Notre Dame wide receiver Braden Lenzy announces return for fifth season
Braden Lenzy will be back.
That’s exactly what the Notre Dame senior wide receiver tweeted Sunday afternoon, complete with a shamrock emoji. It appears the Fighting Irish will retain one of their most productive wide receivers from the 2021 roster for his fifth season in South Bend.
Lenzy recorded at least one catch in 12 of Notre Dame’s 13 games. He finished the season with 32 receptions for 350 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran five times for 69 yards. He caught seven passes for 60 yards in Notre Dame’s Fiesta Bowl loss to Oklahoma State.
The announcement of Lenzy’s return came not long after fellow senior wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. announced his decision to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft. Austin Jr. led Notre Dame with 888 receiving yards and tied sophomore tight end Michael Mayer for the team lead in receiving touchdowns with seven.
Austin Jr.’s departure leaves Lenzy as the wide receiver on Notre Dame’s 2022 roster with the most experience. He has 50 catches for 667 yards and six touchdowns in a career that was marred by injuries prior to the 2021 season. Lenzy has 21 career carries for 277 yards and two touchdowns.
All eyes turn to Joe Wilkins Jr. and Avery Davis. Wilkins Jr. can also return for a fifth year while Davis, who was lost for the final four games of the season with an ACL tear, can come back for a sixth. Davis had 27 catches for 346 yards and four touchdowns before his injury. Wilkins went down with an MCL issue against Cincinnati on Oct. 2. He had four catches for 61 yards and a score in five games.
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Rising sophomores Lorenzo Styles, Deion Colzie and Jayden Thomas are primed for larger roles in 2022. Styles started the final four games of the season and broke out with eight catches for 136 yards and a touchdown in the Fiesta Bowl. He finished his freshman year with 24 catches for 344 yards and the one score.
“He’s a special player,” Notre Dame graduate senior quarterback Jack Coan said after the Fiesta Bowl. “I’ve known him since day one. He’s been an extremely hard worker. He’s an amazing athlete. The fact that he’s going to be back, too, is scary for other defenses.”
Colzie caught four passes for 67 yards. At 6-3, he replaces the big body on the outside lost with Austin Jr. turning professional. Thomas did not record any statistics this season, but his 6-1 1/2 frame is also an intriguing option to make up for what Notre Dame lost with Austin Jr. departing.
As for Lenzy, he’ll look to cap his career with his best season yet. Given Notre Dame’s overall lack of depth at the position, the Irish could certainly use a big year from the speedy wideout.
