ESPN College Football

ESPN's "College Football Live" began breaking down its preseason top 20 teams Monday, with Kirk Herbstreit and other analysts examining a new team each day at 3:30 p.m. ET.

The gang won't be breaking down Notre Dame.

The Irish checked in at No. 24 in the preseason poll, one spot ahead of Florida. Rival USC leads the poll, with other 2012 opponents Oklahoma (No. 5), Michigan (No. 10), Michigan State (No. 12) and Stanford (No. 15) also cracking the list.

Notre Dame's place shouldn't be too surprising, as the question marks at quarterback and tough schedule have many doubting what kind of year this could be. The Irish have fared in a similar spot (20-25 range) in most other early preseason polls.

In the spirit of transparency, here's how your friendly blogger voted in the poll, which was submitted before the Bobby Petrino mess unfolded in Fayetteville, Ark.

1) LSU
2) USC
3) Alabama
4) Oklahoma
5) Oregon
6) Arkansas
7) Georgia
8) South Carolina
9) West Virginia
10) Michigan State
11) Clemson
12) Florida State
13) Michigan
14) Stanford
15) Kansas State
16) Virginia Tech
17) TCU
18) Texas
19) Nebraska
20) Oklahoma State
21) Ohio State
22) Boise State
23) Notre Dame
24) Rutgers
25) Wisconsin

Ryan Braun. Yikes.

• Colleague David Ubben is looking forward to the Irish's clash with Oklahoma.
• RecruitingNation looks at the top uncommitted DBs, many of whom are high on Notre Dame. In a video, Craig Haubert examines the top safeties from the class of 2013.
• BlueandGold.com's Dan Murphy examines Notre Dame's first opponent, Navy, coming out of the spring.
• The South Bend Tribune's Eric Hansen looks at five players who could alter the Irish's fortunes coming out of spring.
• Harrison Smith is ready to handle some of the NFL's top tight ends, Dan Wiederer writes in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Notre Dame's four quarterbacks split reps over the course of 15 practices this spring, learning -- and, in some cases, re-learning -- the playbook from Page 1 as they battled for the chance to take the first snap Sept. 1.

Now comes the hard part.

No contact and no coaches will be present for the offseason workouts and drills each signal-caller will take part in. But it is during the three months between now and the start of preseason practices that the seeds will likely be planted for a starter to emerge come fall.

"A lot of it falls on your shoulders because the coaches aren't with you," Tommy Rees said. "We do a lot of stuff all week, and I think you have opportunities to grow and become a leader on the team. It's a lot of weight training and a lot of time to get better and physically get better. I think that's something that everyone's got to focus on."

Rees has been down this road before, and, given the 16 career starts under his belt, will approach the offseason competition as the guy to beat, regardless of the reps he shared with the other three this spring. But the staff wants each of the candidates to view himself as a front-runner in this wide-open competition.

"Absolutely, that's what [offensive coordinator Chuck] Martin said: 'If you don't go into it thinking you're the starter, you really have no shot,'" Andrew Hendrix said. "'Every single rep you take, every single piece of film you watch, you have to prepare to be the starter in the fall or else you really have no shot.' So it's really for all four of us just preparing this summer to be the starter, and at the end of the day it will make the final starter the best it can possibly be."

Hendrix said he has come a long way throwing the ball and has done a better job of understanding why he makes certain mistakes, whereas in the past many were the result of confusion. Still, improving discipline and decision making becomes all the more difficult in the summer without the threat of defenders.

Head coach Brian Kelly said throughout the spring that the quarterback position is an art and a science. Everett Golson, the only of the four without a turnover in the spring game, has the art part down with his playmaking ability. But like every other candidate hoping to direct an offense that was turnover prone a year ago, he knows eliminating bad plays is every bit as important.

"Just focus on the science," Golson said of his summer plan. "I feel as if I work on that and develop that as I should, I think [Kelly will] gain more trust in me and I think that's everything when I'm on the field."

Colleague Travis Haney sorts through five post-spring quarterback battles , and it just wouldn't be an offseason (or a quarterback-battle piece) if Notre Dame didn't make the list.

Oklahoma State headlines the pack, as Mike Gundy named true freshman Wes Lunt his starting signal caller. Lunt, of course, is 10 years younger than predecessor Brandon Weeden.

Despite the many good and bad traits each of the Irish's quarterbacks possess, they are relatively young. So this decision could have implications down the road for the four signal callers.

Tommy Rees threw 575 passes in the first two seasons of his career with the Irish, but that's no guarantee of him continuing that rate as a junior. Coach Brian Kelly pushed open the door for competition for others such as Andrew Hendrix, Everett Golson and January enrollee Gunner Kiel.

Golson's pair of touchdowns and no turnovers in the spring game seemed to indicate he was ready for a step forward, to challenge Rees. But Kelly downplayed Golson's performance to reporters, instead focusing on the need for the South Carolinian to make better decisions and make them quicker. Kiel has the big prep reputation and cool name, but it was evident this spring that he simply isn't ready. Maybe by 2013?

Florida, Stanford and Texas are the other three schools that Haney takes a look at.

Happy Birthday to one of the biggest Irish fans I know, my grandma. (Who doesn't own a computer and therefore will never see this message.)

• Our NFC West blogger Mike Sando says Arizona taking Michael Floyd shakes up the division. Sando also details the rude welcome to the division that Floyd has gotten from Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman.
• Harrison Smith and Robert Blanton weren't the only set of college teammates the Vikings drafted, Kevin Seifert writes in the NFC North blog.
• RecruitingNation looks at some of the top uncommitted linebackers, including Jaylon Smith.
• The Saturday stress was worth it for Darius Fleming when he was drafted, Brian Hamilton writes in the Chicago Tribune.
• Blanton returned to some unfinished business upon being drafted, Wes Morgan writes on BlueandGold.com.

Expect a little more purple and gold than usual on the Notre Dame campus this fall.

Robert Blanton became the latest in the Irish-to-Vikings pipeline Saturday, going to Minnesota in the fifth round (139th overall) one day after the franchise drafted the cornerback's teammate from Notre Dame's defensive backfield, Harrison Smith.

Minnesota now has five former Irish players on its roster: Blanton, Smith, Kyle Rudolph, John Carlson and John Sullivan.

Darius Fleming was drafted a round later (165th overall) by the 49ers, who made Fleming the first Notre Dame linebacker drafted since 2004, when the Saints took Courtney Watson. San Francisco had not drafted a Notre Dame player since taking Arnaz Battle in the sixth round in 2003.

Several former Irish players signed free-agent deals with NFL teams -- defensive end Ethan Johnson with the Chiefs, running back Jonas Gray with the Dolphins and offensive tackle Taylor Dever with the Cowboys. Guard Trevor Robinson posted on Twitter on Sunday that he signed with the Bengals.

There were no big pre-draft parties, no three-piece suits for Harrison Smith to celebrate making it to the next level.

The former Notre Dame safety and captain watched the NFL draft unfold Thursday night from his Knoxville, Tenn., home with family and friends, a fringe first-round prospect who knew better than to put all his eggs in one basket in case he had to wait another 24 hours to hear his name called.

"I knew it was possible," Smith said of going in the first round. "I really didn't want to put too much pressure on myself thinking I have to go as high as I can go. I just watched with friends and family and just waited and see what happens. If I didn't go, no big deal, just come back the next day and watch again. I was watching and kind of just waiting."

The Vikings took Smith with the 29th pick, less than 90 minutes after his former Irish teammate, Michael Floyd, was taken 13th by the Cardinals, giving Notre Dame multiple first-round draft picks for the first time in 18 years.

Smith had not had much contact with Minnesota -- at least not in the last three months.

Smith played in the 63rd Senior Bowl in late January. His team, the North, was coached by Leslie Frazier and the Vikings' staff, and they came away impressed with what they saw in Mobile, Ala. But they never talked to him afterward.

"I thought I played well and did a good job and tried to do what they wanted me to do, but they never said anything about that they were going to draft me," Smith said. "There were a lot of good players down there. I think it was just trying to get to know each other well and at the end of the day, I think they think I'm a good fit for them and I 100-percent agree"

Smith is hoping his versatility pays off in the pros, as he can play either safety spot and cover the ever-growing tight end position. Notre Dame's ninth all-time tackler said that he and the Vikings' staff got a good feel for each other at the Senior Bowl, and he is happy to have landed with a franchise he was already familiar with.

"Just taking in their coaching," Smith said when asked what stood out about them three months ago. "There are a few different coaching points from here and there that are different from college and the pros. I tried to do it the way they wanted me to do it and sticking to the scheme."

As always, appreciate all of the questions and comments in this week's chat. The transcript is here.

For those who want the CliffsNotes version ...

• Aaron (Chicago): Hey Matt, Something looked familiar on offense with the Spring Game last weekend...but I just can't put my finger on it...Hmm often my thoughts get intercepted or tend to fumble away...Oh well, anyway, do you notice a sense of motivation in Kapron Lewis Moore to make people forget about Aaron Lynch's departure with a high level of play this year?
• Matt Fortuna (2:06 PM): Funny. As for your thoughts that made it to the chatroom, KLM hasn't said anything, but I'm sure that's something that has to itch at any player. You go down as a senior, a freshman steps up and gets all the attention. He's not as explosive a player as Lynch, no, but he has plenty of experience and is much more disciplined.

• Kev (Carolina): How will the Irish use Eifert in a way that will best benefit the team? How are the other TE's shaping up?
• Matt Fortuna (2:19 PM): Kev, Eifert will be everywhere, kind of like Michael Floyd was last year. He is ND's go-to guy on offense and will probably look like more of a receiver this year. The other TEs have come along well, with Alex Welch likely leading the group out of spring. Niklas' upside is tremendous though, so with time I would expect him to make some strides.

• Kevin (Stuffy Office Meeting): Will both Eifert and Te'o go in the first round next year? When was the last time 2 Notre Dame players went in the first round in back-to-back years?
• Matt Fortuna (2:51 PM): Kevin, both have great chances to be taken that early. And Rick Mirer, Jerome Bettis, Tom Carter and Irv Smith were all first-round choices in 1993, a year before Bryant Young, Aaron Taylor and Jeff Burris went in the first round in 1994.

• Marc (Baton Rouge): When people talk about recruiting and ND, we always hear that we will never get the speed we need to compete at the highest level due to weather, social life and academic standards. I understand the academic side, although it is not a strong argument or as strong anymore, but I never understand why no one brings up weather or social life when it comes to Michigan, Wisconsin or Ohio State? I am a domer homer, but really believe that IF ND wins big, recruits will come. I mean, look how much attention our mediocre Irish get now... thoughts?
• Matt Fortuna (2:55 PM): Marc, Ann Arbor, Madison and Columbus all offer a lot more for college kids to do socially than South Bend. Obviously, ND can't change that. But I agree, win and they will come. If they don't blow those first two games last year and go 11-1 or 10-2, they make a BCS bowl. If they make a BCS bowl in BK's second year, they likely have better recruiting luck for the 2012 class.

Just a friendly reminder that we'll be chatting all things Notre Dame at 2 p.m.

You can join the fun here.

Spring season is in the books. Plus, the Irish made some history Thursday night. We'll talk about that and much more.

See you there.

Michael Floyd looked up to Larry Fitzgerald as far back as high school. The two shared a trainer and would often text each other, as the former Notre Dame standout sought advice from the all-pro receiver who happened to hail from his home state of Minnesota.

So when the 602 area code popped up on Floyd's cellphone shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday, the Irish's all-time leading receiver had to resist jumping for joy at the thought of playing in Arizona alongside one of his mentors.

Floyd and Fitzgerald will look to form one of the NFL's top pass-catching tandems in Arizona, which drafted Floyd 13th overall and made him the highest Notre Dame selection in 18 years.

"It's exciting just knowing that he's on the opposite side of me, one of the best receivers in the game," Floyd said. "It's a good learning experience for me to know that when I get down there I'll be able to learn from one of the best."

The Cardinals liked Floyd's 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame, as he figures to give the team the true No. 2 option it has lacked since Anquan Boldin, who in 2008 helped the franchise reach its first Super Bowl. Having Fitzgerald in touch with a fellow receiver in the leadup to this year's draft only made things easier for coach Ken Whisenhunt.

"I think it says a lot about Larry, that one of your best players is engaged, that he cares about what the team is doing, and that a receiver who wants the ball thrown to him every down is willing to bring in another guy that is obviously going to spread the receptions out," Whisenhunt said. "That says a lot. Larry is not as involved in the process as a lot of people like to think that he is, but certainly I think that Larry likes him, that Larry is going to take him under his wing, that is going to be important to Larry that this young man does well. I think that says a lot."

General manager Rod Graves said Floyd was simply too good to pass up at the No. 13 spot, and Whisenhunt was pleased with the way the record-breaking wideout handled the often-intense pre-draft vetting process about his string of alcohol-related run-ins with the law.

Pointing to Floyd's maturation, Irish coach Brian Kelly cited Floyd rallying the team in the wake of its midseason loss to USC, as the once-beleaguered star didn't let personal gains trump team ones despite BCS-bowl dreams all but gone.

"The things that Larry Fitzgerald already has, those are the things that Mike is going to aspire (to) and that is the technical aspect of the game," Kelly said. "I think you could consider Mike still a raw receiver in a sense that he can get better in the technical elements of route running and things of that nature. But he is certainly a guy that attacks the football and attacks defenders. And blocking, he is an outstanding blocker."

Is it too early to call Notre Dame the minor league affiliate of the Vikings?

Minnesota added its fourth Irish player, trading up to take safety Harrison Smith with the 29th pick of the NFL draft.

Smith now joins former Notre Dame teammates Kyle Rudolph, John Carlson and John Sullivan in Minnesota. The former captain becomes the Irish's highest defensive player drafted since 1997, when the Jaguars took Renaldo Wynn 21st overall. He is also Notre Dame's highest defensive back selection since 1994, when the Bills took Jeff Burris 27th.

"Harrison Smith is one of the best leaders I've ever had on any of my teams," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said in a statement. "He is an intelligent and instinctual player on the field and a true student of the game off the field. He'll be a great fit for Minnesota's defense and I can't wait to watch his long and successful pro career."

That 1994 draft was the last time Notre Dame had multiple first-round picks, as Burris followed Bryant Young (No. 7, 49ers) and Aaron Taylor (No. 16, Packers). The 18-year stretch came to an end Thursday, as Smith was taken 16 spots after Michael Floyd was drafted by the Cardinals.

Smith finished his career second in Notre Dame history with 28 career pass breakups, and he is ninth on the school's tackles list, with 309 for his career.

Michael Floyd's place in Notre Dame history grew even bigger Thursday night when he was taken by the Cardinals with the 13th overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Floyd became the highest former Irish player taken since 1994, when defensive tackle Bryant Young was selected seventh by the 49ers. He became the first Notre Dame receiver taken in the first round since 1988, when the Raiders took Tim Brown sixth. And he became the school's highest offensive pick since 1993, when Rick Mirer and Jerome Bettis were selected second and 10th by the Seahawks and Rams, respectively.

"I could not be happier for Michael and his family," coach Brian Kelly said in a statement. "I've said many times I have never coached a person as talented as Michael, and his selection tonight shows that. Michael's work ethic and passion for football are unparalleled and fans of the Cardinals will love the productivity he'll bring to Arizona’s offense."

Overcoming three alcohol-related brushes with the law, Floyd returned to school for his senior year this past fall and set a single-season school record with 100 receptions. He blitzed through pre-draft evaluations with strong combine and pro day showings, watching his stock soar from a fringe first-rounder to being invited to Radio City, where commissioner Roger Goodell called his name and later embraced him. Now he will team with fellow Minnesota native Larry Fitzgerald, becoming one-half of what has the makings to be one of the NFL's top 1-2 receiving punches.

Floyd leaves Notre Dame as its career leader in receptions (271), receiving yards (3,686), touchdown receptions (37), receiving yards per game (85.7) and 100-yard receiving games (17).

Notre Dame added verbal commitment No. 12 on Thursday, as Barron Collier (Naples, Fla.) four-star tight end Mike Heuerman pledged to the Irish. Heuerman is the school's 10th four-star commit, and he is ranked as the nation's No. 5 "Y" tight end for the 2013 recruiting class.

Heuerman's brother, Jeff, is a member of Ohio State's 2012 recruiting class.

"I wanted to get back there and spend more time with the players in the program," Heuerman told our Corey Long. "When I took my first visit in March I mostly hung out with Aaron Lynch, who is a close friend of mine.

"However when he said he was going to transfer I wanted to meet more players, and I developed a good bond with Tyler Eifert and Troy Niklas. They were very cool, answered all my questions but they never pressured me or pushed me to make a decision. I really appreciated that."

Notre Dame's 2013 class now consists of tight end Jacob Matuska (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Hartley,) athlete James Onwualu (Saint Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham), quarterback Malik Zaire (Kettering, Ohio/Archbishop Alter), athlete Rashad Kinlaw (Galloway, N.J./Absegami), receiver Corey Robinson (San Antonio/San Antonio Christian) and cornerback Devin Butler (Washington D.C./Gonzaga), along with offensive line commitments John Montelus (Everett, Mass./Everett), Steve Elmer (Midland, Mich./Midland), Colin McGovern (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West), Hunter Bivin (Owensboro, Ky./Apollo) and Mike McGlinchey (Philadelphia/William Penn)

As for the rest of the weekly Irish recruiting roundup ...

• Montelus (Everett, Mass./Everett) committed to the Irish following their spring game.
• Athlete Marcus Ball (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville South) was offered by Notre Dame on Wednesday, our Jared Shanker writes.
• Piscataway (N.J.) cornerback Nadir Barnwell has been offered by West Virginia, though he still thinks highest of Notre Dame, Rutgers and Penn State, our Dave Hooker writes.
• The Mountaineers also offered ESPN 150 running back Ryan Green (St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Pete Catholic), and he also has the Irish in his current top three, along with Florida and FSU, Long writes.
• Notre Dame is one of six schools to recently offer Washington Friendship 2014 cornerback Jalen Tabor, Hooker writes.

Scouts Inc.'s Todd McShay chips in with one last first-round mock before the NFL Draft gets underway later Thursday night. If he's right, Michael Floyd may not be making a return trip home anytime soon.

A day after pegging the former Notre Dame wideout for Buffalo at No. 10, McShay has Floyd Jersey-bound at No. 16, to the Jets .

Harrison Smith stayed at No. 31 with the Patriots.

Our Dave Hooker, meanwhile, re-visited some of the top draft prospects' high school story lines, and look back, it's no wonder why Floyd ended up in South Bend.

Class of 2008
Kiper rank: 13 | McShay rank: 17
ESPN 150: 29 | Position rank: 9 | Grade: 83 | High school eval
The receiver out of St. Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham fielded offers from several big-time schools but was always infatuated with the Fighting Irish. He only took one official visit, to Notre Dame, before committing to the school in October during his senior season.

One step closer to a win for all.

• BlueandGold.com's Dan Murphy has an insightful Q&A with agent Eugene Lee.
• Another insightful piece, this one from NBCSports.com's Keith Arnold on Ethan Johnson.
• Harrison Smith is coveted supply, Brian Hamilton writes in the Chicago Tribune.
• Manti Te'o cracks Matt Hayes' list of college football's top 25 players on SportingNews.com.
• Charlie Weis is starting from scratch with Kansas, colleague David Ubben writes in the Big 12 blog.