Notre Dame junior TE Kyle Rudolph (@krudy9) will forgo his senior season and enter the 2011 NFL Draft. http://tinyurl.com/37svxga
Brian Hardin
bhardin2
So the news is finally official. Kyle Rudolph will enter the 2011 NFL Draft. While some had held out hope that the junior Notre Dame tight end would return for his senior year in 2011, this was a business decision for Rudolph who will more than probably the #1 TE took in the draft.
I won’t sit here and tell you that this is no big deal- because it is. Kyle Rudolph is probably the best tight end Notre Dame has ever had play- regardless of stats. A team doesn’t lose that type of player and just moves on, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Because of Rudolph’s health issues this season, redshirt freshman Tyler Eifert was inserted into the starting lineup and played very, very well. Because of that, Irish fans can move forward towards 2011 with a little more confidence than what may have been felt when we would bounce this subject around last summer.
Kyle Rudolph is as good of a student athlete that you will find on any roster, and his leadership, talent, and love of the game will be missed. The “next man in” credo is in full effect.
Thanks to Kyle for 3 years of dedication and representation for our beloved Notre Dame! 
