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Chris Brown
Projection
7th round/undrafted
Strengths
-Consistent receiver
-Runs quality routes
-Decent run blocker
Weaknesses
-Thin frame
-Not an overly explosive receiver
-Concern with drops
Chris Brown was a third down machine for Notre Dame. He was a consistent and reliable receiver. Despite most of the attention in the passing game going to the explosive Fuller, Brown still had a decent season with 597 yards and 4 TD's. His leadership was more impactful for the team than his on-field production.
Amir Carlisle
Projection
7th round/undrafted
Strengths
-Tough
-Explosive bursts in and out of his cuts
-Has good speed
Weaknesses
-Small body size for NFL
-Doesn't have NFL-level agility
-Age could be a turn off
Amir Carlisle held down the slot position for Notre Dame, yet not really giving much production out of it. It seemed he would be destined to play there for 2015. If he switched back to running back, he wouldn't see the field in the crowded backfield. He was a 5th year player, so his experience was something that the offense could rely on.
Romeo Okwara
Projection
5th-6th rounds
Strengths
-Good arm length and hand size
-Mindful of his responsibilities on contain plays
-Natural upper body strength
Weaknesses
-Stiff/mechanical in his movements
-Doesn't have the quickness to make it as a pass rusher in the league
Romeo Okwara was always an interesting prospect as he has graduated from Notre Dame at just the age of 20. Usually for the Irish, that's about the age where players begin their careers, not end them. He really came along in the second half of the season, and ended up leading the Irish in sacks with 9.
Elijah Shumate
Projection
7th round/undrafted
Strengths
-Desired build for a box safety and is a physical defender
-Good speed to the sideline to defend the run
-Good coverage on special teams, helping him make a roster in that role
Weaknesses
-Not fluid on his backpedal and is very stiff
-Isn't instinctive in the passing game and takes bad angles
-Can come in too quickly and miss tackles
Shumate finished out his senior year at Notre Dame by starting 12 of 13 games in 2015. Much like most of the safety play for last year's defense, Shumate didn't have a stellar year or have too many "wow" moments. However, he did finish the season with a sold 70 tackles, 6.5 of which resulted for a loss.
Matthias Farley
Projections
Undrafted
Farley played a backup role at safety in his last year, but still got plenty of opportunities for playing time. With Shaun Crawford going down with a season-ending injury, BVG would use Farley as the nickel DB in sub-packages. He also played on special teams coverage, which I believe he possess enough skill to make that his home in the NFL.
Ishaq Williams
Projection
Undrafted
Ishaq missed the 2014 seasons due to the academic suspension that he and 4 other teammates were given. He never made it back to Notre Dame, however. Being so long out of football, it'll be tough for Ishaq to make a team.
Everett Golson
Projection
Undrafted
Strengths
-Has the arm strength to make NFL throws
-Quick snap of the wrist to get the ball of without having to settle his feet
-Has the ability to make something out of nothing with his mobility
Weaknesses
-Undersized
-Poor throwing decisions
-TURNOVERS
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure to add in Golson or not, but since he decided to have his Pro Day at Notre Dame, I decided to go with it. After his final year at Florida State was underwhelming, I feel like he'll always be remembered as a Golden Domer (and to be honest, I'm not even sure how much he even played at FSU). Golson decided to use his final year of eligibility elsewhere and thus transferred from Notre Dame after getting his degree. He must have seen the writing on the wall with Malik coming off of that Music City Bowl victory over LSU (I've always wondered, in hindsight, if Golson regretted leaving as he would have almost assuredly been the starter after Malik's injury).