Lions jerseys. Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen decides to enter draft.

by alasjtom on 2009-12-08 16:43:05

McShay: Right Move For Clausen

VIDEO PLAYLIST McShay: Right Move For Clausen

Todd McShay talks about Jimmy Clausen’s decision to enter the NFL Draft.

Tags: College Football, NFL, NFL Draft, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

---

MNF: Ravens at Packers (8:30 ET)

Walker: Ravens must bring the heat

Seifert: Are Packers really elite on D?

Scouts: Flacco, Rodgers need protection

Outsiders: Driver, Mason still rolling

Scouts: Ravens-Packers preview

---

**COMMENTARY/BLOGS**

Scouts: Jets face tough call on Edwards

Outsiders: Blame the Cowboys’ run game

Sando: Cards storm back into NFC picture

Chadiha: Favre’s learning from 2008 slide

Mosley: Giants’ new-look D comes through

Graham: Henne’s heroics lift Dolphins

Yasinskas: Meachem, Saints lucky and good

Pasquarelli: Vick grabs spotlight

Kuharsky: Colts meeting great expectations

Walker: Steelers’ D melts down again

Williamson: Cassel tanks in front of mentor

**Blog Network: Week 13 Rapid Reaction**

**Blog Network: Week 13 Wrap-ups**

---

"After the season, in talking to my parents and obviously Coach Weis, I just feel it’s the right time," Clausen told ESPN.com on Monday before a news conference in South Bend. "Coach Weis told me whether he was going to be here or not be here, it was time for me to go. He thought I’ve improved so much since I came to Notre Dame. So, I’m taking his advice, and I’m going to head out."

**McShay on Clausen**

ESPN’s Todd McShay says Jimmy Clausen is likely to be taken in the first round, but considers him a second-tier quarterback prospect and would not draft him in the top-15 overall.

Story Following the advice of deposed Irish coach Charlie Weis, Clausen has decided to forgo his senior season and enter this April’s draft. Rated as perhaps the top quarterback in this year’s class, he is believed to be coveted by St. Louis, Cleveland, and Washington — three teams that will conceivably pick in the top five.

He completed 68 percent of his passes, and threw 28 touchdowns with only four interceptions — three of which were tipped. Weis has told NFL scouts that Clausen “didn’t miss a read all year,” and particularly raved about his accuracy and personal growth.

Weis said in a prepared statement released by the school that he thinks the players have a great chance to be successful in the NFL.

Check out the new ESPN Chicago, the place for your local Chicago sports coverage.

Notre Dame wide receiver Golden Tate also announced he will enter the draft Monday.

---

**Most Sent**

"With the year I had this year, it was kind of hard to stay. To be honest, I don’t think I can do much better next year or any year, so I think the time is right," Tate said at a news conference. "It’ll probably be just like going from high school to college, but a lot faster than college is. Obviously, being under Coach Weis, being in a pro-style offense, knowing the terminologies, will help me. But the biggest thing will probably be just getting in the playbook and mentally preparing myself to do everything I can to get on the field as quick as I can and help whichever team I go to win."

---

The consensus No. 1 high school recruit in the country three years ago, Clausen chose Notre Dame over USC solely because of Weis’ NFL pedigree. Weis — who tutored both Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe in New England — assured Clausen he would prepare him best for the pro game, and Clausen rewarded the coach with a spectacular junior season.

The Irish slumped to a 6-6 finish, and Clausen was sucker punched by a fan outside of a South Bend bar after a devastating overtime loss to Connecticut. But six days later, he threw for 340 yards and five touchdowns at Stanford, and his ability to persevere is why several general managers, who have requested anonymity, believe he is the most NFL-ready quarterback in this year’s draft.

They say he’s already mastered an NFL offense, has already been subjected to a leaky offensive line and has already been part of a rebuilding process. They like that he played his entire college career on national TV and that he thrived in one of the biggest fishbowls in sports: Notre Dame.

---

MORE FROM ESPN CHICAGO

Jimmy Clausen enrolled at Notre Dame to learn about the NFL. Looks like he’s learned enough. Clausen To Enter NFL Draft

Mark May thinks it is a smart move for Jimmy Clausen to enter the NFL Draft.

Tags: NCF, NFL, NFL Draft, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

"Coach Weis told me whether he was going to be here or not be here, it was time for me to go. He thought I’ve improved so much since I came to Notre Dame. So, I’m taking his advice, and I’m going to head out."

"I don’t think I could’ve gone to a better place to get prepared to play than under someone like Coach Weis," Clausen said. "The NFL is something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a little kid growing up. It’s just a dream come true, and I’m just having a great time right now."

Clausen’s other advantage, according to scouts, is that he’s already 22 and has already been away from home to play football — meaning the transition to the pro lifestyle won’t be an issue. The other top-rated quarterbacks in the upcoming draft — Sam Bradford of Oklahoma and Colt McCoy of Texas, to name two — went to college in their home states. As a freshman, coming off elbow surgery, Clausen weighed only 190 pounds and played behind a porous offensive line. He was vilified during that year’s 3-9 season, but bounced back as a sophomore to lead Notre Dame to its first bowl victory since 1994 (over Hawaii). In the offseason before his junior year, he invited several Irish receivers to his home in Westlake Village, Calif., and the bonding experience paid off. He was picked as a team captain, and ended up throwing 24 of his touchdowns to wide receivers Tate and Michael Floyd.

ESPN NFL TV RADIO MAGAZINE INSIDER SHOP ESPN360 SPORTSCENTER En Español myESPN NFL Draft 2010 Updated: December 7, 2009, 6:39 PM ET Clausen, Tate to enter NFL draft Comment Email Print Share By Tom Friend ESPN.com Archive McShay: Right Move For Clausen

"They made big play after big play week after week this fall — and there’s no question they are two of the best players in the nation at their respective positions," he said.

"The scrutiny of being the quarterback at Notre Dame and the head coach at Notre Dame is tough," said Clausen, who is 6-foot-3, 225 pounds. "And I think it’ll prepare me really well for the next level."

tags users