Cole Kmet: 5 things to know about the 2020 NFL Draft prospect

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Cole Kmet is a tight end who is looking to make the jump from college to the pros.

The NFL hopeful spent three years at Notre Dame and is regarded as one of the best tight end prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft. Coming out of Saint Viator High School in Illinois, he had 48 receptions for 773 yards and four touchdowns as a senior.

Kmet was ranked the No. 3 tight end in the country going into his freshman year at Notre Dame by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals.

Here are five other things to know about Kmet.

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1) HOW DOES HE STACK UP?

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 25: Cole Kmet #TE08 of Notre Dame interviews during the first day of the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 25, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

Kmet is listed at 6-foot-6, 262 pounds. At the NFL Combine, he had 33-inch arms and 10 1/2-inch hands. He ran a 4.7 40-yard dash and had a 37-inch vertical jump.

2) SECURITY BLANKET

In 2019, Kmet quickly became a go-to option for Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book.

Kmet started 11 games for the Fighting Irish, and he came away with 43 receptions for 515 yards (12 yards per catch) and six touchdowns. Kmet missed the first two games of the season because he was dealing with a broken collarbone.

3) BEST GAME OF 2019

It didn’t take long for Kmet to get into a groove during 2019.

Kmet returned to game action in Notre Dame’s third game of the season, when the Fighting Irish took on at-the-time No. 3 Georgia. He came away with a season-best nine receptions for 108 yards and one touchdown.

Unfortunately for the Fighting Irish, they fell 23-17 to the Bulldogs in only one of two losses.

4) FOUR-GAME TOUCHDOWN STREAK

Kmet turned out to be a red zone threat for Notre Dame.

Over a four-game stretch during the middle part of the 2019 college football season, Kmet hauled in one touchdown in each of the four games.

Against Bowling Green, he had two catches for 31 yards with one touchdown, the following week against USC, Kmet had six receptions for 61 yards and one score, and he had touchdowns against Michigan and Virginia Tech the next two weeks.

Notre Dame finished 3-1 over those four games. The Fighting Irish fell to Michigan, 45-14.

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5) WHERE DO THE EXPERTS BELIEVE HE’LL GO?

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has Cole Kmet listed as the No. 1 tight end prospect, and a Top 50 player in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Projections show that Kmet could be a late first-round selection. If a team doesn’t take him in the first round, he will most certainly go in the second round.

An intriguing option for Kmet is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are looking to supply second-year quarterback Gardner Minshew II with receiving options outside of D.J. Chark and Dede Westbrook. A tight end would certainly open up the middle of the field, and even give running back Leonard Fournette space to run on the second and third levels of the defense.