Notre Dame shut out on NFL Draft’s third day
In the middle of the sixth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday, former Notre Dame nose guard Ian Williams whipped out his smartphone and spoke for all but one of his fellow ex-teammates.
“Beyond (ticked) off right now,” Williams posted on his Twitter account.
It’s possible Williams’ pizza was late, or the television reception was poor. Most likely he was reacting to Notre Dame getting shut out of the final four rounds of the Draft, leaving just one Irish player -- tight end Kyle Rudolph -- selected among the 254 picks.
In fairness, programs such as Oregon, Kansas State, Boston College and Georgia Tech also only had one player selected. Then again, Appalachian State boasted three draftees and the Irish had as many players picked as Slippery Rock.
That left Williams, cornerback Darrin Walls, fullback Robert Hughes and others in a particularly grueling purgatory. Typically, undrafted players almost immediately sign as free agents with an NFL team, alleviating some of the sting.
But the lockout prevents any of them from signing free-agent contracts, meaning they will be without a team for the foreseeable future.
“Tough day today,” Williams tweeted as the Draft neared its end. There may be a few more ahead, too.
Twitter @ChiTribHamilton
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