The scouting process for the draft runs primarily from September through mid- April. The athletic testing portion of the evaluation process takes center stage starting in February. However, how NFL draft prospects perform in actual football games is what matters most. Here is a closer look at some of the notable prospects in the Notre Dame- Michigan State contest and their impact on the outcome:
TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame, Senior: The big Irish tight end did not catch a pass (1 drop and drew 1 pass interference penalty), but contributed in other ways. Eifert gave effort as a blocker and helped Notre Dame ice the win in the 4th quarter with a good seal block on a 4th and 1 run. He is not a punishing blocker, but Eifert can bend his knees and has some tenacity. Notre Dame did not look his way very often in the passing game. Notre Dame moved him around a bunch, but was content to throw elsewhere. The team's freshman quarterback spread the ball around a lot and did not force the ball to Eifert. The talented tight end might have been less than full strength after sustaining a mild concussion the previous week against Purdue.
ILB Manti Te'o, Notre Dame, Senior: Te'o led an impressive Irish defense with 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 pass break-ups and a fumble recovery. This was a match-up that suited the Notre Dame middle linebacker very well. The Spartans' offense revolves around a big running back. The Notre Dame defensive line dominated Michigan State's offensive line and Te'o had no problem finding Le'Veon Bell. Te'o diagnosed plays quickly and did a good job of wrapping up and securing the tackle. The veteran linebacker displayed excellent range when defending outside runs. He also was very aware in pass coverage and was quick to limit run-after-the-catch gains. Michigan State's big tight end, Dion Sims, caught 6 passes for only 52 yards (8.7 per). Te'o did a fine job of mirroring Sims and tackling him right away.
RB Le'Veon Bell, Michigan State, Junior: The big back and focal point of Michigan State's offense was limited to 77 yards on 19 carries (4.1 per). Bell was also pedestrian in the pass receiving department (4 receptions for 20 yards (5.0 per) and had a couple of drops). Notre Dame frequently stacked the box against Bell and dared their young quarterback to make them pay by completing passes downfield. He could not and Bell found very little running room. The talented junior flashed good speed for a big man on outside runs, but never could burst into the secondary for a big gain.
Bell, like most big backs, was much easier to tackle because Notre Dame frequently was able to hit him before he could build-up momentum. Bell normally has decent hands, but he dropped a couple of passes and seemed to be pressing to make something happen. He utilized his trademark hurdle to elude one tackler, but he should not get in the habit of trying to hurdle defenders. Bell is a big back who has to consistently run behind his pads to fulfill his potential in the NFL. A power back with light feet has to be careful not to become too finesse-oriented. Bell did a solid job in blitz pick-up. Overall, Michigan State's offense proved to be too limited to give Notre Dame's defense problems. Every talented back runs into a defense that limits him. It will be interesting to see if Bell responds by running with extra determination. The good ones do not like to be stopped and take it personally.
DE William Gholston, Michigan State, Junior: The very talented Spartan defensive end had a relatively quiet 5 tackle, 1 tackle for loss performance against Notre Dame. Michigan State moved Gholston around, but the Notre Dame offensive tackles did a solid job of staying in front of him. Gholston is quick out of his stance, but was predictable with his pass rush moves. He relied primarily on a bull rush and could use some variety (rip and a club move) to keep offensive linemen guessing as to what is coming. He also played high at times, which limited his use of leverage.
However, Gholston's considerable physical gifts were very apparent. His huge wingspan allowed him to trip up a Notre Dame back to prevent a 1st down in the 4th quarter. He displayed the quickness to beat his man to the inside and flush the mobile Irish quarterback. Gholston helped stuff the run several times by overpowering the blocker in front of him. The Michigan State defensive lineman has the build to be an ideal 3-4 defensive end in the NFL. The true junior played hard throughout the game. His ability is similar to Calais Campbell's and there is plenty of upside to his game.
CB Johnny Adams, Michigan State, Senior: The two-year starter was beaten deep early for a touchdown. Adams located the football in the air, but could not elevate and get an arm up to knock the pass down. He ended up interfering with the Notre Dame receiver who still made the touchdown grab. Adams was later penalized again for interference. His aggressiveness was a double-edged sword in this game.
Adams is an effective blitzer and likes to help in run support. He was able to jump a route and break-up a pass in the 2nd quarter. The Michigan State cornerback struggled at times to disengage from blocks. Adams finished the game with 3 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup and a sack. He looked more like a zone cornerback at the next level than someone a defensive coordinator would want to leave in man coverage on an island.
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