'20 NE WR Xavier Watts (Notre Dame Man)

Veritate Duce Progredi

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Not sure about both of them but one of them definitely.

My thinking was: one of that group or one of the soph WRs could convert to secondary to even out the roster if needed.

I don't think we'll have to turn anyone away because Henning and McMillan still seem like 50/50 at best but it'd be hard to turn away a .9600+ recruit who wanted in.
 

KizerWilhelm

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Xavier Watts, AJ McMillan, AJ Henning, Jay Brunelle - likelihood we get two of them?

At least two of them? Very high. I think Brunelle is the weekend commitment Loy is hinting at, and you gotta think Watts and McMillan are at least 50/50 each. But I think we'll miss out on Henning and get the rest.
 

Luckylucci

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My thinking was: one of that group or one of the soph WRs could convert to secondary to even out the roster if needed.

I don't think we'll have to turn anyone away because Henning and McMillan still seem like 50/50 at best but it'd be hard to turn away a .9600+ recruit who wanted in.

I get it and I'd be shocked if they did so with McMillan. Henning, much less so. It does seem like the staff is at least entertaining the idea of both Watts and Brunelle being ATH's. However, 3 to 4 has been the number and all 5 seems like a numbers crunch to me.
 

Veritate Duce Progredi

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It's kind of odd how quiet XWatts has become. I thought a commitment was imminent if he was going to be joining the Irish.

Change of heart? This is all a guess, no insider info.
 

Luckylucci

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It's kind of odd how quiet XWatts has become. I thought a commitment was imminent if he was going to be joining the Irish.

Change of heart? This is all a guess, no insider info.

He OV's on the 21st. Probably need to let that play out.
 
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Luckylucci

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Haha, yes it is. I had a client that had her weekends mixed up and apparently I fell victim to her whimsical nature.
 

BobbyMac

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So what do you guys think? Does he commit this weekend or not?

I'm going yes... 51%

Pro's:

I think ND is #1, way out in front.

I think ND education means a lot to him.

I think his Dad's situation and guidance is leading him to make the best lifelong decision.

He comes from a family that isn't diehard Cornhusker fans, him included.

Sounds like he's genuinely interested in coming in and giving DB a try and going in whichever direction he excels.

The other WR in Omaha, Zavier Betts, is higher rated and already committed to Nebraska. That's a wierd dynamic, being the second best Xavier from your hometown and then following him to college in the same recruiting class.

Neg's:

He's the #2 WR in ND's class at best and ND is dead set on making him at least #3. Who knows, if ND landed eveyone they are in on at WR, he could end up last on the class depth chart and be forced to stay on the D side whether he wants to or not.

Maybe he wants to go to Michigan's game day and experince something other than a game at ND? If so, he's still in process mode and not as far along as some think.

Maybe he's looking at Michigan's class and their depth chart and figures he could play earlier? If he has a strong will, he could possibly shrug off team's efforts to make him a Kinesiology major and get a BS in Archeology.
 

NDMIA

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So Lathan is gone gone?

As far as CB’s and Futurecasts, doesn’t look like everyone has a read on where he’s going yet, but at this point, signs seem to point to Texas or Ohio State. Both of those schools are heavily recruiting all of his Arizona buddies (Tosh Baker excluded) and I think his top 5 screams NFL over academics all day. I do think ND’s got a shot, but I think between visiting Texas 2 times in the last 5 weeks and his last OV to Ohio State, it’ll be tough to overcome for ND.
 

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So Lathan is gone gone?

Essentially, unless something drastic changes, ND will finish 2nd or 3rd. They did a tremendous job with his recruitment, IMO. Just turns out he's looking for something else. Which is interesting when you consider this was thought to be a Stanford/ND battle last football season.
 

BobbyMac

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Essentially, unless something drastic changes, ND will finish 2nd or 3rd. They did a tremendous job with his recruitment, IMO. Just turns out he's looking for something else. Which is interesting when you consider this was thought to be a Stanford/ND battle last football season.

This was before the industry could catch up with him. The U of A analysts for 247 & Rivals couldn't sell him to the rest fo the network. If Ransom was in Atlanta, he would have been a 5* from the gitgo. Therefore, because he had the grades he was a Stanford type kid, then ND got involved... and then the factories got involved and he's running around the 7v7 circuit with factory types and voila, he realizes he likes the process.
 

stlnd01

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This was before the industry could catch up with him. The U of A analysts for 247 & Rivals couldn't sell him to the rest fo the network. If Ransom was in Atlanta, he would have been a 5* from the gitgo. Therefore, because he had the grades he was a Stanford type kid, then ND got involved... and then the factories got involved and he's running around the 7v7 circuit with factory types and voila, he realizes he likes the process.

F "the process" and the 7v7 circuit and all that noise. Half those factory types, at least, will be spat out the other end of college football in a few years with not much to show for it besides three-fourths of the credits toward some useless degree in exercise studies.

I wish someone at some point in the process would explain to these young men how the damned world works.

Anyway, hope Xavier makes the right choice. Michigan sucks, and, as Crus said, no one should have to be the second best Xavier in their own recruiting class.
 
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Irish#1

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F "the process" and the 7v7 circuit and all that noise. Half those factory types, at least, will be spat out the other end of college football in a few years with not much to show for it besides three-fourths of the credits toward some useless degree in exercise studies.

I wish someone at some point in the process would explain to these young men how the damned world works.

Anyway, hope Xavier makes the right choice. Michigan sucks, and, as Crus said, no one should have to be the second best Xavier in their own recruiting class.

I think BK and staff do all the time, but you're dealing with teenagers and as the old saying goes, "Hire a teenager while they still know everything".
 
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stlnd01

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I the BK and staff do all the time, but you're dealing with teenagers and as the old saying goes, "Hire a teenager while they still know everything".

Oh, I know Notre Dame does. I meant someone who's not actively recruiting them. Like a high school coach, or a parent or uncle (realizing coaches and parents and uncles are all over the map in these situations).

The NCAA could do worse things than to have some sort of seminar for high-level recruits where they lay out the realities of life in big-time college football and the actual odds these guys will ever make a real living in pro football (sort of like what the NFL now does for rookies coming into the league about how to handle their newfound wealth and fame). All they hear now is an endless sales pitch from very sophisticated salesmen and a lot of recruiting services blowing smoke up their ass.
 

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Sounds like his visit went extremely well.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">2020 Nebraska WR/DB Xavier Watts (<a href="https://twitter.com/xavierwatts6?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@xavierwatts6</a>) recaps his official visit to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NotreDame</a> this weekend. Find out how close he came to committing and more (Premium) <a href="https://t.co/FvcJYslmtF">https://t.co/FvcJYslmtF</a></p>— Irish Sports Daily (@ISDUpdate) <a href="https://twitter.com/ISDUpdate/status/1142854527126769664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 

Luckylucci

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Sounds like, even before the visit, that his family was taking a very measured approach with all of this. Not surprising they’d do this.

FWIW, I’d take Watts over Henning every Saturday. Even Brunelle. Give me the dudes that give everything to ball. I could look very foolish but there’s something to be said for the guys that ball, all day everyday.
 

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Just remember when you watch his film, that’s the same team as Nick Henrich.
 

Veritate Duce Progredi

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I've wanted Xavier since he showed up on the radar but my biggest issue is which side would he be best on? He's a very good WR in those clips but it looks like he'd be a great CB. He's not afraid of contact, he has good reaction speed/acceleration.

Just get him in this class and let the rest get sorted.
 

stlnd01

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I've wanted Xavier since he showed up on the radar but my biggest issue is which side would he be best on? He's a very good WR in those clips but it looks like he'd be a great CB. He's not afraid of contact, he has good reaction speed/acceleration.

Just get him in this class and let the rest get sorted.

Yeah. Either's fine. If the kid's as much of a ballplayer as he looks, he'll find his way onto the field.
 

NDMIA

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">2020 Nebraska WR/DB Xavier Watts (<a href="https://twitter.com/xavierwatts6?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@xavierwatts6</a>) recaps his official visit to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NotreDame</a> this weekend. Find out how close he came to committing and more (Premium) <a href="https://t.co/FvcJYslmtF">https://t.co/FvcJYslmtF</a></p>— Irish Sports Daily (@ISDUpdate) <a href="https://twitter.com/ISDUpdate/status/1142854527126769664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Notre Dame hit a grand slam with key WR target Xavier Watts (<a href="https://twitter.com/xavierwatts6?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@xavierwatts6</a>). Irish are 'at the top.' He talks about his OV here <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoIrish?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoIrish</a>. <a href="https://t.co/ORKPpINvv9">https://t.co/ORKPpINvv9</a> <a href="https://t.co/daorUMV5Cc">pic.twitter.com/daorUMV5Cc</a></p>— "EJ Holland" (@EJHollandBGI) <a href="https://twitter.com/EJHollandBGI/status/1142862901482590212?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Top of the board wide receiver target Xavier Watts on his <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NotreDame</a> official visit: "I almost committed on Saturday."<br><br>He went in-depth with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IrishIllustrated?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IrishIllustrated</a> about his recent trip to South Bend and what stood out about the Fighting Irish: <a href="https://t.co/n8Nm6lvycF">https://t.co/n8Nm6lvycF</a><a href="https://twitter.com/247Sports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@247Sports</a> <a href="https://t.co/4QHMsSLXKM">pic.twitter.com/4QHMsSLXKM</a></p>— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomLoy247/status/1142908233234964481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Enjoyed South Bend☘️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoIrish?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoIrish</a> <a href="https://t.co/UsrjHUOK19">pic.twitter.com/UsrjHUOK19</a></p>— Xavier Watts (@xavierwatts6) <a href="https://twitter.com/xavierwatts6/status/1142930025760641024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
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5/31 Nerbaska, 6/9 Nebraska, 6/15 Nebraska, 6/22 ND. Gives you an idea of the push that Nebraska is making. He went to compete at a 7on7 camp I believe for one of those, but their staff is all over him. Curious now whether he'll wait for fall OV's or just commit to ND/Nebraska. I've got my money on a commitment coming this month.
 

Irish#1

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Three recent visits to NE and he almost commits to the Irish on his visit speaks volumes.
 
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