Notre Dame football: Top 5 wide receivers in school history

Without a doubt. Raghib Ismail has the best nickname of anyone on this list. “Rocket” Ismail was a critical member of the late 1980s, early 1990s Notre Dame football teams that were coached by Lou Holtz. For those teams, which include the 1988 National Championship team, Ismail was more than just a wide receiver. He was an elite kick returner, and runner as well.

Along with winning the National Championship and Fiesta Bowl in 1988, Ismail helped lead Notre Dame to two Orange Bowls. He was the MVP of the 1990 Orange Bowl. Notre Dame beat Colorado 21-6 in that Orange Bowl but lost to Colorado 10-9 the next season. Ismail nearly won that game for the Irish, but his return for a touchdown was called back due to penalty.

Because Raghib Ismail split time between wide receiver and running back, his career stats aren’t through the roof. However, the threat he brought to the Notre Dame offense was undeniable and ahead of its time. Ismail could be used in motion to run jet sweeps, misdirection, and play action. In a lot of ways, this is how modern offenses operate.

Ismail was an insane athlete. A track sprinter outside of football season, Ismail was able to run the 100-meter sprint in as little as 10.2 seconds. This speed was his calling card and made him a special talent beyond what Notre Dame had seen before athletically.

A two time All-American, Rocket Ismail finished second in the 1990 Heisman Trophy voting. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

Over the course of his career Rocket Ismail had over 1,000 yards rushing to go along with over 1,000 yards receiving. To this day, Ismail is the only player to ever return to kickoffs for two touchdowns in a game, twice. Furthermore, he is 6th all-time for all-purpose yards in Notre Dame history, with 4,187 total yards.

Putting aside the athletic talent, on-field accomplishments, and awards, Ismail did another great thing for Notre Dame. He gave their offense an exciting identity. This helped to define the Lou Holtz era at Notre Dame. By doing this, a younger generation of Notre Dame fans was able to gravitate towards the program.