Last week Kyle Rudolph and Michael Floyd were named to the CollegeFootballNews.com Freshmen All American team. This week, the Irish duo were honored again by the Sporting News and Phill Steele Freshman All American teams.
Rudolph, who started all 12 games at tight end for the Irish, was a first team selection from all three selections and with this week’s news that Will Yeatman is transferring, he will be counted on heavily again in 2009. The return of Mike Ragone who missed all of the 2008 season with a torn ACL could cut into Rudolph’s playing time some next season since Rudolph was largely the only tight end used by Notre Dame most of the season.
Floyd was a 2nd team selection by Phill Steele, just as he was CollegeFootballNews.com as well. Had Floyd not gotten hurt he would likely have been a first team selection on everyone’s All Freshmen Team. Floyd essentially missed three ful games since he was injured at the beginning of the first quarter against Navy and still finished the year with 46 catches, 702 yards, and 7 touchdowns. Those stats, projected over a full 12 games would have been 61 catches, 936 yards, and 9 touchdowns.
Congrats to both Rudolph and Floyd – something tells me this won’t be the last time these two appear on some All American lists.
I’m surprised Floyd wasn’t named first team. If he weren’t injured, his stats would have been the best for any freshman.