Clemson's Beaux Collins transfers to Notre Dame, the possible centerpiece to the retooled Irish WRs corps
Notre Dame’s continued restocking of its receivers room may now have its centerpiece. Clemson junior receiver Beaux Collins announced a transfer to South Bend on Sunday to use his final season of collegiate eligibility.
“There’s no other program with the exposure and respect they have week in and week out,” Collins said to On3Sports.com. “What also stood out to me was [Irish head coach Marcus Freeman] and the respect that he already has throughout the program from the top down. Joining up with other ballers on the offense is going to be a sight to see in the near future.”
Collins alone will bring in as much career production as the entire returning Irish receivers room, having caught 91 passes for 1,290 yards and 11 touchdowns in his three seasons with the Tigers. Notre Dame expects four returning receivers in 2024 among players who have ever seen a collegiate snap, current freshmen Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison, and juniors Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie combining for 88 catches for 1,375 yards and 14 touchdowns.
At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Collins should operate best along the boundary, physical enough to succeed against man coverage. The former four-star recruit and No. 63 overall prospect in the class of 2021, per rivals.com, Collins held offers from nearly all blue bloods three years ago, including Notre Dame.
Collins joins Florida International veteran receiver Kris Mitchell as the needed added pieces to the passing game. Not as large as Collins, Mitchell should contribute best along the wide side of the formation, allowing Greathouse to move back into the slot. At that point, the Irish may have a respectable starting unit among their receivers.
They remain a touch shorthanded with nine receivers on the 2024 roster, including the three commits expected to sign their National Letters of Intent this month. A properly constructed roster in modern college football has at least 10 healthy scholarship receivers at the start of preseason practices, some of that depth needed to simply cycle through receivers in practices to give coaches time to instruct players between repetitions.
Newly-announced receivers coach Mike Brown could conceivably continue looking for another receiver. He could also add one after spring practices.
Notre Dame announced Brown’s hiring on Sunday, adding that he will coach the receivers in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 29 vs. No. 19 Oregon State, a possibility as the Irish never designated a 10th assistant coach in place of receivers coach Chansi Stuckey.
INTO THE NFL DRAFT WITH ELIGIBILITY REMAINING
Linebacker Marist Liufau
Linebacker JD Bertrand
Right tackle Blake Fisher
OUTGOING TRANSFERS
Receiver Tobias Merriweather
Receiver Rico Flores Jr.
Receiver Chris Tyree
Receiver Braylon James
Tight end Holden Staes
Center Zeke Correll
Defensive end Nana Osafo-Mensah
INCOMING TRANSFERS
Receiver Kris Mitchell
Receiver Beaux Collins
Defensive back Jordan Clark
