ESPN College Football

As part of "College Football Live's" 100 Days Till Kickoff countdown, here's a look at Notre Dame's top 10 players.

1) Manti Te'o: The senior passed up NFL millions and returns as perhaps the top inside linebacker in the nation. He will look to build off consecutive 120-plus tackle campaigns and anchor a front-seven primed to take the next step under third-year coordinator Bob Diaco.

2) Tyler Eifert: Like Te'o, Eifert also passed up NFL dollars and dreams to return for one more year. And, like Te'o, Eifert may just be the nation's best player at his position as well. But the tight end will resemble more of a receiver this season, moving all over the field and serving as the No. 1 target for whoever ends up throwing the ball for Notre Dame.

3) Cierre Wood: Coming off a 1,000-yard season in which he lost snaps to Jonas Gray late in the campaign, Wood returns as the Irish's No. 1 running back. Depth in the backfield may keep carries down again, but Wood figures to have another strong season with a proven line blocking for him.

4) Jamoris Slaughter: He probably won't be a first-round draft pick the way Harrison Smith was, but the fifth-year senior is a versatile playmaker who can move up and play linebacker while serving as the voice for a young secondary.

5) Stephon Tuitt: He didn't put up the big numbers like fellow class member Aaron Lynch, but he may be even better. Tuitt has shown the versatility to play end and nose guard, and he will only get better after bursting onto the scene as a freshman.

6) Zack Martin: Want to know what helps with the quarterback transition the most? A proven offensive line. At left tackle, Martin keys that group, as he enters his senior year with 26 straight starts under his belt (two at right tackle).

7) Theo Riddick: You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who stood out more this spring. The running back/slot receiver is a playmaker when he gets the ball in his hands. If he can stay healthy and succeed as a punt returner, he will find his name much higher on this list a few months from now.

8) Braxston Cave: Another veteran piece on this line, Cave stars in the middle and is an important locker room voice. Limited this spring after a foot injury sidelined him late last season, Cave is back for a fifth year, his third in a row as the starting center.

9) Louis Nix: A sub-par spring forced Nix behind Kona Schwenke on the depth chart, but the nose guard is an invaluable cog in the middle for the Irish's young line. A strong preseason camp -- and a capable replacement in Schwenke -- should only make Nix better in his second year of game action. (He redshirted his freshman year.)

10) George Atkinson III: Atkinson returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns as a freshman. Now, he's hoping that play-making ability translates on the offensive side of the ball. He netted 178 yards of offense in the spring game but coughed it up twice, and he'll have to ease the staff's concerns since Wood and Riddick are ahead of him.

Notre Dame had four players selected in this year's NFL draft. The Irish had four more sign free-agent deals with NFL teams in the draft's aftermath. Not among those, surprisingly, was Gary Gray, but it looks like the cornerback may finally be getting his shot.

Gray received a tryout this weekend with the Detroit Lions, according to the Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett:

Notre Dame CB Gary Gray is among the tryout players who'll be in rookie camp this weekend with the Lions

We know Gray's fifth year with the Irish didn't exactly go according to plan. (And we know how most of you feel about him.) But he entered college as one of the top cornerback recruits in the country, and he seemed to perform well enough during the pre-draft process to warrant surprise that he wasn't immediately picked up by an NFL franchise after not getting drafted. It looks like he's receiving the chance now after a long wait.

Here are the rest of the Notre Dame players who were picked up by NFL teams after the draft (Note: Gary Gray's is just a tryout.):

Taylor Dever, Cowboys
Jonas Gray, Dolphins
Ethan Johnson, Chiefs
Trevor Robinson, Bengals

Best spring game performance: Everett Golson, considered the biggest mystery in the four-man quarterback battle entering the spring, was 11 of 15 for 120 yards and two scores. He carried it six times for 25 yards. Most importantly, he was the only quarterback to not turn the ball over.

Best overall unit: The running back/slot receiver group coached by Tony Alford is loaded with talent. Theo Riddick and George Atkinson III made big play after big play in the spring game (though Atkinson will have to protect the ball better after fumbling twice). We all know what Cierre Wood is capable of after a 1,000-yard season while splitting carries with Jonas Gray in 2011. And we might even see a bit of Robby Toma in the backfield, though the senior remains an invaluable pass-catcher for the Irish.

Best position battle: Other than under center? Let's go with the right side of the offensive line, where Mike Golic Jr., Nick Martin and Christian Lombard look to have the inside track for the two open spots.

Biggest surprise (good): John Goodman raised some eyebrows with his play this spring, earning most improved player on the offensive side of the ball and getting to be a captain for the spring game. Coach Brian Kelly said he's been the go-to receiver this spring, and Goodman wants to reward the staff's faith in him after he was invited back for a fifth year.

Biggest surprise (bad): Aaron Lynch has transferred to South Florida, leaving the Irish down a man on the defensive line. Kapron Lewis-Moore, a previous starter, will slide back into Lynch's role, but the loss of an elite pass-rusher who had no trouble bursting onto the scene as a freshman is a blow to the team.

2011 overall record: 8-5

Returning starters: Offense: 7; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners
QB Tommy Rees, QB Andrew Hendrix, RB Cierre Wood, RB/WR Theo Riddick, RB/WR George Atkinson III, TE Tyler Eifert, LT Zack Martin, LG Chris Watt, C Braxston Cave, C/G Mike Golic Jr., WR Robby Toma, WR John Goodman, WR T.J. Jones, DE Stephon Tuitt, NG Louis Nix, DE Kapron Lewis-Moore, ILB Manti Te'o, ILB Dan Fox, OLB Prince Shembo, S Jamoris Slaughter, S Zeke Motta

Key losses
WR Michael Floyd, RB Jonas Gray, RG Trevor Robinson, RT Taylor Dever, DE Aaron Lynch, NG Sean Cwynar, DE Ethan Johnson, OLB Darius Fleming, S Harrison Smith, CB Gary Gray, CB Robert Blanton

2011 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Cierre Wood* (1,102 yards)
Passing: Tommy Rees* (2,871 yards)
Receiving: Michael Floyd (1,147 yards)
Tackles: Manti Te'o* (128)
Sacks: Aaron Lynch (5.5)
Interceptions: Robert Blanton/Gary Gray (2)

Spring answers

1. Tyler Eifert: His offensive teammates -- and the next starting quarterback, in particular -- owe Eifert the world for returning. New offensive coordinator Chuck Martin will use Eifert in a variety of different ways this season, and his position will resemble that of Michael Floyd's more than it will a traditional tight end's. A strong season will likely propel Eifert into the first round of next year's NFL draft.

2. No shortage of skill players: Yes, the all-time leading receiver is gone. But the Irish still boast a plethora of skilled, versatile assets who can make big plays with their speed. Tony Alford is in charge of the running backs and slot receivers this season, and Cierre Wood, Theo Riddick, Robby Toma and George Atkinson III all have the ability to make things happen out of the backfield. Look for a big year from DaVaris Daniels on the outside as well.

3. Defensive leaders: Manti Te'o would appear to be a shoe-in for a captain role this season, and he'll have plenty of help bringing along some of the unit's young talent. Jamoris Slaughter is back for a fifth year, and becoming a father this spring has forced him to grow up fast. Kapron Lewis-Moore is back for a fifth year as well, and the defensive end is one of the more respected voices on the team.

Fall questions

1. What will happen to Tommy Rees and, by extension, the QB race? Rees' immediate future is up in the air following his May 3 arrest, though his chances of starting this season figure to have greatly diminished in light of being charged with four misdemeanors. Andrew Hendrix and Everett Golson will likely benefit the most and should enter camp as the favorites, while prep phenom Gunner Kiel continues to adjust after enrolling in January.

2. What about those corners? Bennett Jackson has the talent to play well at the boundary in his first year starting but will likely have to endure some growing pains, especially against some of the elite passing offenses the Irish will face in 2012. At the field, Josh Atkinson has pushed Lo Wood for the No. 1 spot, and that will be one of the more intriguing position battles once preseason camp opens.

3. Can anyone handle this schedule? The two Big Ten favorites, the Big 12 favorite, the Pac-12 favorite. A trip to Dublin. The 2012 schedule is absolutely loaded, and the Irish will have several new pieces in key places entering the season. How quickly everybody can adjust to their roles will go a long way in determining whether Brian Kelly's third season at Notre Dame is a success.

We expressed our surprise in this space a month ago when Cierre Wood was pegged a Heisman darkhorse by the Heisman Pundit. But it appears Wood may be a little more than a darkhorse with the spring season wrapped up.

The Heisman Pundit released its first 18-man watch list for the award Wednesday, and Wood makes the cut. He will face three others from the watch list this coming season, as USC's Matt Barkley, Oklahoma's Landry Jones and Michigan's Denard Robinson all appear on the list, too.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Wood was largely overshadowed last year because of senior Jonas Gray's feel-good breakout campaign. The fact Notre Dame returns a running back who notched 1,102 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior cannot be overlooked, especially with most of the offensive line returning.

But strong springs from Theo Riddick and George Atkinson III have left me more convinced than I was a month ago that Wood simply won't get the touches needed to be in the conversation throughout the season. Nonetheless, the expectations are high for the senior entering 2012, and the backfield depth should only help his play, regardless of whether or not he gets any hardware for it.

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.

One last Wednesday, one last roundup of our experts' forecasts for this weekend's NFL draft.

One thing I think we can all agree on after some earlier offseason debate: Michael Floyd will be chosen Thursday.

Floyd, who will be in New York for the draft, is ranked as the No. 15 prospect on Todd McShay's 32-man draft board , 14 spots ahead of safety Harrison Smith, who's at No. 29. Mel Kiper has Floyd 12th on his 25-man Big Board .

Kiper has both players going in the first round in his latest mock , with Floyd Buffalo-bound at No. 10 and Smith headed to New England at No. 31.

There are plenty of draft boards that will have Floyd as the best overall WR in this class. The Bills could go a few different ways here, but they really need another threat in the passing game, and Floyd gives them size and smarts. He'll grasp the route tree early, and can both stretch the field and work underneath.

The Patriots will address the pass rush with one of the first two picks, but I think they'll also look for help in the secondary if they like the value. Smith is a very good player. He takes great routes to the ball, and he doesn't shy away when he's closer to the line and has to take on runners. Corner could be a target here, but Smith also makes your coverage better.

McShay, meanwhile, teams up with Scouts Inc. partners Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl to mock the entire seven-round draft . In addition to Floyd and Smith, the group has Darius Fleming going in the fifth round (No. 143, Panthers), Robert Blanton going in the sixth round (No. 185, Cardinals) and Jonas Gray going in the seventh round (No. 249, Falcons).

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- John Goodman was unsure five months ago if he would even be welcomed back to Notre Dame for a fifth season. And yet halfway through spring practice, with the Irish's 2012 season five months away, he has been walking and talking like the leader of a unit looking to fill the void left behind by the program's all-time leading receiver.

"That's the kind of guy I want to be, and I really think I can be that," Goodman said of Michael Floyd, a likely first-round draft pick in three weeks. "I have the utmost confidence about that, it's just, I've got to go show it."

Goodman's 2011 season did little to inspire the notion that he could capably fill Floyd's shoes, as the Fort Wayne native had just seven catches for 65 yards. In fact, Goodman's three-year total of 28 grabs for 315 yards looks like little more than any strong two- or three-game stretch by Floyd from the past two seasons.

But with the role of No. 1 target up for the taking this spring, Goodman has thus far risen to the challenge, locking in whenever he walks into the LaBar Practice Complex in a manner unseen the previous four years.

"I always saw ability," current offensive coordinator and former safeties coach Chuck Martin said. "We try to cover -- he's hard to cover. We cover good receivers on a lot of teams and Goody, our defensive backs are like, 'The kid's a good player.' I watched him, I'm like, 'God, he can run, he's tall, he can start, he can stop, he runs great routes.' But it's been the consistency.

"And that's what we've been saying: 'Are you going to be a 70-30 guy? Are you going to be 70 percent a really good player and 30 percent a guy that's going to help us lose a football game, or are you going to be the 100 percent guy?' And he's really approached it and taken it, and a lot of it is probably just senior, this is my last go-round. But just the emphasis that you can be a really effective player on our offense and play a ton and catch a lot of balls, but that's up to you. We'd love it to be you, but we'll find somebody else that's going to be consistent if you're not going to be consistent. So he's really done a nice job."

Goodman has been running with T.J. Jones and Robby Toma on the first team this spring, with head coach Brian Kelly calling the fifth-year senior the Irish's go-to guy thus far.

"He has stepped up his game considerably, and he's got a ways to go, but I expect him to do really big things for us," Kelly said. "He's fast -- he's one of the fastest guys on the team. He's got length. He can play taller than the average defensive back. I think more than anything else is just consistency with John. He's going to have a really fine year for us."

Goodman became the Irish's de facto punt returner last season, which, given the Irish's return struggles, essentially consisted of calling for fair catch after fair catch. He netted just five yards on eight returns and lost a fumble.

A U.S. Army All-American and multipurpose threat out of Bishop Dwenger High School four years ago, Goodman is aware of the expectations that were placed upon him when arriving at Notre Dame. And he knows, much like running back Jonas Gray's renaissance senior campaign in 2011, it's not too late to fulfill them.

"I haven't accomplished everything I wanted to, and there's so much left to be done here for me," Goodman said. "And I felt like my leadership skills have gotten better throughout the year and I just feel like I just needed that last year. It was just essential that I have it and without it, I don't even know what I would've done, because I had my mind set since I'd been a redshirt freshman that I'm going to play this fifth year. And all last season I wasn't sure about it and I just wanted to let Coach Kelly know, the other coaches know that I'm ready for it. I'm good. Once Mike leaves, I want to step up and take that position."

Representatives from 27 NFL teams were present Tuesday for Notre Dame's pro day. The Irish just released numbers and notes from the event. Here you go ...

• Robert Blanton (4.53/4.56) had the fastest 40-time among the five former Irish players who ran it. His 4.53 would have been fourth among safeties at February's combine in Indianapolis, and would have tied for 12th among cornerbacks.
• The other 40 times from Tuesday: Darius Fleming (4.58/4.54), Gary Gray (4.75/4.70), Trevor Robinson (5.24/5.22), and Taylor Dever (5.38/5.34).
• Robinson, who was not invited to the combine, would have been the only offensive lineman there to rank among the top 10 in vertical jump (30 inches; tied for 8th), broad jump (8 feet, 9 inches; tied for 6th), bench press (31; tied for 8th), and 40-yard dash (5.22; 8th).
• Jonas Gray improved his bench press number from 20 at the combine to 22 Tuesday.
• David Ruffer hit 13 of 15 field goals.
• Harrison Smith's 60-yard shuttle time (11.52) would have been the fastest time among safeties at the combine. That was the only timed drill Smith participated in Tuesday.
• Michael Floyd ran an 11.66 in the 60-yard shuttle. The 3-cone drill (7.13/7.11) and pro agility drill (4.23/4.37) were the only other timed drills he took part in Tuesday.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Jimmy Clausen is scheduled to fly out of town Wednesday morning, but the former Notre Dame signal caller is hoping to re-schedule his flight so he can get an in-person glimpse of the Irish's quarterback competition during the team's ninth spring practice.

The current reserve signal caller for the Carolina Panthers went through a four-man competition at the position during his freshman year in 2007, emerging as the starter for the Irish's second game.

"Oh man, it seems like a long, long time ago," Clausen said. "But it was a lot of fun. Coming in as a freshman — I came in early — it was kind of a whirlwind for me. Just learning the playbook and everything like that. But [Tommy Rees'] done a great job, [Andrew Hendrix's] done a great job and I'm looking forward to watching those guys this year."

He said he met Gunner Kiel on Monday, offering whatever advice he could to another early enrollee who entered Notre Dame with huge expectations following a decorated prep career.

"I talked to him yesterday for a little bit, introduced myself to him and just said good luck with everything," Clausen said. "If he needs anything just give me a call, we'll talk."

Some other pro day items, per Notre Dame officials:

• Cornerback Robert Blanton's 40-yard dash time was in the low 4.5s. Linebacker Darius Fleming's was between 4.50-4.59. NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock, who also does color commentary for Notre Dame home games on NBC, said he can see Blanton playing safety at the next level.
• Right guard Trevor Robinson bench pressed 225 pounds 31 times.
• Running back Jonas Gray, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Nov. 19, ran pass patterns and was able to explode and cut, and he did not wear a brace on his knee. Gray did not run a 40, saying he won't be able to until late May or early June, by which point it would be unnecessary.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A rainy Friday forced Notre Dame indoors for spring practice No. 6, which shed no new light on the four-man quarterback competition.

Not that the Irish are expecting any definitive answers in the next three weeks, anyway.

The signal callers went against a three-man rush Friday, coach Brian Kelly said, making sure they could keep plays alive against eight-man coverages and secure the ball.

"Each day we're staging different tests for the quarterbacks," Kelly said. "That's why this is gonna be a long process. We're not gonna have this thing accomplished because we have not even got to the checks in our offense yet. There are no checks in yet. It's call it and play.

"So as you know last year we ran so many checks that we checked ourselves out of plays. So just to give you a perspective of how far we are from even being able to say the quarterback is ready, we're not even there in terms of our system."

Kelly said the starter will be whoever takes care of the football, and he thinks the quarterbacks have done a better job of understanding that "zero" is an OK play.

"We've gone back and taught fundamentals so nobody started ahead of the other quarterback," Kelly said. "So now we're seeing progression from each one of them in picking up the things that we want."

Some other notes from Friday ...

• Prince Shembo's left foot was immobilized because of turf toe, and he is expected to miss two to three days. Ishaq Williams took reps with the first-team defense during practice, the first half-hour of which was open to the media.
• Robby Toma took reps at running back, but Kelly said that was more a function of the Irish's slot receiver position meshing with running back: "It's matching personnel. So it's not necessarily that Robby runs the inside zone extremely well, it's matching personnel so we can move guys to different positions on the field. So again it's just multiple formations that allow us to move the defense and it might be just to move the defense in a position where it opens up for Tyler Eifert or it opens up something else, so it's not something we would evaluate as he's in the mix to be one of the running backs, but because we've tagged the position as a slot receiver position, when the play-call comes in and he's in the game, sometimes he'll find himself in that position."
• Kelly said the Irish are putting pieces together for their return teams, but no catching has been done yet.
• Nine former Notre Dame players will participate in the school's pro day Tuesday: Robert Blanton, Taylor Dever, Darius Fleming, Michael Floyd, Gary Gray, Jonas Gray, Trevor Robinson, David Ruffer and Harrison Smith.

Michael Floyd and Harrison Smith remained at Nos. 13 and 24, respectively, on Mel Kiper's 25-man Big Board this week.

Floyd jumped two spots on Todd McShay's 32-man draft board , to No. 21.

The NFL scouting combine gets started today in Indianapolis, running through Tuesday. A full schedule of events can be found here.

Jonas Gray, Michael Floyd, Taylor Dever, Darius Fleming, Robert Blanton and Harrison Smith will be there from Notre Dame. Among the most pressing questions facing the Irish contingent:

• How will Floyd respond to all of the questions about his multiple off-field run-ins with alcohol? The receiver has answered every question from the media the right way so far, but the environment will be much more intense in Indianapolis. Also, is he 100 percent after suffering a rib injury in his finale? Floyd skipped the Senior Bowl to heal, so there is a bit of uncertainty surrounding him there as well.
• How much can Smith improve his stock? The safety and former Irish captain has received rave reviews since his college career ended, and he was even a first-rounder in Mel Kiper's latest mock draft. Don't expect Smith to be fazed by the circus of the combine.
• How much will Gray's ACL tear hurt him? The running back told the South Bend Tribune that he will not work out at the combine but is confident he'll be ready for Notre Dame's pro day, though whether he will be able to run a 40-yard dash remains up in the air.

Thanks to those who stopped by the re-scheduled Notre Dame chat today. We had plenty of questions about QBs and coaches, and even a few of you wishing me a Happy Valentine's Day. (Seriously, I'll be just fine guys. Thanks for your concern.)

Here's a transcript. And a few highlights:

Stephen Donnelly (Franklinville, N.J.): With michael floyd leaving for the NFL, do the fighting irish have any big body receivers to help out in the red zone this year?

Matt Fortuna (2:10 PM): Stephen, this should be a big concern, right behind that of the quarterbacks. We think there is talent at the signal caller position, though -- it's just a matter of nurturing it and making the right choice. At the WR position? There is talent, sure, but nothing like Michael Floyd, and no true downfield threat that we know of yet. That's what makes the loss of Deontay Greenberry hurt so much. Perhaps Justin Ferguson can step in and contribute right away, though that remains to be seen.

Rob Rod (San Francisco): What are your thoughts on the Booker for special teams coach?

Matt Fortuna (2:14 PM): Rob, he has drawn rave reviews from everyone for his work as an intern the past two years. The special teams will be shaken up, sure, but BK said it falls on the staff as a whole, not just one guy. They need a playmaker on punt returns, a threat to make something happen at any given time. Michael Floyd, when given the chance in the bowl game, showed he could do that. Now it's about finding another guy on the roster who can handle that.

Lucas (Indiana): Hey Matt. Thanks for answering my question last time. New questions...What is the schedule of Spring Practice and have they set a date for the Blue and Gold game? Is our RB coach here to stay or NFL bound? And given the history of our new Off. Cord. coach Martin...he seemed to run more than pass when he controlled the offense at other schools. Are we going to see more ground game this year than previous?

Matt Fortuna (2:49 PM): Lucas, spring practice is tentatively set to start March 21. The spring game is April 21. From the way Tony Alford spoke Friday, I'd say he's here to stay. He was very candid, which you don't always see from guys who interviewed at other places, and, most importantly, he hasn't been offered anything yet. As for Martin, I think that may be a wait-and-see approach with how quick the starting QB can develop.

Rich (NYC): Coach Kelly had a track record of player development in his previous stops (if you the equation is <2 star recruits who become NFL draftees). I admit that hearing Jonas Gray sing his praises, and seeing his turn around has peaked my interest. Do you see players who could have a "Jonas Gray" turn around for 2012?

Matt Fortuna (2:52 PM): Rich, just taking a guess here, but let's go with John Goodman, who is reportedly back, to the surprise of some. That speaks to Kelly's faith in him, and with a depleted and relatively young receiving corp, I could see Goodman playing a bigger role and rewarding the staff for its belief in him, much the way Gray did last season.

Robert Blanton, Taylor Dever, Darius Fleming, Michael Floyd, Jonas Gray and Harrison Smith were all invited to the NFL scouting combine, held Feb. 22-28 in Indianapolis.

Here is the breakdown of Notre Dame’s 2011 opponents who will be at the combine:

USC: 7
Stanford: 6
Michigan State: 6
Florida State: 6
Wake Forest: 4
Pittsburgh: 4
Michigan: 3
South Florida: 1
Boston College: 1
Purdue: 1
Maryland: 1

Early reaction: I’m a little surprised Trevor Robinson and Gary Gray were not invited. Robinson improved a lot toward the end of his Notre Dame career and added plenty of strength. Gray, despite his well-documented struggles this season, has the tools necessary to impress scouts. I’m also hoping this means Jonas Gray’s rehab is going well so far, as the running back will be just three months removed from an ACL tear when the combine begins. Despite the limitations that he likely still has, here’s hoping he did enough to impress scouts during this past season and that some team takes a chance on him come April’s draft.