2012 ESPNU Top 150

[PLACforever]

CoverItLive: 2012 ESPNU 150 release - ESPN

ESPNU 150 for the 2012 class will be released from 1-3 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

 

[PLACforever]

ESPNU 150 WATCHLISTERS:
Notre Dame Commits:

—Ronald Darby, ATH
—Justin Ferguson, WR
—Tee Shepard, CB
—David Perkins, ATH
—Mark Harrell, OT

Considering Notre Dame:

—Dorial Green-Beckham, WR
—Noah Spence, DE
—Keith Marshall, RB 
—Gunner Kiel, QB 
—Shaq Thompson, S 
—Andrus Peat, OT
—John Theus, OT 
—Davonte Neal, ATH
—Geno Smith, CB 
—Cyrus Jones, ATH 
—Yuri Wright, CB
—Nelson Agholor, ATH
—Joshua Garnett, OT 
—Joel Caleb, ATH
—Ifeadi Odenigbo, DE  
—Durron Neal, WR 
—Deon Bush, S
—Barry Sanders, RB 
—Adolphus Washington, DE  
—Tyriq McCord, DE 
—Se'Von Pittman, DE
—Drae Bowles, WR 
—Jordan Diamond, OT 
—Korren Kirven, DT
—Dwayne Stanford II, WR 
—Zach Banner, OT
—Tommy Schutt, DT
—Sheldon Day, DT
—Alton Howard, WR
—LaDarrell McNeil, S
—Maty Mauk, QB
—Brian Nance, OLB
—Jarrod Wilson, S 
—Julian Obioha, DE
—Kwinton Smith, WR 
—Evan Goodman, OT
—Elijah Shumate, S
—Ken Ekanem, OLB
—Sean Price, TE
—Michael Flint, OG  
—Reggie Northrup, OLB
—Reggie Daniels, S
—Jordan Diggs, S
—Aaron Burbridge, WR
—LaTroy Lewis, DE
—Kenderius Whitehead, DE 
—Michael Moore, DE
—Drew Harris, RB
—Jordan Watkins, DT

Borrowed from Ironman (thx)
ND Commits:
Ronald Darby - #70 overall
Justin Ferguson - #75 overall
Tee Shepard - #89 overall

ND Targets:
Dorial Green Beckham - 5 star #3 overall
Noah Spence - 5 star #4 overall
Keith Marshall - 5 star #6 overall
Gunner Kiel - 4 star #12 overall
Noor Davis - 4 star #18 overall
Tracy Howard - 4 star #19 overall
Shaq Thompson - 4 star #21 overall
Andrus Peat - 4 star #22 overall
John Theus - 4 star #27 overall
Kyle Murphy - 4 star #30 overall
Geno Smith - 4 star #31 overall
Cyrus Jones - 4 star #37 overall
Yuri Wright - 4 star #40 overall
Josh Garnett - 4 star #43 overall
Ifeadi Odenigbo - 4 star #50 overall
Durron Neal - 4 star #62 overall
Deon Bush - 4 star #66 overall
Aziz ****tu - 4 star #88 overall
Byron Marshall - 4 star #90 overall
Adolphus Washington - 4 star #96 overall
Jarron Jones - 4 star #97 overall
Se'von Pittman - 4 star #101 overall
Korren Kirven- 4 star #109 overall
Dwayne Stanford - 4 star #111 overall
Zach Banner - 4 star #125 overall
Tommy Shutt - 4 star #135 overall
Sheldon Day - 4 star #144 overall
Jordan Payton - 4 star #146 overall
Kent Taylor - 4 star #147 overall

*Mario Edwards is #1 overall w/ a grade of 90 (Clowney was a 95 last year)

 

[ThePiombino]

50% of the verbals are on the watch list. Pretty dang good! Can't wait to see what the next 8 months brings in!

BTW, thanks for putting this list together, PLAC!

 

[beryirish]

Darby and Tee will definitely be on there...high to mid....possibly Perkins at the bottom. But this will just be the first wave. Some of NDs prospects haven't been picked up yet by other major programs. Once they do they will do a deeper evaluation of them and I can see Ferguson and Greenberry make the list and possibly maybe even Decker.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Hmmm...another obscure signal?? There are twelve D-linemen on this list with alleged interest in ND. There are eight O-linemen. There are seven wide receivers. There are seven safeties. There are only THREE running backs.

When you look at our apparent needs [i.e. trying to place a three-&-half deep roster and projecting into the future of next year and moreso the year following,] not all of this is adding up to me.

Then, when you add in the likelihood of about twenty available scholarships this cycle, and that we already have ten verbals [which have to be assumed, right or wrong, to be still there at NSD], then our remaining verbals would be ten more. Looking at that, the OT situation seems right: we have two now, and the emphasis seems to indicate that we'd like two more. The D-line situation also seems correct: we have none now, and would like three of those twelve. The WR situation seems right. We have two now and would like to ultimately commit at least one, and probably two, of those seven. But....

If we get our desires there then two+three+two= 7, leaving only three scholarships left. In that scenario, we have still not addressed RB. Almost everyone seems to think that one RB is as big a necessity as anything on the board, and given the concern with Roberson's health, two would be nice. Let's say we get one commitment. That leaves two openings.

This is why I don't get [at all] the continued emphasis on DB and especially safety. What if Kiel or Mauk want to come afterall? What if a tight end steps up? Neither of these things is particularly far out. What if one of the three OLBs wants to commit? And this says nothing about leaving a spot open for the dramatic last moment superstar. Geno Smith is another such situation. Bottomline: with four super DBs already committed and us apparently anxiously after at least one more, what position is going to get the shaft, and can we even imagine holding the door open for a superstar??

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Darby and Tee will definitely be on there...high to mid....possibly Perkins at the bottom. But this will just be the first wave. Some of NDs prospects haven't been picked up yet by other major programs. Once they do they will do a deeper evaluation of them and I can see Ferguson and Greenberry make the list and possibly maybe even Decker.

I agree. It's exciting to see we already have 5 watch-listers. Last year we signed a top ten class (per ESPN) that included seven. I can see us eclipsing that by a good margin this year.
#positivethinking

 

[beryirish]

OMM. Good points.

If your looking at ESPN for this information...there are 5 running backs that aren't Watch Listers that are considering ND. Not saying they really are but that's what it's saying. I can see ND only has 10 scholarships remaining. If they do get to that point and there are some elite prospects that say "Hey I want to commit!" can ND accept their verbal and just cut out a 5th year? So they would have a little cushion if that be the case. If I'm wrong let me know.

 

[IrishLax]

Darby and Tee will definitely be on there...high to mid....possibly Perkins at the bottom. But this will just be the first wave. Some of NDs prospects haven't been picked up yet by other major programs. Once they do they will do a deeper evaluation of them and I can see Ferguson and Greenberry make the list and possibly maybe even Decker.

Ferguson will be in the first 150. I think Harrel/Perkins will both be very close.. but just on the outside. Perkins is the most likely to squeeze in between 120-150.

I expect Greenberry and Decker to both have very good shots at moving up but would be surprised if either made the 150. ESPN does not typically **** their rankings around all that much. Nicky and CJ are the two least likely to move up because I don't think Nicky will be playing safety this year (so there will be limited tape for him) and CJ is unlikely to camp now that he is committed and plays weak competition (meaning he is hard to rate).

 

[Rhode Irish]

I am pretty surprised Taylor Decker is not a watchlist guy. ESPN apparently isn't as high on him as the other services, Coach Kelly and I are. Dude is a monster at 6'8" and is one of the early commits I am most excited about.

 

[Domina Nostra]

I believe we will get 1-2 stud RBs if we have a strong season and Cierre and Jonas run well (no need to discuss the alternative since it is not going to happen).

As of now I don't think we are particularly intriguing to RBs--based on our coaches and system--the way we are to WRs (spread with Alford as your position coach). That will change.

 

[magogian]

Even if the ESPN players ratings aren't up yet, many of our player evaluations are up on the site.

 

[Rhode Irish]

Domina Nostra: awesome avatar. People are really stepping up their avatar games all of a sudden. Whiskey Jack, Buster Bluth and you are leading the way. I'm going to have to come up with a good off-season avatar.

 

[magogian]

I could have sworn that yesterday the ESPN website said that the ESPNU channel would have a special show for the release of the ESPNU 150. Now, all I see is a chat listed.

Did I misread something or did plans change?

 

[JadeBrecks]

There are only THREE running backs.

This has seriously concerned me. We really need a good rb this year. We only have three rbs and what happens if they all fall through? Five wide out all year?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

This has seriously concerned me. We really need a good rb this year. We only have three rbs and what happens if they all fall through? Five wide out all year?

GAIII moved from WR to RB from last year's class. If necessary, Perkins can move to RB from this class. If we get two more blue-chip DBs (like Smith and Wright), Darby could be a hybrid RB/ slot guy for us.

We all tend to put too much stock in which position a recruit played in college, and how the recruiting services categorize them. BK just recruits skill and moves it around as necessary.

 

[Ironman8]

This has seriously concerned me. We really need a good rb this year. We only have three rbs and what happens if they all fall through? Five wide out all year?

We will pick up our RBs, but if it happens that they are not the elite ones we hope for, it will probably come down to keeping GAIII at RB and taking another WR. That, or taking a Chris Mangus type and having him play RB and not slot. Perkins can obviously play RB as well. This is the great thing about BK's recruiting - he gets versitle prospects that can play multiple positions, and then adjusts accordingly depending on the needs of the team and where he can get the most out of the player.

 

[beryirish]

^agree

If ND doesn't get their elite targets then they will go after other backs, ie Cam McDaniel.....their diamonds in the ruff and just hope for the elite RB of next year to realize that ND is their best choice for early PT with an elite team.

 

[koonja]

^agree

If ND doesn't get their elite targets then they will go after other backs, ie Cam McDaniel.....their diamonds in the ruff and just hope for the elite RB of next year to realize that ND is their best choice for early PT with an elite team.

Sound like 2011 class anybody? If we fail to land an elite RB this class, the staff might want to re-visit their approach/sales pitch to elite RBs.

 

[Ironman8]

This sounds like a repeat of 2011. Same situation last year and we failed to get an elite RB. If it happens again this year, they might want to re-visit their approach to recruiting elite RBs.

You don't need an "elite" RB in this system, though. Would it be more dynamic with a 5 star, most likely. But the run game in this system can flourish with a couple good backs. My concerns for the RB position right now center around depth, not quality.

 

[koonja]

You don't need an "elite" RB in this system, though. Would it be more dynamic with a 5 star, most likely. But the run game in this system can flourish with a couple good backs. My concerns for the RB position right now center around depth, not quality.

I understand that we're not a run first team. But with it being ND, and the fact that an elite RB would STILL get 20 carries a game, (not to mention early PT because of lack of depth) I don't get why a top RB hasn't accepted the offer yet. Maybe I'm bias, but I'd jump all over an offer if I were someone like Marshall. Early PT? Check.... National coverage? Check... National Championship potential? Check....

 

[koonja]

My point is that the staff has done an outstanding job at recruiting just about every position in the last two years, with the exception of RB (unless they recruited GAIII to strictly play RB, because he's a 5-star in my eyes). If they again don't get an elite RB given it's ND, early PT, and national coverage, etc.. Maybe they should re-evaluate their pitch to RBs.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Then, when you add in the likelihood of about twenty available scholarships this cycle, and that we already have ten verbals [which have to be assumed, right or wrong, to be still there at NSD], then our remaining verbals would be ten more. Looking at that, the OT situation seems right: we have two now, and the emphasis seems to indicate that we'd like two more. The D-line situation also seems correct: we have none now, and would like three of those twelve. The WR situation seems right. We have two now and would like to ultimately commit at least one, and probably two, of those seven. But....

We'll currently have 15 OL in 2012, assuming Clelland doesn't get a 5th year; 14 if Golic doesn't either. I think we'll only take one more OL this cycle, unless an elite wants to sign up.

I agree with your other points.

This is why I don't get [at all] the continued emphasis on DB and especially safety. What if Kiel or Mauk want to come afterall? What if a tight end steps up? Neither of these things is particularly far out. What if one of the three OLBs wants to commit? And this says nothing about leaving a spot open for the dramatic last moment superstar. Geno Smith is another such situation. Bottomline: with four super DBs already committed and us apparently anxiously after at least one more, what position is going to get the shaft, and can we even imagine holding the door open for a superstar??

If Mauk hasn't committed by the end of June, he's probably headed elsewhere. Kiel is headed elsewhere. The only TE left on our board is Kent Taylor, and we're very unlikely to land him. I expect one of our OLB targets to commit, which would combine nicely with the Perkins verbal to put us right where we want to be there.

If we get two more elite DBs-- say, Wright and Smith-- Darby could end up as a hybrid RB/ slot guy. There's a lot of flexibility among the 2012 Skill players Kelly is bringing in. Trust the chess master, OMM!

 

[koonja]

We'll currently have 15 OL in 2012, assuming Clelland doesn't get a 5th year; 14 if Golic doesn't either. I think we'll only take one more OL this cycle, unless an elite wants to sign up.

The only TE left on our board is Kent Taylor, and we're very unlikely to land him. !

Hell, maybe David Perkins can play TE, lol.

 

[Ironman8]

Rankings:

ND Commits:
Ronald Darby - #70 overall
Justin Ferguson - #75 overall
Tee Shepard - #89 overall

ND Targets:
Dorial Green Beckham - 5 star #3 overall
Noah Spence - 5 star #4 overall
Keith Marshall - 5 star #6 overall
Gunner Kiel - 4 star #12 overall
Noor Davis - 4 star #18 overall
Tracy Howard - 4 star #19 overall
Shaq Thompson - 4 star #21 overall
Andrus Peat - 4 star #22 overall
John Theus - 4 star #27 overall
Kyle Murphy - 4 star #30 overall
Geno Smith - 4 star #31 overall
Cyrus Jones - 4 star #37 overall
Yuri Wright - 4 star #40 overall
Josh Garnett - 4 star #43 overall
Ifeadi Odenigbo - 4 star #50 overall
Durron Neal - 4 star #62 overall
Deon Bush - 4 star #66 overall
Aziz ****tu - 4 star #88 overall
Byron Marshall - 4 star #90 overall
Adolphus Washington - 4 star #96 overall
Jarron Jones - 4 star #97 overall
Se'von Pittman - 4 star #101 overall
Korren Kirven- 4 star #109 overall
Dwayne Stanford - 4 star #111 overall
Zach Banner - 4 star #125 overall
Tommy Shutt - 4 star #135 overall
Sheldon Day - 4 star #144 overall
Jordan Payton - 4 star #146 overall
Kent Taylor - 4 star #147 overall

*Mario Edwards is #1 overall w/ a grade of 90 (Clowney was a 95 last year)

 

[IrishLax]

I don't know if it's just me, but RB is a position where I'm totally comfortable taking 3* guys with upside and seeing what happens. RB is, in my opinion, the least important position in the offense and a good offensive line can make average backs look great.

LaMichael James was a 3*/very low 4* on the services. Dion Lewis was a 3*. Evan Royster was a 3* and just set the PSU rushing record. Mark Ingram was a 3* on a lot of places. The list goes on and on. Unlike the OL, where it is just simply very difficult to project from one level to the next, the RB discrepancies are mostly a product of the fact that RB production is very dependent on the rest of the team. No RB can pick up big games if there is no blocking; whereas Old Man Mike could probably run for 100 yards a game if he had the New York Jets blocking for him and he played MAC competition.

And the best part? You really only play 1 or 2 RBs... so there isn't a huge need to load up. So while depth is a valid concern, I don't think there is a huge need to panic with the fact that we will have Cierre, GAIII and Cam (and hopefully another healthy Cam...) on the roster in 2012 giving us 4 guys; 3 of which are 4* players. So assuming we take 2/3 RBs this year that will give 6/7 guys... I'd wager that at least 2 of them will have the ability to be productive regardless of how highly touted they are coming out of HS.

 

[IrishLax]

You don't need an "elite" RB in this system, though. Would it be more dynamic with a 5 star, most likely. But the run game in this system can flourish with a couple good backs. My concerns for the RB position right now center around depth, not quality.

Hah, you beat me to it while I was typing my long winded response. +1.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Lax nailed it with his prediction.

 

[Ironman8]

SmithGeno4 Geno Smith

I don't get why Dorial green Beckham isn't # 1 on every site #smhh

 

[Ironman8]

Lax nailed it with his prediction.

It is interesting that Justin is a slightly higher than Tee. All 3 are very close though.

 

[koonja]

I don't know if it's just me, but RB is a position where I'm totally comfortable taking 3* guys with upside and seeing what happens. RB is, in my opinion, the least important position in the offense and a good offensive line can make average backs look great.

LaMichael James was a 3*/very low 4* on the services. Dion Lewis was a 3*. Evan Royster was a 3* and just set the PSU rushing record. Mark Ingram was a 3* on a lot of places. The list goes on and on. Unlike the OL, where it is just simply very difficult to project from one level to the next, the RB discrepancies are mostly a product of the fact that RB production is very dependent on the rest of the team. No RB can pick up big games if there is no blocking; whereas Old Man Mike could probably run for 100 yards a game if he had the New York Jets blocking for him and he played MAC competition.

And the best part? You really only play 1 or 2 RBs... so there isn't a huge need to load up. So while depth is a valid concern, I don't think there is a huge need to panic with the fact that we will have Cierre, GAIII and Cam (and hopefully another healthy Cam...) on the roster in 2012 giving us 4 guys; 3 of which are 4* players. So assuming we take 2/3 RBs this year that will give 6/7 guys... I'd wager that at least 2 of them will have the ability to be productive regardless of how highly touted they are coming out of HS.

Mark Ingram was a 5-star by scout and a 4 by rivals. I hate to be that guy (I don't like when you make a point and someone points out one small error) but I couldn't help myself!