Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly hasn't been shy about how highly he thinks of Fighting Irish junior defensive lineman Sheldon Day.
But Kelly has taken his praise for Day to a different level in putting him, potentially, in a class above two defensive linemen chosen on the second day of the NFL draft this year: Louis Nix and Stephon Tuitt.
"Sheldon Day can be the best lineman that we've had here. He's going to have to play a whole season and prove it on the field and stay healthy, but I believe he can be the best defensive lineman I've had here," Kelly told Sports Illustrated.
Tuitt was a second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 46 overall) as a defensive end. Nix, a nose guard, went to the Houston Texans in the third round (No. 83). In Week 1, Day made six tackles in a win over Rice, one for a loss (his 10th career TFL). Versatile enough to play inside or outside, the 6-2, 285-pounder has been a solid contributor for Kelly since his freshman season.
"He's disruptive and athletic and has great work ethic," Kelly added. "He can play every snap. That wasn't the case with either Nix or Tuitt, who were great players in their own right. But they did not have the same work volume that Sheldon has."
Working in Day's favor for a breakout season is a more aggressive style of play up front, required in Notre Dame's new 4-3 defense under coordinator Brian VanGorder. Day could be eligible for the 2015 NFL Draft if he choses to forego his final year of NCAA eligibility.
He'll get a much bigger test, and a key film sample where his draft evaluation is concerned, this week when Notre Dame plays host to Michigan.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread.*
