2023 - State of the Recruiting Class

[Cackalacky2.0]

Only major takeaway is the Novosad will have a call with Freeman today.

 

[du Lac]

I think they had their "moment in the sun" last year and that wasn't based on how good they were but how PUTRID the OSU defense was - putrid is actually being too kind as they ended up firing most of their defensive staff. You are correct - a really bad recruiting class like this one will just be too much for the weasels to overcome in future years.

They’d essentially need 4 years in a row of top 10-15 classes to make up for a 25-35 gap widening disaster. I’m not sure Harbaugh has the desire or patience to clean up the mess. I think if he goes 10-2 this year he’s out with the first NFL offer. Personally I’d rather he stay as I think Matt Rhule would juice recruiting if hired.

 

[stlnd01]

With their joke of a schedule Michigan probably should go 10-2, anything less than 9-3 would be a major disappointment. And with some breaks they could be undefeated going into Ohio State.

Which does not mean they’re good - they’re not - but the hype could be deafening and stupid and might win them a couple of late recruits.

 

[Dale]

On3 has Keeley #3, Jagusah #6 and Bowen #18





They also have Drayk Bowen #234, Micah Bell a 3 star, and Cooper Flanagan the #18 TE

 

[NDPhilly]

Amazing how you get punished for not doing camps. Every school in the country wanted Drayk Bowen and Vernon. I don’t think they’re 5 stars but they’re certainly top 150 players.

 

[Dale]

Breaks down everyone’s movements on 247

Fine with most of these in the end. Bowen, Shuler and Vernon all continue to drop for no reason is not surprising. Don’t commit early kids and if you do have flip rumors about you.

Gonna try to sell Joe Otting has more potential than Brenan Vernon and Adon Shuler?

 

[notredomer23]

247 moved to Dante to #2
Keon to 7
Jagusah to 25!
Bell 67
P Bowen 84
Traore 93
Braylon James 96
Cooper Flanagan 123
Christian Gray 131
Drayk Bowen 143
Absher 184
Houstan 192
Ausberry 198
Otting 224!
Shuler 229
Paige 237
Greathouse 238
Flores 246
Limar 247

I don't get the Jagusah bump TBH. I think he was fine where he was.
Drayk Bowen at 143, Shuler at 229 and Greathouse at 238 are outrages TBH.

I haven't watched Ausberry's film but given his camp performance that seems ridiculous as well.

 

[Poirette]

What is intriguing is that there is a potential SuperStar at each level of the defense

S-Peyton Bower
CB Gray
LB Ausberry, Drayk Bowen
DL-Keely, unless it turns out to be Traore

This is the stuff that GA/ AL defenses are made of........

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

247 moved to Dante to #2
Keon to 7
Jagusah to 25!
Bell 67
P Bowen 84
Traore 93
Braylon James 96
Cooper Flanagan 123
Christian Gray 131
Drayk Bowen 143
Absher 184
Houstan 192
Ausberry 198
Otting 224!
Shuler 229
Paige 237
Greathouse 238
Flores 246
Limar 247

I don't get the Jagusah bump TBH. I think he was fine where he was.
Drayk Bowen at 143, Shuler at 229 and Greathouse at 238 are outrages TBH.

I haven't watched Ausberry's film but given his camp performance that seems ridiculous as well.

You didn't even mention Vernon who is outside the top 250....

 

[Irishdrunk]

Surprised by Otting and Greathouse the most.

 

[NDPhilly]

Hard to believe Otting gets the bump he did if ND was full and he picked Iowa.

 

[arrowryan]

247 is approaching On3 territory

 

[stlnd01]

WTF did Greathouse ever do to 247?
Traore tho…

Actually kinda goes to show you how little they care about the actual playing of football in these rankings. Greathouse is a stud against some of the best HS football in the country. Traore plays in a middling Boston-area Catholic league. (No knock on Traore it’s just a completely different world of competition).

 

[NDMIA]

295.67 would be the score with Ausberry, Hanafin and Love joining.

2017 - 6th
2018 - 4th
2019 - 3rd
2020 - 5th
2021 - 3rd
2022 - 5th

Pretty unreal. The transfers being included in the rankings will sting but ND's class if they can hold it together and finish strong is historically good. That would certainly be competing with the big boys for championships in terms of talent.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

295.67 would be the score with Ausberry, Hanafin and Love joining.

2017 - 6th
2018 - 4th
2019 - 3rd
2020 - 5th
2021 - 3rd
2022 - 5th

Pretty unreal. The transfers being included in the rankings will sting but ND's class if they can hold it together and finish strong is historically good. That would certainly be competing with the big boys for championships in terms of talent.

Now calculate it with Bowen and Keeley leaving possibly...

 

[Dale]

I think 247 still is by far the best but hate when we get the made up reasonings. We hear about how Otting is doing shot put so he goes up but Drayk Bowen doesn’t have the athletic profile of others and no mention of how’s he’s a D1 caliber baseball player. I’m sure I could find another team board where playing baseball is being credited as reason to move up a prospect. They won’t but just admit Bowen, Shuler, Vernon etc are complete back of mind.

 

[stlnd01]

Now calculate it with Bowen and Keeley leaving possibly...

Bowen’s a flip risk sure but why are we all doomy-gloomy about Keeley?

Edit: NVM saw the Keeley bump. 😕

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Potential 2 year recruiting class at LB:

ND

LB #3 Jaylen Sneed
LB #4 Jaiden Ausberry*
LB #6 Drayk Bowen
LB #9 Josh Burnham
LB #15 Niuafe Tuihalamaka
LB #29 Nolan Ziegler
LB #37 Preston Zinter

Georgia

LB #2 Troy Bowles
LB #4 Jalon Walker
LB #5 Raylen Wilson
LB #10 CJ Allen
LB #11 CJ Washington
LB #48 EJ Lightsey

Freeman is quite literally recruiting at a championship level.

It really is outstanding. He has the high energy "want to" that a head coach needs for recruiting.

Development at a championship level comes next.

 

[Dale]

 

[NDPhilly]

Keeley in the middle with Peyton Bowen right next to him lmao.

 

[Reaper97]

Keeley in the middle with Peyton Bowen right next to him lmao.

If you just look quickly, on the far right, it looks like Jagusah is grabbing his own nuts at the camera…

 

[CanadalovesND]

If you just look quickly, on the far right, it looks like Jagusah is grabbing his own nuts at the camera…

Greathouse has his hands full.

Jagusah is a big man ….

 

[Dale]

On the rankings, Cooper Petagna dropped in and explained some of them. I think he dodged a few but he did respond to someone “Think Quay Walker vs Nakobe Dean” which I think is pretty applicable to Ausberry. Dean by far the better CFB player but got drafted 2 rounds later. Ausberry getting a size knock didn’t surprise me. I’ll take Nakobe Dean.

I thought he dodged Vernon and Bowen questions (again these guys are clearly on there back burner). I’m also not surprised by the high floor descriptor on Greathouse though I think that high floor is higher than #238.

Cooper Petagna's Rankings Q&A?

Cooper Petagna's Rankings Q&A?

247sports.com

 

[Reaper97]

I know this will cause a fuss, because we aren’t allowed to say anything negative about Harry Heistand…

But when discussing top 3 classes, which is what ND is challenging for, having a strength like OL is an advantage because you can get 4-5 ranked players at that position.
ND is OL U and that should be a place ND loads up on highly ranked recruits, just like OSU loads up on WRs.

Despite ND’s #1 ranking, the OL class is (as far as rankings is concerned) the weak link. Three of the four lowest ranked players, all outside the top 300, are OL.

Imagine if ND’s class was like last years where four were 223 or better.

Since class rankings are based on points, & everyone wants a top 3 class, it is important to dominate recruiting at OL.

If ND had the OL points of four top 200 OL, they would be way out in front in the rankings.

I just found it interesting that ND has the #1 class despite having only two OL in the top 300.

 

[notredomer23]

Essentially need to get M'Pemba if ND wants to go over 300.

Best (and realistic) scenario: Ausberry, Hanafin, Love, Minich, Novosad get them to 298.17.

 

[allenm5333]

I know this will cause a fuss, because we aren’t allowed to say anything negative about Harry Heistand…

But when discussing top 3 classes, which is what ND is challenging for, having a strength like OL is an advantage because you can get 4-5 ranked players at that position.
ND is OL U and that should be a place ND loads up on highly ranked recruits, just like OSU loads up on WRs.

Despite ND’s #1 ranking, the OL class is (as far as rankings is concerned) the weak link. Three of the four lowest ranked players, all outside the top 300, are OL.

Imagine if ND’s class was like last years where four were 223 or better.

Since class rankings are based on points, & everyone wants a top 3 class, it is important to dominate recruiting at OL.

If ND had the OL points of four top 200 OL, they would be way out in front in the rankings.

I just found it interesting that ND has the #1 class despite having only two OL in the top 300.

I get your argument. But I also feel like OL is the toughest position for many of these big websites to evaluate. You have to have some balance of the rankings and trusting the OL coach.

 

[benneboy]

Essentially need to get M'Pemba if ND wants to go over 300.

Best (and realistic) scenario: Ausberry, Hanafin, Love, Minich, Novosad get them to 298.17.

Maybe but it's also July. There will be at least 1 and up to 3 or 4 guys in this class we're not even talking about so hard to treat in that cut and dry.

 

[stlnd01]

I get your argument. But I also feel like OL is the toughest position for many of these big websites to evaluate. You have to have some balance of the rankings and trusting the OL coach.

You do need to trust the coach. And how they perform on the field three years from now is more important than their recruiting rankings.

But also if the goal is a top five class, OL isn’t moving the needle this year, except for Jagusah. That’s also true.

Either way, is there any data/sense of hit rate on, say, high-four/five-star recruits at OL vs other positions. Are the stars more/less likely to pan out?

 

[Dale]

I don’t think you’ll see Paige end ranked where he’s at now and Absher is already rising. Heck even 247 loves Otting now.

 

[Reaper97]

Essentially need to get M'Pemba if ND wants to go over 300.

Best (and realistic) scenario: Ausberry, Hanafin, Love, Minich, Novosad get them to 298.17.

Another scenario is a few players rising in the rankings. If ND would only be under 2 points short of 300, just one big recruit move or two moderate moves would get you there.