Notre Dame football has produced more NFL players than any other college, with 495 athletes going on to play for the National Football League. Notre Dame, USC, and Ohio State are the only schools that have produced more than 400 NFL players in the history of the league. If you’re doing NFL Draft betting at a us online casino then the smart money is on prospects from those three schools.
Six Fighting Irish were selected in the 2019 NFL Draft, meaning that ND has now had at least six players drafted in four of the last seven years (2016, 2014 and 2013).
Let’s recap who went where, if they were projected to go in that range, and how they might fit in at their new destinations. Like a crazyvegas casino, the NFL Draft is wild, as are position battles in NFL training camps. You just don’t know how things are going to shake up.
We have a lot of ground to cover, so let’s dive right in.
Click on each subhead where applicable for the pre-draft feature articles we did on said players.
Defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, Los Angeles Chargers, 28th overall, first round
Was he projected here?
Yes, the thoughtful, well-rounded run-stuffer was expected to go late first round to low second round.
How will he fit in?
The Chargers have an aging front seven and they need to plug in new pieces all over in the DL and LBs. Expect him to compete for major playing time, if not a starting position, right off the bat.
Miles Boykin, WR, Baltimore Ravens 93rd overall pick and 30th selection in the third round
Was he projected here?
More or less, Boykins was considered a day two guy by just about everybody and his best case scenario was mid-2nd, according to conventional wisdom. He did come dangerously close to falling into day three though, which was not something anybody would have anticipated.
How will he fit in?
It’s hard to think of a better match in terms of position with team needs. Boykins should be able to find immediate playing time.
Cornerback Julian Love, 108th overall pick (sixth pick of round four), New York Giants
Was he projected here?
Absolutely not. Love was considered among the top three cornerback prospects entering this draft, and his anticipated range was high first, low second. Unfortunately, the CBs as a group all slide down the board in this draft and Love fell harder than most.
How will he fit in?
He’ll have to prove himself in nickel packages and on special teams. Luckily, he has as good a mentor as there is in ND defensive backs coach Todd Lyght. The Giants absolutely got a steal of a pick here.
Linebacker Drue Tranquill, 130th overall pick (29th choice of round four) Los Angeles Chargers
Was he projected here?
Yep. Pretty much.
How will he fit in?
Joins Tillery on a team that definitely seems to be on the rise in the AFC. Tranquill has a lot of versatility and experience playing several positions. He can make an impact on special teams initially, and then perhaps as a back-up somewhere once the injury bug inevitably bites. As we said before, the Chargers have an aging front seven that needs to be rebuild block by block.
Running back Dexter Williams 194th overall pick (22nd choice of round six), Green Bay Packers
Was he projected here?
This is lower than most people had hoped, but Dex was never really going to pose a threat to get picked on day two.
How will he fit in?
It’s always tricky with running backs, as their shelf lives are extremely short. A lot of it depends on where injuries happen, and on what teams a back can first make an impact on the practice squad.
Tight end Alizé Mack, 231st overall pick (17th pick of round seven) New Orleans Saints
Was he projected here?
Sure, more or less
How will he fit in?
It’s anybody’s guess. Round seven is a lot like un-drafted priority free agents, it’s a wild card.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets:Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, also contributes to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.