Notre Dame fans are going to see the matchup with Northern Illinois, and just assume that this game is a cakewalk. A place like Northern Illinois can’t have talent, right? Wrong again.
The Huskies actually have several players who impressed on film, and could have a chance to stick in the NFL. Here are the Northern Illinois draft prospects to know.
Densely built at 221 pounds, Brown is a player who wants to get vertical in a hurry. He’s fresh off of a 2023 season where he rushed for 1,296 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also averaging 6.1 yards per carry. We saw that talent and upside during Week One against Western Illinois, both in the run and pass game. There’s little question who the top talent on Northern Illinois is.
For a bigger back, Brown does a lot of the things you would expect. He plays with a low center of gravity, and can work through arm tackles. His power profile is impressive, having the talent to create hidden yardage. The explosiveness that Brown possesses, however, can take you off guard. While he doesn’t have great long speed, Brown gets up to it quickly. He is a nice combination of size, contact balance, and short area burst.
WR Trayvon Rudolph - 5100e, 187e
While he is not the biggest wide receiver you’ll find, Rudolph makes up for it with his feel in space. He has good long speed, but Rudolph’s best work comes in short spaces. The quickness he possesses can be a lot to handle in 1-on-1 situations. Rudolph is not only used as a pass game weapon for the Huskies, but also as a gadget player at times.
Rudolph is coming off of a tremendous performance against Western Illinois. In the passing game, he hauled in four receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown. In the running game; Rudolph also ran the football twice for 67 yards and a touchdown. That versatility could allow Rudolph to stick on the next level.
TE Grayson Barnes - 6050e, 225e
One of the more interesting players on the Northern Illinois roster is tight end Grayson Barnes, who is much more of a pass game weapon than a traditional in-line tight end. At 6-5 and 225 pounds, there will be a lot of questions around whether he contributes at all as a blocker. That criticism is fair, but there is at least effort in that area.
As a receiver, Barnes presents a lot of problems for opposing defenses. His length is a lot to handle for your traditional defensive backs, and his athleticism is a tough ask for opposing linebackers. Barnes showed off that athletic skill against Western Illinois, hauling in five receptions for 95 yards. He is more than likely a PFA type but if he can contribute on special teams, Barnes’ mismatch upside is interesting to try and develop.
Just a junior, it’s very unlikely that we will start talking about Williams until the 2026 NFL Draft class. Still, the physical profile is something to take notice of, and quickly pops on film. Super long at 6-6 and 251 pounds, there are clear building blocks to work with here. Williams has not yet grown fully into his body, having a bit of a gangly build, and is still somewhat awkward. As he continues to add good weight, there is upside to get excited about.
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