Notre Dame WR Joe Wilkins Jr. Out For Extended Time

The Notre Dame receiver corps took another blow this week as Joe Wilkins Jr. is expected to be out four to five months following Lisfranc surgery on Friday. 

"Joe Wilkins is out,” stated Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman following Saturday’s practice. “He had had surgery yesterday. We expect him to be back for fall camp and ready to go. Surgery was great.”

Wilkins seemed to injure his ankle or football during last Saturday’s open practice while the team was going through 11-on-11 reps. 

The Florida native made the decision to return for a fifth season in South Bend after recording four catches for 61 yards and one score in 2021. For his career, Wilkins has tallied 11 catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns. 

Notre Dame receivers coach Chansi Stuckey will have his work cut out for him as fifth-year senior Avery Davis is recovering from ACL surgery and now with Wilkins out only Braden Lenzy, Deion Colzie, Lorenzo Styles, Jayden Thomas and Matt Salerno are the only scholarship receivers available this spring. 

2022 signee Tobias Merriweather will arrive in June, but the Irish will need to find bodies at an absolute minimum during the spring Transfer Portal rush. 

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