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College Football: Top 30 breakout candidates for 2018 season

By Connor Muldowney

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide throws a pass during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide throws a pass during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame got ever-so-close to making a run at the College Football Playoff in 2017, but then Miami dispelled all hopes the Irish had in rather embarrassing fashion. The top pass catchers from that team are gone, leaving opportunity for a new pass catcher to emerge at the top.

Alize Mack caught 19 passes for the Irish last season and will have only one returning pass catcher ahead of him in the pecking order, junior wideout Chase Claypool. Those two will play very different roles in the offense, making the possibility of a big year from both players plausible.

If it is going to be one of the two that breaks out in 2018, though, put your money on Mack. Irish quarterback Brandon Wimbush did not shock the nation with his passing prowess last year. When he tried to throw the ball downfield bad things tended to happen. If he’s going to be successful, he’s going to need a safe, trustworthy pass catcher that’s close to the line of scrimmage. That’s definitely going to be Mack.

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