Every year there is a different plot to the hype and discussion leading up to the NFL draft. The two that end up being the biggest (though not always the most telling) are the pre-combination projections and the post-combination/free agent projections. For some Notre Dame players this season, things are a lot different.
Even though wide receiver Malachi Fields had a stellar performance at the Senior Bowl that moved him up in first-round mock drafts, his 40 games at the combine did some damage. While Fields could still help himself at Notre Dame’s pro day, he still likely won’t be one of the first-round picks.
advertise
But two Irish players remain controversial.
The first is the most obvious; running back Jeremiah Love. He’s quite possibly the best player in the draft and definitely the best running back. He was a top-10 pick several times before the combine and free agency, but after several teams made some moves to solidify their running back space, Love is now projected to be drafted fourth overall by the Tennessee Titans for Daniel Jeremiah.
Daniel Jeremiah and Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price were also selected in the first round. Price is expected to be drafted by the Seattle Seahawks, who just saw Kenneth Walker leave for the Kansas City Chiefs (which has a slight impact on Jeremiah Love, but the likelihood of him landing with the Chiefs seems increasingly slim).
Notre Dame isn’t considered a big producer of first-round running back talent, so it would be a surprising turn of events if both players were indeed drafted. Regardless of where they go, both players will likely be poised to contribute significantly as rookies.
