Detroit Jock City
Fansided

Detroit Lions 2017 NFL Draft Watchlist: Stanford at Notre Dame

By Erik Schlitt

November 28, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) runs the ball against Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Joe Schmidt (38) during the second half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
November 28, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) runs the ball against Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Joe Schmidt (38) during the second half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 8
Next
Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Isaac Rochell (90). Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Isaac Rochell (90). Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

Three year starters

Isaac Rochell (#90, 6’3″, 290) is a veteran presence (team captain) on the Irish defense. A defensive end who can push inside on passing downs, Rochell’s versatility is his best asset. With length and strength, he can set the edge, while also working through traffic. But, his limited range will likely keep him on day three on most draft boards.

After stepping up as a sophomore, Cole Luke (#36, 6’0″, 193) took a step back as a junior. A player who many considered to have day two potential, he hasn’t improved enough during his senior season to justify a pick that early. Experience and intelligence will help Luke’s game, but he needs to turn things around quickly. A cornerback who has a “grabby” label, and gives up too many big plays isn’t going to have a lot of NFL suitors.

Return to School

Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr. (16). Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr. (16). Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr (#16, 6’0″, 195) will be an interesting story to follow. A two sport player (no surprise, the other sport is baseball), Hunter is the Irish’s most versatile offensive skill player. He was recently drafted and signed by the Los Angeles Angles, but they have allowed him to still play football. Still a redshirt junior, Hunter may elect to return for his senior year, test the NFL market, or leave to play baseball. Lots of options.

Running back Tarean Folston (#25, 5’9″, 215) has seen his draft stock take a massive hit over the last month of the season. Coming off a 2015 ending ACL, Folston was being touted as a potential Top 50 player. Instead, as Tony Pauline notes, “His return has been a struggle and Folston has been relegated to rotational duty rather than being the feature ball handler at Notre Dame.” A return to South Bend for his redshirt senior season seems likely in his future.

Dismissed

The only thing worse that watching a player’s draft stock plummet is watching it disappear completely. This is what we may be witnessing with Former-Notre Dame strong safety Max Redfield, who was dismissed after multiple off the field incidents. A player with day two potential, he now looks entirely undraftable because of his character.

Next: Top 2017 NFL Draft Prospects from Michigan

Bob Quinn has proved that when it comes to the draft process, he is extremely thorough. He spent last offseason installing his approach to the draft and has set his expectations high. Because this is such a high-profile game, you can bet he will be assigning scouts to watch these players closely.

Previous Watchlists:

Alabama vs USC
Tennessee vs Virginia Tech
Ohio State vs Oklahoma
Georgia vs Ole Miss
Western Michigan vs Central Michigan
Washington vs Oregon

Home/Detroit Lions