Notre Dame Graduates Could Be Steals at NFL Draft.

With the upcoming NFL Draft less than three weeks away, the three captains of last year's Hawaii Bowl Championship team from Notre Dame could be middle-to-late round booms for NFL teams. David Bruton, Maurice Crum, and David Grimes are three of the most under appreciated players in the draft.

With Notre Dame rebuilding the last two years, these guys never really got the recognition they deserve. Make no mistake of it though these guys can play.

Bruton is as good as any safety in the draft. He really only got to show his talent one year at Notre Dame. He was behind Tom Zbikowski for the first three years. When it came to making turnovers, this guy was your man. He saved that first game of the year against the Aztecs. That could have been embarrassing otherwise. He was also very effective on special teams which could land him a job by itself.

Maurice Crum was the clear cut leader of that defense last year. It was a defense that was a lot better than people give it credit for. With an already strong linebacker class (Lauranitis from Ohio State and all the guys from USC), Crum is probably the most underrated. If drafted, he will be a steal for somebody. This guy is an animal who can really tackle.

Grimes is an interesting story. He is probably the only guy to be a key receiver for both Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen. He was the young guy for the old regime and the veteran for the new regime. Because of that he never really got an opportunity to be the primary receiver.

However, Golden Tate and Michael Floyd both speak very highly of his leadership to them. Also, this guy can catch the ball. I remember a couple plays of him that really stand out.

The first was against Navy when Quinn hit him from the 50. He made a diving catch that was unbelievable. The second was at the Hawaii Bowl. He made a one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone that showcased speed and concentration. It was a timing pass from Clausen.

These three guys probably won't ever get the recognition they deserve for their contribution to the Notre Dame program. Irish fans are expecting big things this year and these three will be big reasons why. It was their leadership who prepared these kids. I have no doubt these guys can play at the next level.