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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a roster full of players, and we want to talk about all of them. One Foot Down’s player profile series will take a look at every single one of them, and hopefully we all learn a little bit more about these guys, and Notre Dame’s chances for the upcoming 2018 season.
#18 Joe Wilkins Jr.
Next up is the 6’2 Freshman from North Fort Meyes, Florida, Joe Wilkins Jr.. He started his journey in South Bend as a corner, but quickly transitioned to WR after playing both positions during the summer. He has been making a name for himself throughout camp, and could definitely see the field on in a special teams/reserved WR capacity.
3 Things About Joe Wilkins
- He shares a meaningful matching tattoo with his mother, reading “I am because you are”, which pays homage to their growth together. A great read about his upbringing can be found Here
- Joe was a 3 Star Recruit, with offers from 23 schools
- His Twitter handle is “18 Problems” in reference to his current number....Love it.
YouTube Hot Fire
“Show Time” He shows off great tackling-making an asset on Special Teams
Country, Condiment, and Canon
Identifying the player as either a country, condiment, or member of the Star Wars Canon.
Finn
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I went with Finn because of Wilkins’ ability to play both sides of the ball, and the fact that the Irish were uncertain which he would play coming in. Like Wilkins, Finn started off between 2 sides, and needed some time to define who he was as a character. Though Wilkins needed a lot less time than Finn, he ultimately ended up on the (insert whether you are an O or D fan) side.
2018 Outlook
As mentioned above, Joe Wilkins has been making a splash in camp and has shown he is a playmaker. In lieu of the depth at WR, expect to see Wilkins on coverage units immediately in the fall. His knack for tackling in space as well as the speed that allows him to make plays. Barring injuries, the bulk of his time will be spent on Special Teams, but could get in during some mop up duties late in any blowouts.