'14 CA WR Erik Brown (Cal Verbal)

[Rack Em]

I don't understand why we're not giving him the green light to commit. We're not going to fill up at signing day (again).

Juju is trending away
Mama has been heavily trending away since he left campus
Elam is gone
Lazard is all but guaranteed to stay with ISU
Quick has some academic issues (I believe) and is leaning towards OU
Luatua keeps pushing his timeline back (and that concerns me)

I hope he becomes a "take" soon before he gets comfortable with another school.

Dead on.

Take him now and worry about the numbers later.

Agreed. There's a lot in the recruiting this year (and basically every year) that doesn't make sense. And this year, it really seems to be trending poorly down the home stretch. Reminds me of 2012 where it has a chance to be such an amazing class and then almost overnight turns into "oh god... let's just keep as many people on board as we can..."

It looks like we'll end up taking 4 "bodies" on defense. Hendrix, Sykes, Hill (hopefully) and probably one more... maybe Tranquill. Then we have about ~4 spots for offense. If we miss on Quick and McKenzie, then we're stuck looking at... who? Why not take Brown? Why not recruit Dallis Todd earlier in the class?

I'm also worried that Luatua is going to end up being our Da'Shawn Hand... but I'll hold out hope for now that everyone's confidence is not misplaced.

Are we wizards?

 

[ryno 24]

I dont see him as the same prospect as IM. He is more of a lesser version of quick/TJ. He seems like a good route runner and good hands and somewhat elusive. I always like adding players, but he is not the same player as Mckenzie and I do not see the need to add him.

Those with better insight please correct me if you see otherwise

 

[Luckylucci]

I dont see him as the same prospect as IM. He is more of a lesser version of quick/TJ. He seems like a good route runner and good hands and somewhat elusive. I always like adding players, but he is not the same player as Mckenzie and I do not see the need to add him.

Those with better insight please correct me if you see otherwise

Its not really who's the better prospect IM or Brown. That seems pretty obvious. Its who is going to be more productive at ND? or who wants to be at ND? Provided IM wants to be here, yes your definitely correct. However, if he doesn't why would we leave an open scholarship when we can bring in a quality prospect.

 

[pkt77242]

Its not really who's the better prospect IM or Brown. That seems pretty obvious. Its who is going to be more productive at ND? or who wants to be at ND? Provided IM wants to be here, yes your definitely correct. However, if he doesn't why would we leave an open scholarship when we can bring in a quality prospect.

And Brown is versatile as well. I believe he can play both WR and CB.

 

[IrishLax]

I dont see him as the same prospect as IM. He is more of a lesser version of quick/TJ. He seems like a good route runner and good hands and somewhat elusive. I always like adding players, but he is not the same player as Mckenzie and I do not see the need to add him.

Those with better insight please correct me if you see otherwise

Don't think you're wrong. I've also seen no confirmation that Brown is the guy.

Let's throw some shit against the wall for a second... Nathan Starks? Eh? EHH?!?!

Or it could be someone who isn't a return man/APB at all and just a solid player we didn't have room for before. Hendrix, etc.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I dont see him as the same prospect as IM. He is more of a lesser version of quick/TJ. He seems like a good route runner and good hands and somewhat elusive. I always like adding players, but he is not the same player as Mckenzie and I do not see the need to add him.

Those with better insight please correct me if you see otherwise

You're correct that he's not the explosive playmaker that IM is. But he's a solid, versatile prospect who's much less likely to flame out without having contributed anything. And most importantly, we have more scholarships to give out. Heading into the season with < 80 healthy players on scholarship is a recipe for disaster.

 

[IrishLax]

Its not really who's the better prospect IM or Brown. That seems pretty obvious. Its who is going to be more productive at ND? or who wants to be at ND? Provided IM wants to be here, yes your definitely correct. However, if he doesn't why would we leave an open scholarship when we can bring in a quality prospect.

And Brown is versatile as well. I believe he can play both WR and CB.

Both of these too. If we're feeling sketchy on Alexander, Brown makes even more sense as an athlete.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

They are quite a bit better. He catches the ball at its highest point, has good ups, catches in traffic, and displays great vision after the catch. He still looks slow to me though and kind of small. He could improve breaks in his route running.

I am thinking it is his stride. Very long. Those guys always look slower when you watch them, but faster when you watch their opponents. Nice to see you again, ol, WW!

 

[ACamp1900]

IMO if we don't take Brown and IM goes elsewhere the staff messed up badly.

This seemed like one of the major issues with the CW era... the staff continued to to go all in on big recruits and miss (especially on defense) and in turn also missed on good but slithly lesser recruits that seemed to want on board... at least that seemed like the trend.

 

[ryno 24]

My question is could we use that scholarship next year? I actually have a hard time comparing IM and Brown. They are two completely different players. Brown is similar to Quick and I think it would be a solid add, I am just wondering how one lead to another.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

My question is could we use that scholarship next year? I actually have a hard time comparing IM and Brown. They are two completely different players. Brown is similar to Quick and I think it would be a solid add, I am just wondering how one lead to another.

Of course we could, especially because the 2015 class is likely to be on the smaller side. But that leaves us short-handed all this year. The staff really needs to find a way to keep a full roster at ND, and passing on kids like Brown is not the way to do that.

 

[ryno 24]

All of your points are good, I see him similar to many Stanford receivers: hard workers who will play better than what they were recruited. That is a solid decision, I do not understand we are getting back in, why now?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

All of your points are good, I see him similar to many Stanford receivers: hard workers who will play better than what they were recruited. That is a solid decision, I do not understand we are getting back in, why now?

Because he's been behind McKenzie and Quick on the board throughout the entire process, but time is running out; IM in particular looks like he's starting to flake out. So Alford gives IM an ultimatum; if IM fails to meet it, then his spot goes to Brown.

This is pure speculation, of course. If Brown isn't Loy's mystery recruit, then who knows?

 

[Luckylucci]

My question is could we use that scholarship next year? I actually have a hard time comparing IM and Brown. They are two completely different players. Brown is similar to Quick and I think it would be a solid add, I am just wondering how one lead to another.

We're looking to add another offensive playmaker is what I've been seeing from Loy and Wiltfong. Thats what led me to believe its either Brown or Nelson and Brown seems more likely from what I've read.

 

[Emcee77]

Don't think you're wrong. I've also seen no confirmation that Brown is the guy.

Let's throw some shit against the wall for a second... Nathan Starks? Eh? EHH?!?!

WHOA. That would be awesome.

Or it could be someone who isn't a return man/APB at all and just a solid player we didn't have room for before. Hendrix, etc.

True, good call. Loy kind of suggested that it was an "offensive playmaker" but he also admitted that he doesn't know who it is. Hendrix would make sense as another guy who might flip immediately.

 

[IrishLax]

All of your points are good, I see him similar to many Stanford receivers: hard workers who will play better than what they were recruited. That is a solid decision, I do not understand we are getting back in, why now?

One important thing to remember is that earlier in the cycle the staff thought there was a good chance Nix and Tuitt would be back, and definitely wasn't expecting GAIII/Niklas to leave. And that's not even considering decommitments. So they were expecting to be recruiting 1 maybe 2 guys right now. Instead, they're staring down the gun barrels of some depth concerns and coming into the year with only ~80 guys. So they're taking inventory on who they expect/think they can land from here on out and what they need for next year and what they feel good about chasing in 2015. Just a very fluid situation that changes by the day.

 

[Ironman8]

My guess is it is some name we are unaware of or someone we haven't publicly actively recruited for a while if at all.

 

[IrishLax]

My guess is it is some name we are unaware of or someone we haven't publicly actively recruited for a while if at all.

Nikia Cathey? Dallis Todd? I've got all kinds of names floating around in the recesses of my memory.

 

[dublinirish]

Bo Scarborough

 

[clashmore_mike]

Elijah Hood

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Elijah Hood

 

[IrishLax]

Elijah Hood

 

[NDBoiler]

Elijah Hood

If he broke up with his GF, maybe???

 

[Ironman8]

Hood is enrolled and taking classes.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

If he broke up with his GF, maybe???

Hood is enrolled and taking classes.

So we'd need NCAA sanctions against UNC that include free transfers for current players.

 

[Emcee77]

Nikia Cathey? Dallis Todd? I've got all kinds of names floating around in the recesses of my memory.

Seriously. My mind is going crazy places right now. Josh Malone? Dante Booker (with Vrabel leaving)? AHHHH

 

[wizards8507]

So we'd need NCAA sanctions against UNC that include free transfers for current players.

No italics.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Seriously. My mind is going crazy places right now. Josh Malone? Dante Booker (with Vrabel leaving)? AHHHH

Ha! You wish.

 

[Kaneyoufeelit]

Nikia Cathey? Dallis Todd? I've got all kinds of names floating around in the recesses of my memory.

This one would get me so pumped. But I thought the staff had taken a second run at him and he shut them down.

 

[NDBoiler]

Hood is enrolled and taking classes.