'13 FL TE Mike Heuerman (Notre Dame Early Enrollee)

[arrowryan]

who are the other EEs? I remember robinson but cant remember others

Onwualu, Zaire, Robinson, Heuerman, and Elmer I think

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Onwualu, Zaire, Robinson, Heuerman, and Elmer I think

Yes, though Sapp said Elmer is still evaluating whether he will do it or not.

 

[Irish2015]

1) Do we have an EE cap?
2) From Elmer's perspective I don't see why he would EE. It is very rare for a freshmen to come in and play right away, and usually it's not a scheme problem its a strength problem. While I'm sure he is plenty strong, I think it would make more sense for him to just be a regular admit. Just my two bits.

 

[STLDomer]

^ and it seems Elmer has had trouble with staying in football shape

 

[peoriairish]

1) Do we have an EE cap?
2) From Elmer's perspective I don't see why he would EE. It is very rare for a freshmen to come in and play right away, and usually it's not a scheme problem its a strength problem. While I'm sure he is plenty strong, I think it would make more sense for him to just be a regular admit. Just my two bits.

Someone, I think maybe TT, said that the cap is at 5 but we couldn't really think of why that would be. Especially with the EEs adding onto this year's schollies, I don't know why we wouldn't take more if they wanted to.

 

[NDPhilly]

I would prefer that we replace Elmer or Zaire with a CB.

 

[STLDomer]

Butler can not EE

 

[Buster Bluth]

Eifert WILL be leaving. This is his senior year and will be picked in the first round if he has a solid year

Injury notwithstanding, there is indeed a 99.999999% he leaves for the NFL.

But, there's probably only a 50% chance he goes in the first round. NFL TE's are not of first round importance.

TE's in the top 100 picks, since 2005:

2005 - Heath Miller (30)
2006 - Vernon Davis (6), Marcedes Lewis (28), Joe Klopfenstein (46)
2007 - Greg Olsen (31)
2008 - Dustin Keller (30), John Carlson (38), Fred Davis (48)
2009 - Brandon Pettigrew (20),
2010 - Jermaine Gresham (21), Rob Gronkowski (42),
2011 - Kyle Rudolph (43), Lance Hendricks (47)
2012 - Coby Fleener (34)

Eight NFL drafts, seven first round picks. Only one pick higher than 20 in eight years. Now I do think that Eifert can show teams that he is an elite receiving TE, and some teams will definitely be looking at how the Patriots use receiving TE mismatches in their offense, but he's going to really have to impress with "his hand on the ground" to be a first rounder.

 

[STLDomer]

All matters on team's needs for TEs going in the 1st round.

 

[Buster Bluth]

All matters on team's needs for TEs going in the 1st round.

Agreed, but teams with real needs are picking higher and avoid TE's. Teams picking lower in the first round are the ones who grab TE's, according to history.

 

[STLDomer]

I think Eifert's 1st round stautsus depends on Fleener. Fleener is similair to Hernandez and Graham and if he is a success also, teams will see that WR/TE hybrids are 3/3 successful and every team will want a WR/TE hybrid

If fleener is not successful teams will think they are a risk and Eifert goes in 2nd round

 

[Ironman8]

I think Eifert's 1st round stautsus depends on Fleener. Fleener is similair to Hernandez and Graham and if he is a success also, teams will see that WR/TE hybrids are 3/3 successful and every team will want a WR/TE hybrid

If fleener is not successful teams will think they are a risk and Eifert goes in 2nd round

I don't think Eifert's draft stock has anything to do with Fleener's success whatsoever. It has already been a growing trend in the NFL to have at least one 'hybrid' TE, probably gaining the most steam after the success of Dallas Clark (by the way taken #23 overall in the 2003 draft). I feel like half the TEs in the league are in that mold of Huge WR/TE now: Davis, Keller, Hernandez, Graham, Finley, Pettigrew, Cooley just off the top of my head.

 

[ShakeDown]

Vernon Davis is one of my favorites.

 

[STLDomer]

Aaron Hernandez 40: mid 4.5
Coby Fleener 40: mid 4.4

Dallas Clark 40: high 4.6 - low 4.7

Clark may have been the first WR/TE hybrid but the TEs from last couple years are even better recievers and worse blockers. They seem to be much leaner

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I don't think Eifert's draft stock has anything to do with Fleener's success whatsoever. It has already been a growing trend in the NFL to have at least one 'hybrid' TE, probably gaining the most steam after the success of Dallas Clark (by the way taken #23 overall in the 2003 draft). I feel like half the TEs in the league are in that mold of Huge WR/TE now: Davis, Keller, Hernandez, Graham, Finley, Pettigrew, Cooley just off the top of my head.

Hey now Davis is just a freak TE. WR speed, but built like an inline TE and one of the best blocking TE in the league. Which is actually amazing considering who couldn't block at all when he first came into the league. Hard work and tough coaching and he is now one of the top blocking TE in the league to go along with his 4.45 speed.

 

[Irishnuke]

Aaron Hernandez 40: mid 4.5
Coby Fleener 40: mid 4.4

Dallas Clark 40: high 4.6 - low 4.7

Clark may have been the first WR/TE hybrid but the TEs from last couple years are even better recievers and worse blockers. They seem to be much leaner

Better receivers than Dallas Clark? Nope.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Coby Fleener 40: mid 4.4

Link?

Worst thing about the draft was realizing that Coby Fleener is from outside Chicago (went to Joliet Catholic) and apparently didn't even have a Notre Dame offer.

And then knowing that Luke Kuechly didn't get an offer either and would've been Irish.

It's enraging stuff.

 

[Irish8248]

Link?

Worst thing about the draft was realizing that Coby Fleener is from outside Chicago (went to Joliet Catholic) and apparently didn't even have a Notre Dame offer.

And then knowing that Luke Kuechly didn't get an offer either and would've been Irish.

It's enraging stuff.

I can understand why one would be pissed over nit offering Luke but Fleener? We had Carlson in his last year and Rudolph ready to sign on .. Then we added Eifert, Welch, Koyack, now Heuerman.. Don't get me wrong, would've loved to had him but i'm not thinking we missed out on him ... Luke -- definitely. We never got LBs like that except for Teo

 

[ColinKSU]

Link?

Worst thing about the draft was realizing that Coby Fleener is from outside Chicago (went to Joliet Catholic) and apparently didn't even have a Notre Dame offer.

And then knowing that Luke Kuechly didn't get an offer either and would've been Irish.

It's enraging stuff.

They didn't offer Fleener, but it's hard to make an legitimate argument that ND made a mistake by not offering him. Fleener was the 40th TE in the country that year and ND got a commit from Ragone (#3) and had brought in Yeatman and Reuland (#3 in 2006) the year before.

They were fine at TE at the time. Fleener ended up becoming a pretty good TE while Ragone's knees failed him and Yeatman and Reuland transfered. It's easy to look back now and consider it a mistake, but it really wasn't at the time.

Kuechly was a bit more of a boner. The staff chose to take Dan Fox out of St. Iggy, but I could have told them (or anyone else who watches Ohio high school football) that Kuechly was a better player. That kid was a really, really good LB while Fox was a good athlete playing LB. Oh well.

 

[FLDomer]

I don't think Eifert's draft stock has anything to do with Fleener's success whatsoever. It has already been a growing trend in the NFL to have at least one 'hybrid' TE, probably gaining the most steam after the success of Dallas Clark (by the way taken #23 overall in the 2003 draft). I feel like half the TEs in the league are in that mold of Huge WR/TE now: Davis, Keller, Hernandez, Graham, Finley, Pettigrew, Cooley just off the top of my head.

I agree with you post except this, Shannon Sharpe was really the 1st WR/TE. That man could catch and run once he caught it. Clark is more of a receiving H-back/TE

 

[dublinirish]

That kid was a really, really good LB while Fox was a good athlete playing LB. Oh well.

didnt Keuchly play Free Safety in HS?

 

[Ironman8]

I agree with you post except this, Shannon Sharpe was really the 1st WR/TE. That man could catch and run once he caught it. Clark is more of a receiving H-back/TE

Ah yeah, forgot about him. He was insanely talented for his time. Props.

 

[Ironman8]

Aaron Hernandez 40: mid 4.5
Coby Fleener 40: mid 4.4

Dallas Clark 40: high 4.6 - low 4.7

Clark may have been the first WR/TE hybrid but the TEs from last couple years are even better recievers and worse blockers. They seem to be much leaner

All that your saying with those 40 times is that the type of athlete at that position has gotten better, which I definitely agree with. They are better athletes, and there are much more of them around, which is why I do not think Fleener effects Tyler at all. Clark may be slower, but he weighs less than almost all of the other TEs I mentioned. The only ones that are "leaner" are the 6'5 and up guys, which of course have to be leaner just to be able to be close to as agile as the other guys while having the nature size advantage. I feel like we are arguing similar things, I just disagree that Fleener's rookie year will effect Tyler's draft stock.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

All of the Army All Americans.

Mike was nominated today.

 

[OrlaNDomer]

Great news! Is there a list of invitees anywhere?

 

[ColinKSU]

didnt Keuchly play Free Safety in HS?

No. I'm aware Dan was a safety in high school, but that's not where he was ever recruited by ND.

Dan was always going to be a LB project, but Luke was a proven quantity at LB. He was the real deal, whereas Dan was always a maybe (and still is).

 

[STLDomer]

Someone post his new avi from twitter, greatest thing ever

 

[clashmore_mike]

 

[peoriairish]

.

Beat me to it. You must have posted in the time I had to click quote, paste and post. Quick on the draw you are Clash. Or should I call you... Flash.

 

[FLDomer]

Looking forward to seeing this kid in the blue and gold! He is going to something impressive!