Notre Dame has produced a number of talented tight ends during the last decade, so figuring out a way to replace a standout wideout is not new to the Irish coaching staff. Finding a way to replace star receiver Chase Claypool will be key to the Irish putting a championship offense on the field in 2020.

It can be done, but it certainly won’t be easy.

WHAT WAS LOST

Claypool had been a key part of the receiver rotation as both a junior and sophomore, but late in his junior season he started to emerge as more of an alpha player. In the final seven games of the 2018 season, Claypool’s numbers (32 catches, 439 yards) were almost identical to leading receiver Miles Boykin (31 catches, 444 yards).

When Boykin left for the NFL it was Claypool’s turn to step up and be “the man” for the Irish, and he did just that. Claypool was dominant from start to finish this season, hauling in five passes for 94 yards in the opener and seven throws for 146 yards in the bowl game.

For the season, Claypool caught 66 passes for 1,037 yards (15.7 YPC) and 13 touchdowns. Claypool was dominant whenever targeted, so when he became an even greater focal point of the offense late in the year his production exploded. The senior caught 37 passes for 601 yards and nine touchdowns in the final six games, which included three games with at least 117 yards and four of at least 97 yards.

Claypool was a physical pass catcher that was dominate as a downfield one-on-one player and he also did damage over the middle of the field.

WHAT RETURNS

With a change at offensive coordinator there remains a question about what the offense will look like. If quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees is put in charge, as expected, the offense won’t see much of a change schematically or philosophically. This article will work with that assumption, so filling the boundary receiver position is the focus.

Notre Dame has talent returning but experience and proven production is severely lacking.

Kevin Austin, Junior — When thinking about how good Notre Dame can be in 2020, there might not be a bigger wildcard to the Irish reaching their full potential than Austin, who was suspended for the entire 2019 season due to off-the-field issues.

Austin is an incredibly gifted receiver, possessing good size (6-2, 210) and the ball skills to be an impact downfield player. He lacks the length and mass that Claypool brought to the game, but that’s true of the vast majority of college football players. Austin does have good length, and as a prep player he showed the ability to make one-on-one catches on the sideline and down the field.

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native has more speed and explosiveness than Claypool, which he showed in brief stints as a freshman. He is a long strider that can quickly get past cornerbacks on the edge, and when he catches the ball on the run he can crease the defense and rip off big plays. He’s not as elusive as Claypool, but their games are similar.

Austin must become a better route runner, at least based on what we saw from him as a freshman. When he was on his game this past spring he was the second most dominant receiver on the roster, behind only Claypool. His ability to track the ball is impressive and he’s physical with the ball in his hands. With more refinement he should develop into an impact pass catcher, assuming he can show the needed maturity to become someone the staff can count on.

Austin is capable of breaking out in a big way, but he has a lot to prove as both a football player and young man before that happens. According to my sources, Austin did everything asked of him this season and started to look like the young man - and player - Notre Dame thought it was getting. If that continues he’ll become a top player on the offense in the fall.

Micah Jones, Junior — Jones was a Top 200 recruit coming out of high school, but he’s struggled to climb up the depth chart. Jones has exceptional size and length, and he’s the only receiver on the roster that comes close to Claypool from a size standpoint. Jones also shows good vertical speed, but what we saw from him this spring said he still needed time working as a route runner, which begins by improving his ability to get off the press at the line fo scrimmage.

The spring will be big for Jones. If he can refine his game and start to use his size to his advantage, something he hasn’t always done, Jones could be a breakout player in the offense. He’ll never be a guy that does damage after the catch or a guy that spends all gunning running by defenders, but his ball skills, size and athletic skills are good enough for him to become a factor in the rotation.

Jones has the potential to be a strong blocker and according to sources he finished the 2019 season on a strong note, so he’ll get a chance to build on that this spring. If Jones can maximize his opportunities this winter and spring he’ll force his way into the rotation. If he doesn’t the odds are Jones will get passed up by newcomers.

Javon McKinley, Senior — From the sources I’ve talked to the desire for McKinley is that he returns for a fifth season in 2020, but his arrest this past March raises a major question about whether or not the school will allow him to come back. The reality is at Notre Dame the school ultimately decides who comes back for a fifth season, not the coaches.

If McKinley is allowed to return he’ll have a chance to become a much greater part of the offense, assuming he can stay healthy. McKinley showed flashes this fall, finishing the season with 11 catches for 268 yards and four touchdowns. He had two catches for 86 yards against New Mexico and five catches for 104 yards against Bowling Green.

McKinley is a strong and physical player, and when given opportunities he showed the ball skills to be an effective one-on-one pass catcher. He made a number of impressive grabs along the sideline, and McKinley is faster than some think.

McKinley has the talent to go from role player to impact player, but staying healthy is something he has not been able to do at Notre Dame. Of course, the biggest question right now is whether or not McKinley will be allowed back for a final season. If he does it will give the offense a major boost and will help solidify the boundary receiver position.

NEWCOMERS

Notre Dame will have three newcomers on the roster in 2020 that will have a say in how the position performs. Two will be on campus in the spring, and all three have the versatility to play in the boundary or to the field, so not all of the three discussed here will necessarily play the boundary position.

Bennett Skowronek, Senior — Northwestern grad transfer Bennett Skowronek is certainly the most proven player on the roster, having caught 110 passes for 1,417 yards and eight touchdowns in four seasons in Evanston.

Skowronek caught 45 passes for 644 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore (2017) and 45 balls for 562 yards and three more scores as a junior (2018). Skowronek was injured early in 2019, which is why he has a fifth season that will now be spent at Notre Dame.

There are two key questions about Skowronek. One is how healthy will he be, and the second is what position will he play. He has the size (6-4, 215) and ball skills to be a boundary player, and that is where I believe he best fits based on how Notre Dame runs its offense. Skowronek has plenty of experience playing in the boundary, but he also spent a lot of time in the slot for the Wildcats.

On the outside we’ve seen Skowronek show the ability to make tough catches.

Skowronek did his best work at Northwestern over the middle of the field, but he certainly showed the ability to make plays outside, which you see in the clip above. He’s a good route runner that can get off the line against the press, but he lacks the explosiveness to be a game changer. Skowronek projects more as a possession receiver that can be a highly effective chain mover and route runner.

Jordan Johnson, Freshman — Landing this five-star receiver was big for Notre Dame, and Johnson has the advanced skills to compete for immediate playing time. Johnson lacks the size (6-2, 180) of other players competing for time at the position, but his route running skills, length and ball skills are outstanding.

Johnson is a strong athlete that makes up for a lack of top-end speed with an impressive burst off the line, top-level foot quickness and a natural feel for how to get open. When the ball is in the air Johnson shows an elite ability to track the ball and to out-play defenders for the football.

Not being an early enrollee puts him behind a bit, but Johnson is a smart player that should be able to quickly get up to speed. Johnson won’t have the advanced repertoire as other players at the position, but with his talent and potential the Irish staff needs to find a way to get him on the field next season. Of course, with Johnson’s skillset he could pay the boundary or outside field position (X) in the Irish offense.

Jay Brunelle, Freshman — Brunelle lacks the high-level athleticism that Claypool and others possess, but he is a quality athlete and a strong pass catcher. Brunelle earned his scholarship at Notre Dame by dominating at the team’s summer camp, and that strong summer performance carried over into the fall. Brunelle made a big leap from a technical standpoint, which allowed his testing numbers to translate better onto the football field.

Like Johnson, Brunelle can play multiple spots in the Irish offense. As a boundary player he has the strength and ball skills to thrive, and his ability to find soft spots in the zone also projects well for that position. Being an early enrollee will give Brunelle a jump start in the weight room and when it comes to learning the playbook.

He might be the lowest ranked of the three incoming freshman receivers, but Brunelle can play and he’ll come to Notre Dame with a chip on his shoulder.

KEY QUESTIONS

1. Will Kevin Austin and Javon McKinley be on the roster in the fall of 2020?

2. Who will step up this spring and take hold of the position?

3. Who forces their way into the rotation, and will the staff better utilize a rotation than it has in past seasons?

4. How much will the newcomers influence the depth chart?

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