Notre Dame Season Preview: Wide Receivers Ready To Break Out

Notre Dame has plenty of talent at wide receiver, but who steps up and becomes impact players is a question

Notre Dame has a chance to be a much improved offense in 2023, but if the Fighting Irish are going to reach their full potential the wide receivers have to produce at a much higher level than they did a season ago. The talent is there to do just that, but we'll need to find out if this group has what it takes to make the big plays in big moments, and show their talent on a consistent basis.

We will find out if the talent on the roster is truly there, and just how good position coach Chansi Stuckey is at developing that talent. If both are as good as I think, and Irish fans hope, we'll see a much different looking group in 2023.

Let's continue the 2023 season preview for Notre Dame with a look at the wide receivers.

2023 ROSTER

Here are the career stats for Notre Dame's wide receivers.

Chris Tyree - 56 catches, 461 yards, 8.2 YPC, 4 TD / 1,162 rushing yards, 8 TD
Jayden Thomas - 25 catches, 361 yards, 14.4 YPC, 3 TD
Deion Colzie - 13 catches, 259 yards, 19.9 YPC, 1 TD
Matt Salerno - 6 catches, 58 yards, 9.7 YPC, 1 TD
Tobias Merriweather - 1 catch, 41 yards, 1 TD

MERRIWEATHER-THOMAS COMBO MUST SHINE

Right now, Notre Dame enters the season without a proven and established pass catcher. Junior Jayden Thomas had some good moments in 2022 and sophomore Tobias Merriweather has loads of talent, but neither are the kind of established players needed to thrive on a championship caliber offense. That means their emergence in 2023 is essential to the team's success.

The excitement about Merriweather tends to overshadow the offseason that Thomas had. It was Thomas that finished the season off as the most steady pass catcher, and he was the most consistently effective during the spring as well. Notre Dame needs him to carry this into the season and provide the offense with a steady volume pass catcher that can do a lot of things.

Thomas has the size (6-1 1/2, 220) to thrive in the slot or outside in the boundary, and I expect him to get time at both positions this season. He showed himself late in the season to be a very reliable pass catcher and good route runner that knows how to get open. He's not a speedy wideout, but he is strong and is a good athlete, and his ability to win in tough catch situations improved greatly compared to early in the season.

Merriweather is slated to be the starter at the field outside position (Z), and he's expected to be an important part of the offense, assuming he can stay healthy. The 6-4 sophomore brings big play potential to the offense, but he's also a good route runner for his class and offseason strength gains have him in position to be an every down receiver.

If Merriweather has the breakout Notre Dame fans are hoping, and if Thomas can become the dependable pass catcher he showed himself to be this spring, the Irish offense will have the kind of impact one-two punch it needs to be a big time offense. Both also have the size and ability to get downfield that quarterback Sam Hartman showed he likes while at Wake Forest.

Veteran Matt Salerno is also expected to complement this group with leadership and quality snaps at both the Z and slot positions.

TYREE GETS A FRESH START

Senior Chris Tyree is the team's leading career rusher and pass catcher, and he actually has more career catches than all the other receivers on the roster, combined. The shift from running back is still a work in progress for Tyree, who must still improve his route running and pass catching consistency. But his speed and playmaking ability is something the staff is hoping they can get to shine even more on the perimeter.

Tyree will get plenty of opportunities to show he can be the playmaker Irish fans have wanted him to be throughout his career. We have seen flashes from Tyree, who has a pair of 90+ yard touchdowns in his career, as well as three more 40+ yard touchdowns. Tyree also had a 6-catch, 115-yard performance in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State.

The Virginia native isn't a shaky, make you miss in space kind of player. His game is all about speed, and Notre Dame coaches are hoping that putting him outside will allow him to get more opportunities to turn that speed loose both vertically and in the screen game. If he can consistently catch the football, Tyree will have a chance to add home run production to the wide receiver position, which will put defenses in major binds. If Tyree forces you to key on him in the slot with his speed, it makes it much harder to defend the bigger outside pass catchers and tight ends.

COLZIE GETS HIS SHOT

It's bizarre how much Deion Colzie's production heading into 2023 mirrors that of Miles Boykin heading into 2018, and how the concerns about him mirror those of Boykin. Colzie enters his junior season with 13 career catches for 259 yards, which is good for 19.9 yards per reception. Going into his senior season (2018), Boykin had just 18 catches for 334 career yards, and he was coming off a 12-catch, 253 yard season, close to Colzie's 9 catches for 192 yards last fall.

Colzie is long, has surprisingly good vertical speed and possesses the God-given ability to be an impact pass catcher. So did Boykin, but it took him three seasons to finally break out. The question about Colzie is whether or not he truly has the drive to maximize his talent, to take his raw tools and show the focus, fire and desire to turn them into big time production.

The light finally went on for Boykin, who had 59 catches for 872 yards and eight touchdowns in 2018. Notre Dame needs the same to happen for Colzie this season, they need him to look in the mirror and decide he is going to do whatever it takes to reach his full potential.

A case could be made that no Notre Dame receiver has as much raw talent as Colzie, but he's a long way away from turning his potential into production. Notre Dame can still have a good receiving corps if Colzie doesn't step up, but if the light does go on it could be very, very hard to slow this group down. 

FRESHMAN IMPACT

Notre Dame signed one of the nation's best wide receiver hauls in the 2023 class, and that group has already made its presence felt, but they are just getting started.

Jaden Greathouse is one of the most prolific prep receivers in Texas high school football history, and he showed in the spring he has the tools to continue being a highly productive player in college. Greathouse finished his first spring at Notre Dame with 11 catches in the Blue-Gold Game, and he's in position to earn plenty of opportunities in the fall.

Greathouse is a savvy pass catcher that has a college ready body and a college ready game. He's a quality athlete, and he knows how to get separation. If he builds on his spring performance there is no doubt he'll be an important part of the Notre Dame rotation in his rookie season.

Classmate Rico Flores Jr. also had a strong first spring with the Irish. Flores made a strong push up the depth chart in the spring, and his strong spring performance played a role in Notre Dame working Lorenzo Styles at cornerback, and in his eventual transfer. 

Flores doesn't have Greathouse's athleticism, but he's a highly advanced route runner and his ability to catch the football, even in tough spots, is outstanding. Like Greathouse, Flores has a tremendous opportunity to earn immediate playing for Notre Dame.

The most physically gifted wide receiver in the class is Braylon James, who brings big time playmaking ability to the roster. James isn't nearly as advanced or as experienced as his classmates, and he could end up needing some time to learn the nuances of the position. James might not get as much playing time in his rookie season, but if he works on his craft he has the tools to eventually be the best player from this group.

Kaleb Smith might need some time to get healthy before he can crack the lineup, but his combination of after-the-catch skills, speed and hands are unique on the roster. 

KEY STORYLINES

1. Can Stuckey Push The Group Forward - There is no doubt that position coach Chansi Stuckey has showed he is a big time recruiter. Now in his second season with the Irish, he must show he is also a big time position coach. His wideouts showed good progress in year one, but his biggest test comes now. There is talent at the position, but it must be developed, and that's up to Stuckey.

2. Merriweather Needs To Step Up - It's hard to imagine Notre Dame having a wide receiver unit good enough to be part of a championship offense without Merriweather stepping up and being a key part of it. He has all the talent to be that kind of player, but he also has just one career catch. Does he follow in the footsteps of past wideouts like Golden Tate, Will Fuller and Equanimeous St. Brown as a sophomore standout, or will he need more time? 

3. Does The Light Go On For Colzie - The dream scenario for Notre Dame is that both Merriweather and Colzie have breakout seasons. Combine that with Thomas and Tyree doing what they do, and this reality would make the Notre Dame receiving corps one of the nation's best. Right now Merriweather has taken the bigger steps towards that objective, but if Colzie breaks out this fall the Irish wideouts will be exceptional.

4. The Rookies Must Be Ready - Notre Dame will need its rookies to step up and be important rotation players. Watching how they grow their games in fall camp will be one of the more intriguing storylines.

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2024 Commit Rankings - Defense

2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

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