Notre Dame football: Top-10 draft picks of the Brian Kelly era

Notre Dame football: Top-10 draft picks of the Brian Kelly era

10. Chase Claypool

• Pittsburgh Steelers, 2020: Round 2, Pick 49

Chase Claypool may only have a rookie season under his belt, but he’s already proven to be one of the best picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. In a way, you can understand why Claypool was overlooked. After all, the 2020 Draft class was a historically loaded one at wide receiver, with players like Jerry Jeudy and Justin Jefferson.

Besides, Claypool only had one great year at Notre Dame. At the same time, Claypool absolutely was overlooked and should have been a first-round pick over the likes of Jalen Reagor.

From a purely athletic standpoint, Claypool checked all the boxes and he proved that right away as a rookie. 62 catches, 873 yards, and nine TDs is a monster year for any wide receiver, let alone a rookie. He’d also be named to the PFWA All-Rookie team.

Already, Claypool has put himself in a position to be a monster in the NFL for a very long time. The Steelers are going to rely on him to carry a lot of the offensive load for Pittsburgh as Ben Roethlisberger approaches the end of his career. Even once Big Ben’s time is done, Claypool will be vital in transitioning to a new quarterback for Pittsburgh.