A pre-NFL draft interview with Notre Dame’s head football coach broadcasted on NFL Network Thursday night inevitably included discussion about a tight end.
Ben Koyack could be the sixth consecutive starting tight end at Notre Dame to be selected in the NFL draft.
The last five Irish starting tight ends were selected in the first or second round of the NFL draft. It’s highly unlikely Ben Koyack’s name is called until the third round, but Irish coach Brian Kelly highlighted what the 6-foot-5, 257-pounder will bring to an NFL roster in his mid-round projection.
“One of the better in-line blocking tight ends that I’ve had,” Kelly told NFL Network. “Durability. Had over 1,000 snaps for us last year. Played in all of our running teams and special teams. A valuable player for any NFL team. He’s got very good ball skills.
“He’s not a guy that’s going to scare you down the middle of the field, but he’s going to be very efficient with his hands and catching the football. I think he’s a middle-round draft pick, and somebody is going to be very happy to have him on their roster.”
One former Irish player who will learn his future during or soon after next week’s draft is wide receiver DaVaris Daniels. The Vernon Hills (Ill.) native was suspended for the spring semester and then for the 2014-15 school year as well after two standout seasons as an underclassman.
Kelly said any problems with Daniels were strictly classroom-based in his time at Notre Dame, and predicted one NFL team could be in for a pleasant surprise.
“Daniels has immense physical talent,” Kelly said. “It’s a shame that obviously he couldn’t get things right academically. But he’s a good kid. We hadn’t had any problems with him other than obviously the academics were difficult for him here at Notre Dame.
“But a supreme talent athletically. He’s going to get a chance, whether he gets drafted or is a free agent, he’s got the talent level to play in the NFL. And I think he’s going to be a surprise for somebody, one of those sleeper picks that makes good in the NFL.”
The Irish coach also believes former kicker and punter Kyle Brindza has the mental makeup an NFL kicker needs.
“Kyle Brindza, one of the pressure players for our team in 2012,” Kelly said. “With kicks that he made in overtime, late in the game to help us go undefeated, I just think he’s got all the intangibles for a kicker. We asked him to punt as well. If he focuses on one of them I think his kicking is really the strength.”
Kelly also discussed how he recruited potential first-round draft pick Ronnie Stanley back to Notre Dame and first-round prospects who lined up against the Irish last fall.
Kelly on Ronnie Stanley returning…
“That was huge, and if you would watch our spring game, I took a lot of grief about this, but one of the things to get him back is that we put in a tight end screen to the tackle in the spring game. One of those things that you got to promise to get a kid to come back. No, I mean, Ronnie was really close to getting his degree and so that was important to him and his family, to get his degree.
“And he had not been involved in one of our offseason conditioning programs because he had elbow surgery one year and then he had an ankle that didn’t allow him to go through all of our offseason training, so this was an opportunity for him to get bigger and stronger. And then Zack Martin spent a lot of time with him about what it takes to be a pro.
“What you have to do and he’s using this year to really think about making that transition to being a pro. So I think he comes out next year. He can be one of the best, if not the best offensive tackle in the draft.”
Kelly on Jameis Winston compared to other QB prospects…
“I think he’s most ready for the NFL. If that’s your No.1 criteria for selecting a quarterback, he’s clearly the most ready. He’s the most polished relative to the passing game that he’s going to have to employ. He’s had to have all of the traditional reads relative to understanding the offenses and the defensive structures that he’s going to see, so he’s the most ready. There are other criteria obviously.
“Many people have talked about character and off the field. I think you can work though those things. I think some of my concerns are he’s a bit of a pocket passer. And he doesn’t have some of the escapability, the ability to move out of the pocket that Mariota has. He’s going to get hit a little bit. Can he hold up to that wear and tear over the long haul? That probably is the only question I have. But he’s definitely ready for the NFL.”
Kelly on what concerns him about Winston…
“I think escapability is what I’m looking for. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a quarterback that can run around. We’re not talking about a guy that needs to run read-option. But I think his escapability is questionable. I think he’s going to work within the limits of his protection and as we all know, they pay a lot of money for those guys that come off the edge. They’re going to get to the quarterback because they want to get paid.
“So that’s my only concern I think he has to work on his escapability and keeping some plays alive, and again, he took some big hits last year. We got to him a number of times and got some big hits on him. So I think that’s my only concern moving forward.”
Kelly on Winston versus Andrew Luck…
“There’s no question that Luck had that escapability to move, evade, tuck it and run, can be a double-threat at times. Probably underrated as a runner as well but I don’t think there’s really a comparison between the two relative to escapability and the ability to move. I think Luck would be a, probably a tick higher too in terms of just overall. The complete package. But escapability, the ability to move, keep plays alive, Andrew Luck obviously had all those things when we went against him for two years.”
Kelly on Southern Cal DT Leonard Williams…
“Usually big defensive linemen, we can get them out of the game on third down. This is a guy that doesn’t come out of the game. He’s going to play all three downs. Extremely athletic football player. So when you’re talking about these big guys inside, you’re generally hoping that you can get them off the field on third down pass rush situations.
“He’s a guy that deflects passes, a guy that can push the pocket, put pressure on the quarterback in passing situations, and he’s obviously extremely athletic. Tackles for a loss, quick first step. Has a very good motor. And is a very smart football player. Like his football IQ and we always felt like he was a guy that we had to game plan for probably one of the only defensive linemen that we played against that we felt like we had to have a game plan for.”
Kelly on WRs DeVante Parker, Jaelen Strong and Nelson Agholor…
“Parker and Strong are similar players. Big body, physical guys can really position you out for the football. More of a perimeter player. Agholor can work inside-out. I think he’s got a little bit more versatility. Certainly can be a productive player in special teams as well, so if you’re looking at some value relative to the overall roster, Agholor gives you a little bit more there. Certainly top-end speed too as well.
“If I’m looking at all three of those, I like Agholor because of his versatility at the position. But both strong and parker, if the ball goes outside and they get one-on-one coverage, they are going to be a physical mismatch for anybody in the NFL on the perimeter.”
