I was watching highlights from 80's and 90's and I have to say it's Derrick Mayes in my book.. Not the gaudy stats of others but that man can catch a ball
Rocket as a junior was probably the more dominant overall player, but kick/punt returns and handoffs out of the backfield were the reason.
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I love them all!
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1) Jim Seymour
2)Ken MacAfee
3)Tom Gatewood
My era.... Hanratty to Seymour...Nick Eddy in the backfield....Theismann to Gatewood- Cotton Bowl...
Hanratty hitting Jim Seymour for 13 passes, three TDS, 276 yds...vs a highly ranked Rose Bowl bound Purdue team...and then gracing the cover of a nat'l magazine..and then going on to win the natl title..Still one of the best teams ever, not just at ND..
For me....All time greatest...
His junior season was Heisman worthy.
And this video shows my favorite Notre Dame play of all time. I get goosebumps every time I watch it.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD380XDs-NY
On the same level as Tim Brown or the Rocket? Gimme a break.
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Link: https://youtu.be/HkVvnfXZK3I
And Tate was a flyer that caught everything.
He was the better player.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T67HDocsEY
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dynamic offense with him.
He won a Heisman and is an NFL hall of famer. Rocket second, Tate third. Robbie Parris last.
But man we could use a Golden Tate on this team.
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I would say Shark, Stovall, Gatewood, Mayes...
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3 time all-American (I don’t even know how many guys at ND meet this honor)
Walter Camp award winner
3rd in the Heisman vote.
No one except Brown can post stats like that!
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1. Tim Brown ( although Rocket was even more dynamic player because of running back factor and did it in 3 years)
2. Jack Snow
3. Will Fuller, Golden Tate, Jeff Samardzija, Michael Floyd
Best all around offensive player Rocket Ismael easily.
Wow.. completely looked over Jack Snow... thanks for the reminder...I am getting old..Lol..
...I guess I’m showing my age :)
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Even though ND (and CF teams in general) threw the ball a lot less than in present day, Lake Dawson seemed to catch anything and everything that was thrown his way. Derrick Mayes too. There were times in the early 90s I wish Holtz would have let Mirer/McDougal throw the ball a little more with those 2 guys on the roster (not to mention Irv Smith, Oscar McBride, Clint Johnson and even Adrian Jarrell)
Samardzija, Floyd, Tate, Fuller, Rocket and (obviously) Tim Brown have to be mentioned as well.
If I had to pick a ND WR to catch a ball that must be caught (and only had one choice) I would go with Golden Tate.
He'd be one of my top 5 if I needed some magic after ball was caught, but not even top 10 if it's a 'have to catch this one' situation.
I never remember him dropping any others and the degree of difficulty of many of his catches when considered how dangerous he was after the catch was truly uncanny. He continues to pile up the YAC in the pros.
Frankly, Floyd was a bit overrated.
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I envision the thought bubble over his head every time a ball was thrown his was as
"Mine!"
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Raki Nelson was a notch below.
Refs robbed us blind that day.
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Same with Jim Seymour....
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Usually stay away from these discussions as it is near impossible to compare players in different eras.
That being said JS was probably the most difficult ND receiver to cover man to man I've seen in person (aka 1961 on).
-Like another poster was at his first game, Purdue. After seeing him in the Spring game vs a good secondary could not believe that Purdue covered him man to man - they took a somewhat different approach two years later.
-Still remember a game vs Oklahoma: the ball was inside the 10 with JS lined up on the short side of the field ... we ran a simple drop back out pass ... JS ran his pattern so well he was open by nearly 10 yards ... his defender didn't fall down etc JS just left him well towards the middle of the EZ.
-Only saw one team actually go man to man once everyone knew how good he was: Purdue. They used Leroy Keyes as a DB with a lot of effectiveness. Not sure that would have worked so well had ND been able to study film of him doing that.
BTW Eifert might have been the best receiver "ever" for an offensively handicapped team. In 2012 he was our passing game and every team knew that going in. Was amazed on how we schemed to get him a chance to get open and what he did with those opportunities.
A little off topic ... going into 1966 we had the four best receivers I've ever seen on any ND team. Two are well know JS and Bob Gladieux, two not at all: Paul Snow (Jack's brother who hurt a knee and only had a brief career but a spectacular start in 67 until he reininjured it ) and Curt Henegan (he was running neck and neck with JS in the Spring but hurt his leg offseason and came back a step too slow so again had a limited career)
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Samardzija
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What about Stovall
Stovall was mediocre until his Senior season when he got in phenomenal shape and teamed with Jeff Samardzija for a very formidable WR tandem. I used to wonder how much more deadly that offense could have been if Rhema McKnight had not gotten hurt at Michigan early in the 2005 season.
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blocked like a tackle, ran like a wide receiver and bailed his passer out many times. MacAfee did catch a lot of balls and was unstoppable but we threw way more at his time. I can see your argument though.
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