Notre Dame Football: Where will the Irish’s draft prospects land?

4. Kevin Austin, Jr.: Late 2nd-4th Round

Wide receiver Kevin Austin, Jr. is an exciting prospect because he has not played much football. Austin played sparingly as a freshman, then missed all of his sophomore seasons for violating team rules. In 2020, Austin broke his foot after just two games.

Austin played well this season, leading the Irish in receiving yards and yards per reception. Austin averaging over 18 yards per catch immediately grabs your attention. Scouts wonder whether or not Austin can be a big-play receiver at the next level.

Austin has all the measurables to be a good receiver at the next level. The Florida native is 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. He ran a 4.37 and 4.43 at the combine. In addition, Austin has shown tremendous skill in tracking and catching the deep ball.

A team looking for a deep-threat fourth or fifth receiver could target Austin. It is hard to believe a receiver with his traits won’t develop into an excellent wide receiver at the NFL level. Austin needs reps and development.

That fact creates the variance in where Austin might land. A team could fall in love with the speed and deep-ball ability and draft him in the top 60-65 picks. On the other hand, a team could see him as a raw project and draw him in the fourth or fifth round.