trophy winner, Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield, is the first prospect with the Pro Day spotlight on him.
The following week, Notre Dame is one of the most significant programs holding Pro Day workouts. With that said, here’s three things to watch for the 2018 Pro Day for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
3. Mike McGlinchey‘s draft stock
Few offensive lineman has seen their stock drop in recent months more than McGlinchey. The talented offensive tackle is falling down draft boards, even outside the first round, at least according to ESPN Todd McShay’s last 2018 NFL Mock Draft.
McGlinchey did not run the 40 at the Combine, so he did not get into the full realm of workout results. He’ll need to show why he was considered a first round pick in the first place. There’s limited talent available at offensive tackle in this draft class.
Texas Longhorns tackle product Connor Williams is likely to be the first at his position taken off the board. For a good portion of the 2017 college football season, McGlinchey was considered either to be the first or second taken off the board. He might end up being the fourth or fifth.
McGlinchey’s flat-out athleticism, footwork, and fluidity are what will draw NFL teams his way in the first or second round. The concerns over his strength and possibility to get bullied, at times, at the pro level need to be addressed to some degree at the Pro Day.
2. Equanimeous St. Brown continuing to rise after NFL Combine
There are some question marks at the top of this wide receiver class, and St. Brown has a great opportunity to take advantage of that. Courtland Sutton of the SMU Mustangs, James Washington of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Calvin Ridley of the Alabama Crimson Tide, and Christian Kirk of the Texas A&M Aggies are the most highly regarded in this year’s draft class.
St. Brown does have the size and leaping ability to jump into the top three rounds, especially if a particular team buys into what he has to offer. Questions surrounding his blocking ability and acceleration to top speed are hard to address in a Pro Day.
It’s hard to tell how this Pro Day will ultimately impact the draft position of St. Brown. A lot of the event here should highlight similar strengths to that of the NFL Combine. He showed off his rangy athleticism and great hands in the Combine, and should repeat that at the Pro Day.
Adding depth receivers is always a good move for NFL teams, but St. Brown could get lost in the mix in the middle rounds. Establishing himself as a receiver in the top half of this class should be his top priority come March 22.
1. Malik Zaire‘s return to South Bend
Possibly the most surprising news ahead of Notre Dame’s Pro Day was the announcement that the former Irish and Florida Gators quarterback Malik Zaire would return to South Bend for his workouts. This will be one of two Pro Days that Zaire will take part in.
Zaire will also participate in the Pro Day for the Gators on March 28. He’ll really look to do all he can to show why he should get a chance in the NFL in the first place. Zaire did not have the final college season he was looking, starting a good bulk of the season for a four-win Florida squad.
Since there will be a lot of eyes watching this homecoming for Zaire to Notre Dame, he’ll have his chance in the spotlight to get some discussion sparked around his ability. Showing off his strong arm, and ability to throw on the run are important here.
Next: 10 best players in Notre Dame football history
A good number of quarterback start out ranked ahead of Zaire on draft boards. According to draftscout.com, Zaire is not even in the top 40 quarterbacks in this class. His chance could come by going undrafted and establishing himself come Rookie Camp this fall.