While Ben Koyack was the only former Irish football player selected in the NFL Draft, the football careers of three other Notre Dame players continue. Kicker/punter Kyle Brindza, wide receiver DaVaris Daniels and cornerback Cody Riggs all signed free agent contracts on Saturday.
For Brindza, he’ll have a shot to win a roster spot for his hometown team, the Detroit Lions. Notre Dame’s all-time leading kicker will compete with veteran Matt Prater for the placekicking job, with his versatility potentially bringing some value as well. Brindza himself tweeted that he worked out for the Lions just a few weeks before the draft—so the team must’ve liked what they saw.
Daniels signed with the Minnesota Vikings, who took a shot on another Notre Dame player, joining a roster filled with John Sullivan, Robert Blanton, Harrison Smith and Kyle Rudolph. He’ll also compete to join a receiving corps that lacks a top-end playmaker for young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, though the Vikings added Mike Wallace via a trade this offseason and drafted former blue-chip recruit and Maryland receiver Stefon Diggs in the fifth round.
The foot injury that derailed Riggs senior season also likely killed his draft hopes. But Riggs signed on with the Tennessee Titans as a free agent, detailing his thought process with Irish 247’s Nick Ironside, who was embedded with Riggs over the weekend.
“I felt like (Tennessee) was the best option for me to play in and I felt comfortable with them on the phone,” Riggs told Irish 247. “They didn’t draft any corners this year so I felt like it would be the best situation for me and they have a great coaching staff.”
Riggs is studying for finals as he finished his one-year Masters of Science and Management after earning his degree at Florida, making the most of the graduate transfer rule.