Three Notre Dame players make Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List
In total, 484 college football players made the 10th annual Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List on Wednesday, an all-star game played in Mobile, Ala., ahead of the NFL Draft each year. Three current Notre Dame upperclassmen made the cut as they chase their professional goals in 2022.
Wide receiver Braden Lenzy
Lenzy returned to Notre Dame with one individual goal.
“I’d say my return is strictly to prepare for next year to hopefully get drafted,” the 5-11, 180-pound wideout said in April.
Recognition from the Senior Bowl is a decent place to start.
The Oregon native known for his speed has had a turbulent career at Notre Dame thus far, but the coaches are very high on him right now.
“I can’t say enough good things about Braden Lenzy right now,” offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said in the spring. Where he’s grown from a maturity and commitment standpoint has been unbelievable to see. His dependability is through the roof.”
Lenzy’s biggest challenge might be his own health. He’s dealt with nagging injuries for a lot of his career and has yet to played every game of an Irish season. Last year was his best performance, however, as he played in 12 of 13 games and posted 32 receptions for 350 yards and three touchdowns.
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Offensive guard Josh Lugg
The sixth-year lineman elected to take advantage of the COVID-19 blanket waiver afforded to all players in 2020 and returns to Notre Dame for sixth year this fall. Lugg stands at 6-7 and 316 pounds and is one of just a handful of players on the Irish roster who has been a part of Notre Dame’s two College Football Playoff appearances. He even played for Harry Hiestand during the famed offensive line coach’s first stint at Notre Dame.
Per Pro Football Focus, Lugg has played 1,607 offensive line snaps in his career and his versatility will be attractive to NFL scouts come the spring.
“I wouldn’t consider myself like how Liam Eichenberg is a left tackle, Robert Hainsey is a right tackle,” Lugg said this spring. “I think I’m a versatile player. If there’s a position that’s open, I’m going to compete for that spot and make sure I earn that spot.”
Center/offensive guard Jarrett Patterson
Patterson certainly has the best chance to be drafted of the three Senior Bowl nominees out of Notre Dame. He could potentially sneak into the first round depending on how his fall goes. The 6-4, 310-pound California native is a preseason first-team AP All-American, and Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN listed him as the No. 2 draft-eligible center on his early 2023 NFL Draft Big Board.
The tackle turned center turned guard is off to a rough start entering his fifth year, as he is dealing with a foot sprain. Head coach Marcus Freeman said he was questionable for Ohio State on Sept. 3, but a hard cast signals Patterson might be a bit farther from making a start this fall.
