Notre Dame Football: Top 5 spring 2019 breakout candidates

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Khalid Kareem #53 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reacts with Adetokunbo Ogundeji #91 after a play in the first half against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Khalid Kareem #53 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reacts with Adetokunbo Ogundeji #91 after a play in the first half against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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2. Braden Lenzy, WR

One of the most entertaining aspects of spring practices is the opportunity to watch the best of the best on your team go at it on a consistent basis. As for the Irish, it’s a battle of speed vs. speed whenever sophomore wide receiver Braden Lenzy lines up across Pride. Both players boast exceptional quickness, providing plenty of opportunity for improvement along the way.

However, few can compare to Lenzy when it comes to raw speed. As a track star in high school, Lenzy found himself dedicated to both track and football as a freshman at Notre Dame. However, Lenzy has began to narrow his focus towards football, opting to forego both winter and spring track.

While Lenzy hasn’t quite refined his speed in the same way that some of his sophomore peers have, he has the potential to be a solid asset for the Irish in the wake of Miles Boykin’s departure to the NFL. With a little more weight and experience on the field, Lenzy could quickly contribute to a 1-2 punch between himself and probable starter Michael Young on the outside.

With Lawrence Keys III competing in the slot, Joe Wilkins a little banged up, and Kevin Austin caught up in Kelly’s infamous “traits”, Lenzy could easily find himself near the top of the depth chart by the time fall rolls around. Nevertheless, the Irish will remain to take a wait and see approach before throwing the inexperienced sophomore into the heat of it.