NFL Combine Invites Nine Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish Players

The NFL has invited nine former Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players to its annual Combine, which will be held Feb. 23 through March 2 in Indianapolis.

Wide receivers Chase Claypool and Chris Finke, defensive backs Jalen Elliott, Alohi Gilman and Troy Pride, tight end Cole Kmet, defensive end Julian Okwara and running back Tony Jones Jr. will represent the blue and gold at tryouts.

This is the most Irish invites since 2016, when 10 were selected.

In addition, NFL.com handed out preliminary grades to all nine prospects.

• Chase Claypool: 6.4 - “Will be starter within first two seasons”
• Cole Kmet - 6.34 - “Will be starter within first two seasons”
• Julian Okwara - 6.26 - “Good backup who could become starter”
• Troy Pride - 5.99 - “Backup/special-teamer”
• Khalid Kareem - 5.97 - “Backup/special teamer”
• Alohi Gilman - 5.93 - “Backup/special teamer”
• Jalen Elliott - 5.50 - “Chance to make end of roster or practice squad”
• Chris Finke - 5.48 - “Priority free agent”
• Tony Jones Jr. - No grade - “Likely needs time in developmental league”

The NFL website does revise these grades after the Combine; Miles Boykin was a “no grade” prior to his jaw dropping performance last March.

You can read the NFL.com profiles for Claypool, Kmet, Okwara, Pride, Kareem, Gilman, Elliott, Finke and Jones Jr. or check out the schedule of events here.

The NFL Draft will be held from April 23 to April 25 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Leave your predictions in the comment section below about where everyone eventually gets drafted.