'12 WA RB Keivarae Russell (Notre Dame Signed LOI)

[phgreek]

Good Luck Mr. Russell... Glad you were Irish.

 

[RDU Irish]

Has the degree so hard to fault him for it. Whoever picks him up won't regret it - I think he will only get better and has all the makings of a great pro. If the Bears pick him up in the 4th round I would be happy for both sides.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Jesus. We're 0-for this year so far.

Our football players seem to go down with season-ending injuries far more frequently than at other similarly situated programs. Unless Kelly convinced me that they've figured that out, and that I wouldn't be gambling millions in returning for another year, I can't say they've made the wrong decision.

 

[Irish Insanity]

As much as I wanted him back, I think this is the right decision for him. My optimism for 2016 is quickly dwindling.

Agree with the first part.

Things have changed. Star players (some will argue he's not) don't hang around for that extra year of eligibility. And I don't see a reason for next year's optimism to dwindle. We are just fine at CB next year. Depth would've been noce, but he force an otherwise starter to sit.

 

[NDWorld247]

Serious question: Why? He's coming off a disappointing year that ended with a serious injury. NFL will still be there next year. If he thinks he can play better than he has, how is he better off leaving now?

Let me preface this by saying out of the guys with a decision to make, I think KVR's was the toughest in terms of would another year improve your stock. Meaning, I think he probably had the most to gain with the exception of a post-injury Jaylon by coming back.

I also don't think he had a disappointing year. I understand this opinion is in the minority on this board, but he got blamed for a lot of shit that wasn't his fault. Was he the superstar I thought he would be? Nope, but he wasn't bad at all and certainly not as bad as some here made it seem. The injury also isn't that serious. He'll be 100% by Pro Day.

But, I just think it's time for him to go. He earned his degree. Jones and Daly will likely be his only classmates that stick around for a 5Y.

 

[RDU Irish]

We have a ridiculous draft class. If we were a farm system for only one team that had zero draft picks otherwise - that team would be smiling.

 

[NDWorld247]

Agree with the first part.

Things have changed. Star players (some will argue he's not) don't hang around for that extra year of eligibility. And I don't see a reason for next year's optimism to dwindle. We are just fine at CB next year. Depth would've been noce, but he force an otherwise starter to sit.

I didn't really expect KVR to come back but some "insiders" thought it was more likely than not so that got my hopes up a bit. The Fuller and CJ decisions really started things for me. While I don't disagree with their decisions at all, I thought they were coming back. I don't know. I'm an optimist so I still have high expectations for 2016, just not as high as a week ago for several reasons.

 

[Blaise]

KVR should leave... His main issue was rust and that will be gone next year. He will have a great pro day and should be a 4th round pick. I don't think he was ever going to be a first round CB... Best case is 2nd Rd but getting drafted 4th doesn't hurt him as much as people think...

 

[stlnd01]

Agree with the first part.

Things have changed. Star players (some will argue he's not) don't hang around for that extra year of eligibility. And I don't see a reason for next year's optimism to dwindle. We are just fine at CB next year. Depth would've been noce, but he force an otherwise starter to sit.

We do have good corner depth. It's safety - free safety in particular - that worries me. He could have given us extra flexibility there.
But I don't think he's a make-or-break player for us next year or anything.

 

[Blaise]

Also, I think the only player we can't replace his production is Smith.. I think Hunter emerging and Brown/Robinson will help ease pain of fuller... CJ is an afterthought if Folson comes back full strength with Adams... Crawford will replace KVR... My only fear is LB with losing Smith, not sure who picks up that slack

 

[koonja]

At this point I'll be happy if Redfield and Cole Luke come back. There's always one odd one that blows your mind.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Best of luck to KVR. Sometimes we don't know why particular players declare and others do not. Maybe he has reasons we know nothing about - personal, family related, etc. With that said, I hope he finds a home on a team in the NFL and has a successful career.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

This is not a surprise to me. I think it was ISD who laid it out there awhile ago that the timing doesn't make sense for him to return. His return would be pending approval, which probably wouldn't happen until after the draft. If he skips the draft for his final year at ND, he could technically be denied, and then SOL.

He owned up to his mistake, fought back, got his degree. More power to him. I'd leave too.

 

[CanadalovesND]

This is not a surprise to me. I think it was ISD who laid it out there awhile ago that the timing doesn't make sense for him to return. His return would be pending approval, which probably wouldn't happen until after the draft. If he skips the draft for his final year at ND, he could technically be denied, and then SOL.

He owned up to his mistake, fought back, got his degree. More power to him. I'd leave too.

At that point in the time, he would go down the supplemental draft route.

 

[zelezo vlk]

The supplemental draft is in the summer, I want to say June. I believe that Kei hadn't even been cleared until August of last year. That timeline doesn't work

 

[connor_in]

Just saw a tweet guessing day 3 for KVR

 

[PANDFAN]

Not sure if posted yet as on phone, but he will NOT participate in combine even if invited...needs to continue rehab

 

[zelezo vlk]

Not sure if posted yet as on phone, but he will NOT participate in combine even if invited...needs to continue rehab

What about the Pro Day?

 

[Sherm Sticky]

And Demar Hamlin was a no take....

 

[TheChosen1]

And Demar Hamlin was a no take....

I don't believe that.

 

[Domina Nostra]

And Demar Hamlin was a no take....

Sounds like Hamlin dropped us once we picked up pride.

 

[CanadalovesND]

The supplemental draft is in the summer, I want to say June. I believe that Kei hadn't even been cleared until August of last year. That timeline doesn't work

Not every NCAA case of player eligibility is resolved close to the beginning of the season. That was last year. If NCAA told Kei in June 2016 that he was 'out of eligibility', he could have easily gone to the supplemental draft, as the last three supplemental drafts have been July 11, July 10 & July 9, respectively.

 

[irishff1014]

Good luck Russell at the next level. Imo he would have been the player that could come back and improve his value more. He had moments of good play and bad play with out going to the combine a 3rd is a stretch for him. If he was out of options I understand but 1 yr left not so sure it was the right move. I know people well say it is selfish thinking but I want the best for him and I believe coming back would have helped him project himself higher.

 

[ab2cmiller]

I think if he was guaranteed to get the NCAA waiver, he would've chose to come back. Given the uncertainty, he only had one real choice and that was to declare for the draft.

 

[Irish#1]

Let me preface this by saying out of the guys with a decision to make, I think KVR's was the toughest in terms of would another year improve your stock. Meaning, I think he probably had the most to gain with the exception of a post-injury Jaylon by coming back.

I also don't think he had a disappointing year. I understand this opinion is in the minority on this board, but he got blamed for a lot of shit that wasn't his fault. Was he the superstar I thought he would be? Nope, but he wasn't bad at all and certainly not as bad as some here made it seem. The injury also isn't that serious. He'll be 100% by Pro Day.

But, I just think it's time for him to go. He earned his degree. Jones and Daly will likely be his only classmates that stick around for a 5Y.

By his own admission on the Showtime series, KVR said he hadn't played anywhere near his potential and was playing like a prima donna or something to that effect.

 

[ResLife Hero]

Watch: KeiVarae Russell continues road to recovery

 

[Big23Head]

Former Mariner High star KeiVarae Russell looking for NFL shot after rocky Notre Dame career

INDIANAPOLIS — The road to the NFL took a few unexpected detours for KeiVarae Russell.

But with the draft now just two months away, the former Mariner High standout feels like the path is again clear.

And, he says, maybe handling the unforseen curves without going totally off the road will better prepare him for what lies ahead.

Regarded as one of the top players in the state of Washington in the fall of 2011, Russell committed with much fanfare to Notre Dame after also seriously weighing Washington, Cal and USC.

Initially considered a running back, the 6-1, 186-pound Russell was almost immediately moved to cornerback.

And he could hardly have asked for a better begging to his college career, finding himself as a starter as a true freshman in 2012 as the Irish advanced to the national title game against Alabama.

After another strong season in 2013, the only question seemed to be how soon the NFL would beckon.

Then, suddenly, it was Russell who was faced with nothing but questions after he was suspended prior to the 2014 along with four other Notre Dame students for alleged academic dishonesty.

While the case was investigated, Russell returned home, attending classes at Everett Community College and working in real estate.

“It was definitely a learning experience, but it was something I really cherished because I took advantage of the time away,’’ Russell said Saturday when he met the media at the NFL combine. “I also was still going to school full time and training six days a week, so for me, I turned it into a positive.’’

He did so with a goal in mind — to return to South Bend and write a happier ending to his Notre Dame story.

“It shows his resilience just as a person, not just a football player because he could have just chose to sit out or go to the NFL or go somewhere else,’’ said Notre Dame teammate and safety Elijah Shumate, also a combine invitee.

“To me it was important to come back to make a statement that I’m someone who holds himself accountable for his actions, whether they’re good or bad, and he’s going to make it right no matter what it is,’’ Russell said.

Russell was reinstated prior to the 2015 season, the only one of a group that came to be known as the “Frozen Five’’ to come back and play at Notre Dame last fall.

Russell quickly resumed his role as a starter before a more common football speed bump reared, a broken right tibia that caused him to miss the final two games of the season.

He’s still not 100 percent and won’t participate fully at the combine, though he hopes to at Notre Dame’s pro day next month.

In fact, Russell says he played with a stress fracture that eventually turned into the broken leg all year long, something he hopes scouts will take into account as they assess his play.

“I played all year long hurt,’’ he said. “I started feeling symptoms during camp and it kept getting worse and worse all season.’’

Russell could potentially have gained an additional year of eligibility but decided shortly after the season to turn pro, instead.

“It was (a) real tough (decision),’’ he said. “I would have go through a lot to get that fifth year, and it just seemed like too much. It was easier for me to just declare for the NFL draft. I would have had to jump through a lot of hoops to get that fifth year. I feel like I’m ready to play in the NFL, but I also didn’t feel like going through all of those hoops.”

That he was eventually cleared to return to Notre Dame (he says he will ultimately earn his degree) will likely make his suspension a relative non-issue in the eyes of the NFL.

More pertinent is his health and his play.

NFL.com quoted an AFC regional scout saying: “He has second day talent (meaning being taken in the second or third rounds) as a cover corner, but he’s not as big as you want and now the broken legs might complicate things.”

Russell says he hopes to show his football acumen at the combine and then prove at his pro day that his leg is fine.

“The biggest thing is to constantly be more consistent, but that comes with getting healthy again,’’ he said. “I played all year with a stress fracture, I just never told anyone, I just kept playing. I was in a walking boot for three to four weeks before I broke it. I’d be in a boot all week, take it off for the game, play, put it back on after the game. No one knew because I don’t make excuses, I just kept playing. I wanted to play for my team. But try playing corner with a stress fracture. It’s kind of tough, man. It hurts. ‘’

 

[GoldenDome]

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:28.125% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BDb2dteKaYo/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Stay Tuned... #SportsScience #ComingSOON 🎬📽📸</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A video posted by KeiVarae Russell (@keivarae1) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-03-26T23:45:50+00:00">Mar 26, 2016 at 4:45pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ESPN Sports Science TOMORROW 4/20/16 8:00pm EST on ESPN2, Check me out!!! Don't miss this episode &#55357;&#56613;&#55357;&#56613;</p>— Keivarae Russell (@Keivarae1) <a href="https://twitter.com/Keivarae1/status/722595668695629826">April 20, 2016</a></blockquote>
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[zelezo vlk]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I put Keivarae in my top 50 players. Think he could even sneak into Late 1 potentially. <a href="https://t.co/1sLIeWn5HJ">https://t.co/1sLIeWn5HJ</a></p>— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) <a href="https://twitter.com/nfldraftscout/status/724598889601335298">April 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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