No. 2. Tyler Eifert, TE
2011 numbers: Eifert caught 63 passes for 803 yards -- both of which are Notre Dame records for a tight end -- and he added five touchdown receptions last season, becoming a finalist for the Mackey Award and making a number of All-American teams.
Making the case for Eifert: Named to the preseason watch list for both the Mackey and Maxwell Awards -- the only tight end to make the latter list -- Eifert enters 2012 as arguably the nation's best tight end. Having turned down NFL fortunes in the offseason for another year of school, Eifert will be the Irish's go-to target, spread all over the field to stretch defenses. He enters the season 39 catches and 605 receiving yards shy of breaking Ken MacAfee's school career record in each category.
No. 3 Cierre Wood, RB
No. 4 Stephon Tuitt, DE
No. 5 Jamoris Slaughter, S
No. 6 Louis Nix, NG
No. 7 Zack Martin, LT
No. 8 Theo Riddick, RB/WR
No. 9 Braxston Cave, C
No. 10 George Atkinson III, RB
No. 11 Kapron Lewis-Moore, DE
No. 12 Everett Golson, QB
No. 13 Andrew Hendrix, QB
No. 14 Tommy Rees, QB
No. 15 DaVaris Daniels, WR
No. 16 Prince Shembo, OLB
No. 17 Zeke Motta, S
No. 18 Chris Watt, LG
No. 19 T.J. Jones, WR
No. 20 John Goodman, WR
No. 21 Bennett Jackson, CB
No. 22 Robby Toma, WR
No. 23 Ishaq Williams, OLB
No. 24 Dan Fox, ILB
No. 25 Gunner Kiel, QB