Coming out of Tigard (Ore.) High School in 2017, Braden Lenzy was known for his speed.
It’s a tag that he relishes, although he would prefer it not to be his only distinguishing characteristic.
It’s been hard to shake the label after arriving at Notre Dame weighing 160 pounds, encountering multiple injuries, and tailing off last year after flashing big-play capability as a red-shirt freshman in 2019.
“I get a bad rap sometimes as a gadget dude,” said Lenzy, the 5-foot-11 3/8, 182-pound red-shirt junior. “In my mind, I’ve felt like since sophomore year, I’m a playmaker. I don’t feel like I’m at a disadvantage. I feel like my strengths have been pretty strong through college.
“It’s become clearer (this August). I just kept getting hurt.”
Lenzy does indeed look like a different player from the perceived fragile wideout that encountered a sleep disorder, concussion issues and, last year, a pre-season hamstring injury that lingered for three months, particularly after a nasty pull in Game Five at Pittsburgh that essentially sabotaged his 2020 season.
“The Pittsburgh game was probably the most pain I’ve felt since I hurt my knee in high school,” Lenzy said. “I couldn’t bend my leg for a while. I don’t think it’s luck. There’s a reason behind everything.”
Last week during a media viewing, Lenzy pulled a 50-50 ball away from cornerback Clarence Lewis and turned it into a long touchdown. Thursday in Notre Dame Stadium, he snagged a 35-yard reception up the sideline.
Video out of Notre Dame over the last two weeks has shown Lenzy making contested plays that were absent from his game, even in ’19 when he averaged 23.1 yards per his 11 catches.
“That was my main focus and that has been night and day,” said Lenzy of his ability to make plays beyond running past the last line of defense on a deep ball. “I don’t think I had any jump balls – ever -- in a college practice or game situations. I’ve probably had 10 in fall camp.
“It’s been a good progression and (receivers coach) Del (Alexander) has really harped on it. Something we all wanted to get better at was jump balls. We aren’t a huge group like how we have been in the past. So we’ll probably see a bit more press and that’s to our advantage.”
Lenzy believes it has been injuries – not a lack of strength per se – that has limited him to 18 catches for 317 yards and three touchdowns in three seasons with his first season in the program an admitted wash as a slightly-built prospect out of the gate.
“I’m definitely stronger,” Lenzy said. “I personally don’t know if it’s been a strength thing from junior to senior year. I would just say it’s more my ball skills have improved. That was something I really worked on to eliminate being just a deep threat.”
Lenzy worked hard on the technical aspects of his position. One component goes against the natural inclination of a receiver. Pass-catchers are taught to create separation from the defender, and yet sometimes, the receiver must initiate contact and supply the physicality to win the battle.
“Jumping back into the DB has helped,” said Lenzy, which is exactly what he did on the long touchdown last week. “When you do it once or twice, it’s like riding a bike. It makes more sense. You can see the path of the ball better. It was really hard for me to track it that way, but now it’s more slow motion.”
Lenzy expanding his repertoire to include the ability to create plays with his strength and tenacity was a point of emphasis encouraged over the summer by offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.
“The thing I’m most proud of is his ability to win through traffic, to win through contact, to be stronger,” said Rees of Lenzy. “It’s a direct reflection of him committing himself to Coach (Matt) Balis this off-season. His mentality has been so great throughout camp. I can’t say enough good things about him.”
Lenzy dedicated himself to moving up “the board” that Balis, Notre Dame’s Director of Football Development, uses to track strength and conditioning progress during the summer. For a smaller, speedy receiver like Lenzy, it’s difficult competing against a 6-foot-2, 215-pound receiver like Javon McKinley last year as well as the tight ends, who are lumped together on “the board” with the wideouts.
“I used to be really bad on the board,” Lenzy said. “It’s difficult because it’s very lift-heavy. You can get stronger, but my stronger…I was competing against Javon and Javon can squat a lot more than me and I have strong legs.
“On our board, tight ends are there too. For me, this summer, it was like, ‘Screw that!’ Joe (Wilkins Jr.) won it first, then me, then AD (Avery Davis) and then Kev (Kevin Austin Jr.).”
Lenzy readily admits that he, Davis, Austin, Wilkins and Lawrence Keys III are aware of the perception on the outside of Notre Dame’s senior receivers. They’re determined to change the narrative.
“We all have something in common. We have something to prove,” Lenzy said. “We don’t really look at what people say about us, but we also aren’t oblivious to what people think of us. I personally don’t care, and I know they all feel the same way.
“If you asked anyone (in camp), you’d be quite surprised if there were any questions about the receivers. That’s been very clear from Day One.
“That’s not to brag. There have been some legends and great players before us. In my four years, this is the best camp the receivers have had overall. That’s not throwing shade anywhere. That’s just the honest truth.
“We’re trying to do it all together. We have a chip on our shoulders. It’s really fun when you get to do that with other people that also have something to prove.”
Lenzy wants to prove that if healthy, he’s as dangerous, as explosive and as capable as anyone to be the big-play and consistent receiver that has been expected since his arrival in 2017.
“It’s tough because you get the bad rap of being the injury prone guy,” Lenzy said. “It’s not great to hear.
“I think the message has been, ‘You’re being doubted. Work your ass off. Prove it. Show them what you’re made of.’”
The first test run when it matters the most is just around the corner – Sept. 5 at Florida State.
“If I’m deep and someone’s next to me, that isn’t a look-off for the quarterback,” Lenzy said. “In the off chance someone can run with me, he can still trust me. I can go get the ball. I’m getting the ball either way.”
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Braden Lenzy Wants to Be More Than Just a ‘Gadget Dude - 247Sports
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