Jeff Samardzija WR 6'5 218 Notre Dame

After being a reserve that didn’t make much noise as a freshman and sophomore, Samardzija blew up. With the offense Charlie Weis installed, he became one of the best receivers in the country. He had a combined 24 catches for 327 yards in two years, but hauled in 71 passes for 1,190 yards and 15 TD’s as a junior. He was again one of the top wideouts in college as a senior, hauling in 70 balls for 958 yards and 11 touchdowns. Samardzija is not just a football star though. He played baseball for Notre Dame as well, and signed with the Chicago Cubs as a 7th round pick.

Jeff Samardzija’s combination of size and athletic ability is amazing. He is a legitimate 6'5, and has fantastic body control on the field. He is a nightmare matchup in one on one situations for a cornerback because of his ability to go get the football. He knows how to use his size over the middle and in the red zone to come down with the football.

The only physical flaw with Samardzija is that he isn’t the fleetest of foot. He is not slow, but he is not a player that you will see make big plays after the catch on a consistent basis. His athleticism allows him to be more than just a possession guy, but he probably will not be a big playmaker.

While he may not be the biggest playmaker with the ball in his hands, Samardzija is a very good wide receiver, and could have a successful NFL career. Even though he signed with the Cubs, he is sticking with football. He signed for $7.25 million with the Cubs, but it is back loaded, so if he chooses football as his sport of choice in the professional ranks, he will not see much of that money.