Three Notre Dame players appear in The Athletic’s seven-round mock draft, with one interesting absence
From a Notre Dame perspective, the most notable part of The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler’s seven-round mock draft is an omission.
Quarterback Jack Coan is not among the 262 players selected in Brulger’s mock, which was released Thursday, even though Brugler pegged him as a fifth- to sixth-round pick in his 2022 NFL Draft guide and ranked him as the No. 8 passer. He has eight quarterbacks in his mock. Brown’s E.J. Perry, his No. 9-rated quarterback, is a seventh rounder in it.
Draft pick or not, though, Brugler gives Coan a chance to stick in the NFL.
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“Coan has some athletic limitations, but he does a great job finding rhythm in the passing game and delivers with timing and placement,” Brugler wrote in his draft guide. “He has the on-field talent and football character to be a capable NFL backup.”
Brugler’s mock has three Notre Dame players in it, starting with safety Kyle Hamilton at No. 11 to the Washington Commanders. Once considered a likely top-five pick by draft analysts, Hamilton is appearing as a top-10 to top-15 selection in mocks as the April 28-30 draft draws closer. Some analysts have attributed the drop to a purported 4.7 40-yard dash at Notre Dame’s pro day. Others think a top-five or top-10 selection is unlikely because of his position.
“Hamilton is universally liked across the league, but not every franchise is going to be on board with drafting a unique 6-foot-4, 220-pound safety with a top pick, which is why it shouldn’t be surprising if he falls out of the top 10,” Brugler wrote. “I think the Commanders want a receiver here to help score more points, but I also think it will be tough for Ron Rivera to pass on a talent like Hamilton.”
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Hamilton is the No. 6 player in Brugler’s overall rankings.
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The other two Irish players in Brugler’s mock are Day 3 picks. Wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. is a fourth-round selection, going No. 138 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s the 21st receiver drafted. Running back Kyren Williams is a fifth-round pick and the No. 148 overall selection, heading to the Chicago Bears. Seven running backs are head of him in the mock, and only four appear among the top 100 picks.
Williams’ and Austin’s selections match the grades Brugler assigned them in his draft guide. Williams is his eighth-ranked running back and Austin his 21st-ranked wide receiver. He gave the former a fourth- to fifth-round projection and the latter a fifth-round outlook.
Ten Notre Dame players are in the draft pool. Hamilton, Williams, Austin, Coan and defensive end Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa participated in the NFL Combine. Guard Cain Madden, defensive tackle Kurt Hinish, linebacker Drew White, linebacker/safety Isaiah Pryor and kicker Jonathan Doerer were not invited to the combine. Madden, Hinish and Doerer were out of eligibility, while White and Pryor bypassed a sixth year of eligibility.
