Two years we ago we debuted the 18 Stripes Hall of Fame Pyramid for Notre Dame football and its extensive history of wonderful talent. You can read the final rankings from 2019 HERE with links to the previous levels of the pyramid linked therein.
We’re now adding players who have left Notre Dame since the conclusion of the 2019 season. Next up to be inducted is the pride of Canada and British Columbia.
179. T.J. Jones, WR, Gainesville, Georgia (2010-13)
166. Chase Claypool, WR, Abbotsford, British Columbia (2016-19)
161. WR Rhema McKnight, WR, LaPalma, California (2002-06)
158. Maurice Stovall, WR, Wayne, Pennsylvania (2002-05)
137. Derrick Mayes, WR, Indianapolis, Indiana (1992-95)
109. Pete Demmerle, WR, New Canaan, Connecticut (1972-74)
93. Will Fuller, WR, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2013-15)
68. Jack Snow, WR, Long Beach, California (1962-64)
62. Michael Floyd, WR, Saint-Paul, Minnesota (2008-11)
40. Jeff Samardzija, WR, Valparaiso, Indiana (2003-06)
35. Golden Tate, WR, Hendersonville, Tennessee (2007-09)
29. Jim Seymour, WR, Royal Oak, Michigan (1966-68)
25. Tom Gatewood, WR, Baltimore, Maryland (1969-71)
12. Tim Brown, WR, Dallas, Texas (1984-87)
8. Rocket Ismail, WR, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (1988-90)
Claypool turned heads almost immediately once he came to campus due to his combination of size and speed. There were some struggles early on as he experienced the tragic 2016 season as a freshman totaling just 5 receptions for 81 yards while being overshadowed by classmate Kevin Stepherson’s breakout 462 yards and 5 touchdown debut.
However, their careers would eventually go in different directions.
Claypool was a strong special teams player right away and had a mini-breakthrough as a sophomore producing 402 yards and a pair of touchdowns in an offense that struggled for long stretches getting the ball to its receivers. Much bigger things were expected for him as a junior (with Stepherson now gone from the program) but an emergence from Miles Boykin and Chris Finke brought a solid amount of depth that was utilized the entire season.
Prior to Claypool’s senior season it seemed like maybe he just wouldn’t quite get there as a star. But, he did it anyway. He’s the only Irish receiver over the last 5 seasons to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark and finished 2019 alone in 6th place in school history with 13 receiving touchdowns while tying the single-game mark with 4 scores against Navy.
It was a steady career of progress for Claypool even if it didn’t click right away. He finishes outside the top 10 all-time in yardage at Notre Dame but his receptions (150) and touchdowns (19) over his career both place him in 7th place for the Fighting Irish.
He was one of my favorites — loved his early contributions on special teams and wondered if the time if he was meant to play defense.
He was such a beast on ST. After his sophomore year I was hoping the Pats would draft him, if just for that. Then he also got really good at wide receiver stuffs and the Pats suck at drafting WRs who primarily play WR.
There was a lot of angst among Steelers fans online for drafting him too high. That went away by the end of the preseason and was long since forgotten! And that’s a team with a really good track record of mid/late round WR’s and getting a lot out of them.
Seems low, but he did only have one really good season so I guess it fits.
Assuming Austin isn’t staying for 2 years, the real issue is it could be a while (Styles? Colzie? No one on the team now?) until a new WR is added to the pyramid. Which in modern CFB is a real problem considering that in the Kelly era that Notre Dame has had only two real impact WR’s, and even then it’s just 1 season for Claypool and 2 great seasons of Fuller.
Colzie/Styles both seem to have a chance.
Austin could make it if this year is *really* big. And even then, do we think he’s necessarily gone? With all the missed time, is he more likely to stick around? Maybe if it is that *really* big season, he’s gone. But if it is just a step below that (which would still be a great year for him) he may stick around. It’s his essentially first full (assuming health) college football season.
Have we had WRs who haven’t made an impact because of QB play? I wonder how many more would have made the pyramid with improved QB play.
Yeah, if I was betting on it, I would almost certainly bet on Austin being on the roster in 2022.
I’d take that bet, this is already his senior season. If Austin has close to the year he wants to have, I don’t see him coming back for a 5th year.
Not too many WR’s get drafted after a 5th year. If they’re good enough to go pro, they usually go. In my mind though, I’m kinda projecting after his strong August that he’s able to put up a full season, which could be inaccurate. But if he plays 10+ games and catches 50+ passes, I’d think that’s enough tape to go along with his measurables to be a legit pro prospect.
Claypool would have been well ahead of Rhema McKnight or MoSto if he had Brady Quinn throwing him the ball
Ian Book had a higher completion % and averaged more yards per attempt than Brady Quinn. Book’s WORST season (60.2%, 7.6 Y/A) is better than Quinn’s CAREER (58.0%, 7.3 Y/A). I don’t think this is nearly as cut and dry as you’ve put it.
If you look at just the seasons Book played with Claypool, and BQs JR/SR, they aren’t too different efficiency wise.
Passing (Comp%-Yards- Y/A)
Book – Quinn
SO 68.2% – 2,628 – 8.6 |||| JR 64.9% – 3,919 – 8.7
JR 60.2% – 3,034 – 7.6 |||| SR 61.9% – 3,426 – 7.3
Rushing (yds/TDs)
Book – Quinn
SO 280/4 |||| JR 90/1
JR 546/4 |||| SR 71/2
The big difference is passing volume vs rushing volume.
In those 2 years, Quinn threw for 1,600 more yards and 16 more TDs. Book stole a lot of YDs and TDs with his legs.
I think Claypool would be much higher if he replaced MoSto or Rhema on those BQ teams (very different teams and offenses), and at least higher than MoSto and Rhema if BQ replaced Book.
Stovall and Claypool’s numbers are pretty similar overall (Stovall had 36 more YDs, 1 fewer TD). I think if you throw BQ in there for the 2 years that Claypool overlapped with Book as a starter, Claypool gets another 200-300 YDs and 2-3 more TDs and easily surpasses him by having the better overall numbers, and the higher peak.
Basically, I think Claypool was a better WR, however, I also think he is appropriately ranked given his actual career.
This, plus one additional component: Quinn would have been a better QB for Claypool in his earlier years, as Claypool always had the athleticism to run and jump over DBs on deep balls that Book basically couldn’t throw.