Notre Dame Football: Irish could have 10 players drafted in 2020

Many people like to measure the overall talent on a roster by the number of potential NFL Draft picks a team has. Notre Dame football is loaded with potential NFL talent heading into 2019.

The Notre Dame football season will kick off in less than two months. As it stands, there seems to be plenty of anxiety in regard to the level of talent the 2019 Irish team will bring to the table.

Losing home run hitters like Miles Boykin and Dexter Williams on offense combined with All-American caliber talent like Julian Love, Jerry Tillery, Te’von Coney and Drue Tranquill on defense have plenty of Irish fans worried.

Have no fear — the Irish have still plenty of NFL-caliber talent on the 2019 roster.

Scanning the depth chart just for players who could realistically be selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, I found ten. Had we done the same exercise heading into the 2018 season, we would have had eleven — and that included a punter and a kicker. As we now know, six Irish players from the 2018 team were drafted and ten are currently in NFL camps.

Here are the ten potential 2020 NFL Draft picks for Notre Dame football:

Sure-fire Picks

Liam Eichenberg, OT

He’s been mocked by a couple of sites as a potential first-rounder.

Tommy Kraemer, G

Notre Dame is low-key becoming “Guard-U.” Kraemer appears to be the next in a line of good ones.

Khalid Kareem, DE

The wheels would need to fall off for Kareem to go undrafted. He’s at worst a Day 2 pick.

Julian Okwara, DE

Okwara is in the same boat as Kareem. He’s been mocked by some outlets as a first-rounder.

Alohi Gilman, S

His size and playing style translate too well to the NFL. You might even see a team use him as a linebacker.

Troy Pride Jr., CB

His measurables, specifically his 40 time, will all but guarantee that he hears his name called during the draft.

Underclassmen with Big Seasons

Ian Book, QB

The trend of undersized quarterbacks being drafted bodes well for Book. With another solid season where he displays elite accuracy, efficiency and decent mobility, he’ll be on the radar in what will be a loaded and top-heavy quarterback class. He’d be considered a late-round value pick. The progression of Phil Jurkovec could also force Book’s hand when it comes to declaring early.

Cole Kmet, TE

This is going to be be a bit of a “stock watch” scenario for Kmet. Right now, leaving early is probably not in the cards for him. A big-time season, however, (500+ yards, 5-6 touchdowns) could catapult him to the top of the tight end rankings for the 2020 NFL Draft class.

Seniors who need to show out

Jalen Elliot, S

He’s going be be in a position to make a lot of big plays in some high-profile games. If he’s solid and doesn’t get burned consistently throughout the year, he’ll start drawing serious attention from scouts.

Asmar Bilal, LB

He fits the mold of the new, smaller, athletic linebackers than are in vogue in the NFL right now. If he can be a solid tackler from sideline to sideline and demonstrate an ability to cover backs and tight ends, he’ll hear his name called on draft weekend.