The Top WR Groups Notre Dame Will Face this Season
Notre Dame didn’t just lose the Cotton Bowl to Clemson in 2018 for one particular reason. There were many different things that needed to happen to change the outcome that night.
One reason why the loss may have been inevitable was Clemson’s wide receivers. Justyn Ross (6 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns) and Tee Higgins (4 for 53 and one touchdown) were matchup nightmares and when Julian Love exited the game, Notre Dame didn’t have any answers for them.
The good news for Notre Dame heading into their matchup this season with Clemson is that Higgins and his 25 touchdowns over the last two seasons are gone to the NFL. The bad news is that Ross returns, although he didn’t have nearly the same dynamic season he had as a freshman (his yards per reception dropped from 21.7 to 13.1). He’s still incredibly tough to cover, especially when Clemson runs fades with him from the slot.
They also bring back slot receiver Amari Rodgers and have two big, fast receivers in Joseph Ngata and Frank Ladson Jr. (both in the 2019 ISD Fab 50) who could be poised to break out this season.
Clemson’s receivers are going to be a problem for Notre Dame and they aren’t the only ones. Here’s three more receiver groups from upcoming Irish opponents that will challenge Notre Dame’s secondary.
USC
Losing Michael Pittman hurts as he was the guy Notre Dame and many other programs chose to double in 2019. Don’t get too excited, though. The cupboard is still stocked with talent.
Tyler Vaughns (912 yards) is back for what seems like his eighth year. His body control and outstanding ball skills make him extremely difficult to win against. Then there’s Amon-ra St. Brown (1,042 yards) in the slot who may be the best in his role out of any receiver in the country.
I know many are touting Kyle Ford and Bru McCoy because they are both great players who sat out last season and have the talent to be stars, but people can’t forget about Drake London, another elite receiver recruit from the 2019 recruiting cycle. He had 39 catches and five touchdowns as a true freshman.
It’s the kind talent that keeps defensive coordinators up at night. Even if their season falls apart and they are on another interim coach by the time Notre Dame visits Los Angeles, this kind of skill gives USC a chance to win most games.
Wake Forest
Wake has had some legitimate talent at receiver over the last few years. Greg Dortch, Scotty Washington and Kendall Hinton are gone, but Sage Surratt decided to stay in school (1,001 yards, 11 touchdowns) and he’s someone that could play for any team in the country. He can pretty much do it all with his work after the catch and his ability to box out defenders in contested situations.
The next star after him is Donavon Greene, a former 4-star prospect who pulled in 19.1 yards per reception (13 for 249) in only four games. He went off against Syracuse (7 for 172) last season.
Notre Dame plays Wake early in the year and we’ll get a good idea about the young cornerbacks on the roster after this game.
Louisville
The Irish got a good look at Tutu Atwell in last season’s opener. His numbers in that game weren’t mind blowing (5 for 47), but that doesn’t include a touchdown that was called back when he blew by Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah down the seam.
He’s an electric athlete who is a threat for a house call on every play. He averaged 18.2 yards per reception and brought in 12 touchdowns. The way they move him around the field makes him a problem that opponents have to put in extra preparation for.
Louisville got a gift when Dez Fitzpatrick decided to come back for a fifth year (18.1 yards per reception). The Cardinals finished tied for 10th in receptions of 40 yards or more last season primarily because of these two players.