Notre Dame Football 2012: Post-Spring Overview of the Fighting Irish Tight Ends

There's a reason Notre Dame has been considered "Tight End U" in recent years.

The program has churned out one elite tight end after the other, making Notre Dame an NFL pipeline for tight ends, of sorts.

That pipeline began back in 2005, the season in which former tight end Anthony Fasano declared for the NFL draft. Since then, John Carlson and Kyle Rudolph have made their way from South Bend to the professional ranks.

For an overview of Notre Dame's potential future NFL tight ends on the roster this year, take a look at the following slides.

Troy Niklas

Two significant events have transpired in the life of Troy Niklas since the book closed on Notre Dame's 2011 season.

First and foremost, Niklas was moved from linebacker to his new position of tight end.

Secondly, the numbers on his jersey flip-flopped from 58 to 85, concurrent with his change of positions.

Kelly's decision to move Niklas was applauded, as the Irish will now have a 6'7", 252-pound freak adding a new dimension to the offense.

Not only will Niklas be a great blocker with that size, he will also be a matchup nightmare in the passing game. Whomever is named starting quarterback will have no trouble locating this monster on the field. It's tough to miss a person who is 6'7".

The only question mark surrounding Niklas as a tight end is his understanding of the offense. Will he grasp the concepts quickly? Anyone's guess is as good as mine at this point. Fall camp will provide more insight on the matter.

Ben Koyack

It's tough to imagine that Ben Koyack would not see an expanded role in the Fighting Irish offense this season, particularly with the lack of playmakers available.

Koyack, rated by Rivals.com as a 4-star prospect in the Class of 2011, recorded a time of 4.59 seconds in the 40-yard-dash as a prep phenom. That type of speed makes Koyack a lethal threat in the passing game.

Despite that type of speed from a 6'5", 230-pound athlete, blocking is likely to be the telling tale in whether or not the Oil City, Pa., native sees more playing time. The Irish offense will feature more two- and three-tight end sets this season, so each tight end on the depth chart must be an effective blocker and pass-catcher.

This season will be a tremendous indicator of the progress Koyack has made since setting foot on campus last fall.

Alex Welch

Alex Welch's two-plus seasons in South Bend have quiet, to say the least.

Welch was a ballyhooed 4-star recruit in the 2010 class who was expected to be the next great tight end at Notre Dame. However, it was Tyler Eifert who earned that distinction.

Because Eifert has evolved into such a consistent, high-level player, Welch has been stuck in Eifert's shadows, and he will likely be stuck there for one more season.

Disagree with me? Take a look at Welch's stat sheet from last season. The Cincinnati native recorded one reception for a whopping eight yards last year.

That's right, one reception.

I'm not convinced that Welch will have a breakout season, especially considering his bottom line from last season.

Tyler Eifert

Tyler Eifert will be the face of the Notre Dame offense this fall.

Eifert earns that title after a 2011 season in which the 6'6", 251-pound Fort Wayne, Ind., product hauled in 63 receptions for 803 yards to go along with five touchdowns.

Those impressive figures were enough for Eifert to flirt with entering the 2012 NFL Draft, but the senior-to-be decided to return to South Bend for another collegiate season.

That decision likely made Eifert the top tight end in the 2013 NFL Draft. He has business to tend to before the professional ranks come calling, though.

With Michael Floyd no longer in the mix, Eifert has the capability to surpass 1,000 receiving yards this season. Should he reach 1,000 yards, pro scouts will be drooling as they watch Eifert do so.

Oh, and don't forget that First-Team All-American honors likely come with another outstanding season, too.

Conclusion

Brian Kelly has himself quite the group of tight ends. There's no mystery about that.

Whether he pushes the freakishly talented bunch to its potential is another story. It can only help the third-year head coach hang the types of numbers on the scoreboard that he desires.

The group is likely to be considered the nation's best tight end unit by a slew of preseason publications.

The continued success of this group has also paid dividends on the recruiting trail. Mike Heuerman, a 4-star tight end from Naples, Fla., recently verbally committed to the Fighting Irish.