thought I'd post a little something to take your minds off the Michigan game (however brief). A very early look at
recruiting for Notre Dame in next year's cycle:
ND Commits
Jerry Tillery - Offensive
Tackle - 6'7" - 332 lbs - Shreveport, LA - Evangel Christian Academy - Highlights
What a great
start to the 2015 class for the Irish. Tillery is a lifelong Irish fan and will
be a great addition to what is turning out be the best recruited position group
on the team. Tillery is far from a finished product. He carries quite a bit of
bad weight (typical of most 330 lb high school juniors) and gets out of his
stance a little too often (typical of taller HS linemen). But man, his
athleticism, footwork, and frame are off the charts. The kid moves well both
laterally and north-to-south at a doughy 330, so imagine him at a much more
muscular 320-330 after a year or two with Longo. He may not be Mitch Hyatt
right now, but Tillery has arguably the highest ceiling of any tackle in the
class.
Notable Offers:
Arkansas, Ole Miss, Oregon State, Stanford, Texas A&M (and likely LSU if he
hadn't committed)
Ranking -
Rivals: 6.0 4*; Scout: 89th overall, 8th OT; 247: 73rd overall,
5th OT; ESPN: 205th, 18th OT
Top Targets
Jashon Cornell - Defensive
End/Outside Linebacker (CAT) - 6'3" - 238 lbs - Saint Paul, MN -
Cretin-Derham Hall - Highlights
While rush
linebacker may not be the most pressing recruiting need, Cornell
represents one of the best talents on ND's board. Does not possess elite size,
athleticism, or speed but is very good in each aspect. That goes along with a
great burst off the line and great leverage and use of his hands. You can't find a
school that fits the profile of ND pipeline much better than CDH, with James
Onwualu being the most recent product. Seantrel Henderson bucked this trend,
but he wouldn't exactly be labeled a program fit at ND. Cornell is. Current
recruiting chatter may have Michigan and Iowa ahead of ND, but I'll have to see
to believe this staff missing on a kid at CDH they want.
Notable Offers:
UF, FSU, Iowa, Michigan, MSU, OSU, Stanford, USC
Ranking -
Rivals: 5.9 4*; Scout: 47th overall, 10th DE; 247: 18th overall, 2nd WDE; ESPN: 1st overall
Justin Hilliard - Inside/Outside Linebacker
- 6'2" - 225 lbs - Cincinnati - St. Xavier - Highlights
Arguably the
most important player on the 2015 board due to the need at ILB and the fact
that Hilliard is from the Greater Catholic League in Cincinnati. Could be a fit
at both DOG and WILL. Plays great in space with the athleticism to contribute
in pass defense, while showing the ability to take on blockers both on the edge
and the interior. Current competition for Hilliard includes Iowa (his brothers
is in their 2014 class), Michigan, and Ohio State with all being rumored by
some source to be in the lead. But like Cornell at CDH, ND basically gets
whomever they want from the GCL in Cincinnati.
Notable Offers:
Arkansas, FSU, Iowa, Miami, Michigan, OSU, OU, South Carolina, Texas A&M
Ranking -
Rivals: 5.9 4*; Scout: 54th overall, 6th OLB; 247: 43rd overall,
3rd OLB;
ESPN: 145th overall, 8th OLB
Nick Brossette - Running Back - 6'0"
- 215 lbs - Baton Rouge - University Lab School - LSU commit - Highlights
Despite his
commitment to LSU, Brossette will remain a top target on the ND board at RB
until NSD, as Pete, tj, and analysts on other boards have noted. While 2015 is
a deep year at RB, it does not have the number of elite backs that 2014
features (Fournette, Michel, Hood, Mixon, etc.). And many of the 2015 elite
backs are virtually off the board for ND (granted 2015 NSD is 17 months away),
with Damien Harris committed to Michigan, Soso Jamabo likely staying in the
Southwest, and Jacques Patrick not visiting ND on his Midwest swing this
summer. Brossette has great size already at 215 pounds, great balance, and does
a very good job of bouncing of tackles with only his body. Even being a bigger
back, shows good second level speed (probably in the legit 4.6 range) that
makes him more than merely a power back. Brossette will have a tough time
finding playing time in Baton Rouge though, with Leonard Fournette likely
ending up at LSU.
Notable Offers:
Alabama, Auburn, FSU, Miami, Texas A&M
Ranking -
Rivals: 5.9 4*; Scout: 57th overall, 8th RB; 247: 112th overall, 12th RB; ESPN: 16th overall, #1
RB
Alize Jones - Tight End - 6'4" - 218
lbs - Las Vegas - Bishop Gorman - Highlights
The consensus
top tight end in the country, Jones will be another top target as the staff
tries to build a pipeline into a rising prep sports power in Gorman. Shows very
good athleticism and good speed for a tight end, expect him to play a detached
end role if he ends up in South Bend. I would say Luatua is a better athlete
(at least at this point), but Jones is a much more natural receiver. High
points the ball very well and realizes how to find gaps in zone packages. The
2015 TE class is a 180 from this year's class, with quite a few elite prospects
at the position, but lacks the overall depth that this class has. Expect the LA
schools to contend with ND for Jones.
Notable Offers:
UCLA, USC
Ranking - Rivals:
6.0 4*; Scout: 19th overall,
1st TE;
247: 22nd overall, 1st TE; 45th overall, 1st TE
Torrance Gibson - Quarterback/Athlete -
6'4" - 195 lbs - Plantation, FL - American Heritage - Highlights
American
Heritage is becoming a familiar name on the Irish recruiting trail, with
freshman LB Michael Deeb, likely future commit Isaiah McKenzie, and former top
RB target Sony Michel all hailing from the school. Like Gorman, Heritage is a
budding prep sports power that Notre Dame wants to establish a pipeline with.
2015 will be no different with 5* S/CB Tarvarus McFadden and Gibson, possible the
#1 QB on ND's board. The verdict is largely still out on him as a passer, with
this year being his first year playing the position full time. Shows a good arm
with decent touch in limited film, but has a lot of work to do on his footwork
and his posture while throwing the ball. But man, this kid is athletic. Could
play safety or wide receiver for Notre Dame, but most importantly he's probably
the most natural read option QB that ND has recruited since Kelly's been on
campus. The Florida schools, Clemson, and Ohio State look like the major
competition right now.
Notable Offers:
Alabama, Clemson, FSU, Miami, OSU
Ranking -
Rivals: 5.9 4*; Scout: 81st overall, 3rd QB (#1 D/T); 247: 106th overall, 3rd
D/T QB; ESPN: 25th overall, 3rd ATH
Jack Beneventi - Quarterback - 6'6"
- 190 lbs - Glen Ellyn, Illinois - Benet Academy - Highlights
Probably the
biggest lock on ND's board. Many on the board have bemoaned the continued
pursuit of Beneventi because of his performance at the Five-Star Challenge and
the fact that he has a lot of work to do to be a top level QB. But Coach Martin
continues to recruit one of the earliest offers in the class and a kid who he
thinks could end up as an elite signal caller. To put it lightly, his delivery
is pretty ugly. He somehow has a long throwing motion, yet short arms
nearly every throw. Additionally his release point is very inconsistent. Shows
good footwork in the pocket, but does not transfer his weight well from back
foot to front while throwing. While that is a LOT to work on, he does have a
lot of positives going for him. Has great size/frame (can probably hold another
35-40 lbs comfortably) for the position, has pretty good accuracy and touch
despite the throwing deficiencies, and has been very productive on the HS level. You'd like to see a stronger arm (especially with him being a
bigger QB), but that will definitely improve once he steps on campus, fills out
that frame, and has Martin and Kelly work with him on that throwing motion.
I've been reserving the last sentence for major competition, but this kid is
Irish if they continue to pursue.
Notable Offers:
Illinois, Iowa, Louisville
Ranking - Rivals:
unranked; Scout: 82nd overall, 4th QB; 247: 209th overall, 12th
PP-QB; ESPN: 273rd overall, 11th PP-QB
Tristen Hoge - Guard - 6'4" - 285
lbs - Pocatello, ID - Highland - Highlights
The nephew of
ESPN NFL analyst Merrill Hoge, Tristen represents one of the top offensive line
targets on the Irish's board for 2015. With the staff being ultra-selective
along the line in 2015, it shows you what kind of prospect Hoge is when he is
the only guard that has received an offer from the Irish. Also plays center on
a spread option team, so that is definitely a position that he will be
considered for should he become a part of the 2015 class. A very technically
sound interior linemen with great bend, good leg drive, and the ability to
remain in his stance. Gets caught lunging at times and plays against some
pretty bad competition in Idaho, but he is an elite interior linemen without a
doubt. Will have to get bigger in college (what OL doesn't?), but he carries
very little bad weight for a HS junior linemen his size, which is rare. Great
academic and social fit at ND. Major competition will be Florida (named
co-leader w/ ND) and Stanford. While Florida normally isn't involved with ND
academic fits, Hoge is interested in forensic science and engineering, both
programs that UF probably outperforms ND in.
Notable Offers:
Cal, UF, LSU, UNC, Stanford, Washington
Ranking -
Rivals: 5.9 4*; Scout: 26th overall, 1st OG; 247: 77th overall, 7th OT;
ESPN: 99th overall, 9th OG
Kendall Sheffield - Cornerback -
6'0" - 165 lbs - Missouri City, TX - Fort Bend Marshall - Highlights
Sheffield
appears to be the number one defensive back target on the board for 2015, being
the earliest offer at corner in the class. A teammate of 2013 target Deon Hollins,
Sheffield looks to be one of the very best corners in the 2015 class (shaping
up to be a very, very good corner class). Honestly if he was an inch taller, or
their weren't three corners on the list already, he would likely be one of the
first five stars for Rivals. Elite speed, very good in zone coverage (atypical
of many top HS corners), good in run support, great ball skills, and can help in
the return game. A lot of competition here and will be a tough pull for ND,
with the Texas schools in play and some SEC heavyweights (UF and LSU).
Notable Offers:
UF, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M
Ranking -
Rivals: 6.0 4*; Scout: 21st overall, 4th CB; 247: 40th overall, 3rd CB; ESPN: 19th overall,
2nd CB
Regional
Focus - Midwest
The
first regional focus is ND's bread and butter. Even with their recruiting
efforts going national, ND still pulls a great amount of talent out of
Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, and Indiana. Here's a look at some top
prospects in the region who project well to ND:
Darrin Kirkland Jr. - ILB - 6'2" -
215 - Indianapolis - Lawrence Central - No Offer - Highest Ranking: 134th overall,
3rd ILB
A very good
athlete who takes on and sheds blockers very well. Has a good amount of
interest in ND, but it appears it will be wait-and-see on the academics side
for Kirkland. Main Competition: Ohio State
Hjalte Froholdt - DE/DT - 6'5" - 275
- Warren, OH - Harding - No Offer - Highest Ranking: 14th overall,
4th DT
Besides the
awesome name, Froholdt is an imposing and surprisingly athletic player.
Does not have excellent lateral mobility and gets stood up at times, but he is
very fast for his size, is very good at gaining leverage, and plays with a high motor. Main Competition: Michigan & Ohio State
Larry Scott - RB - 6'1" - 215 -
Hubbard, OH - Hubbard - No Offer - Highest Ranking: 34th overall,
3rd RB
Big back, but
not really a bruiser. Rather set up his blocks than run a kid over. Great
vision and makes solid lateral cuts without a lot of speed lost. Good speed,
but not great, second-level gamebreaking speed. Not
sure on academics, but would love to see the staff get after this kid because
of how RB is shaping up (will want two if we don't land anybody in the 2014 class). Main competition: Ohio State (no offer)
Shaun Crawford - CB/WR - 5'9" - 165
- Lakewood, OH - St. Edward's - No Offer - Highest Ranking: 49th overall,
5th ATH
The Michigan
commit is a name to remember going forward because an ND offer could definitely
shake up this recruitment. ND was considered a possible leader when he visited
over the summer (with a commitment possible at the time), but left campus without an offer.
Too small to play in Diaco's defense, Crawford could be a later offer if they
like him at slot. Main competition: Michigan (commit)
Miles Boykin - WR/TE - 6'4" - 230
(seems high) - New Lenox, IL - Providence Catholic - No Offer - Highest
Ranking: 291st overall, 32nd WR
Boykin is listed
as having a 4.44 40 on 247, but it's more likely 4.64. Is not a burner by any
means, but can hit a seam route for a big gain because of his size and ability
to get open. To go along with his size, high points the ball really well and
has great hands. I would like to see him use his body better to shield smaller
corners, but that definitely can be taught. Main competition: Illinois,
Michigan State, and Ohio State
Elijah Taylor - DT - 6'3" - 275 -
Cincinnati - Moeller - No Offer - Highest Ranking: 89th overall,
14th DT
May not be a
profile fit at either the swing DE/DT position or NT, but the kid shows some
great flashes of athleticism along the line. Possesses very long arms (possibly
not done growing), has good burst off the line, and runs very well at 275. Is
not great getting off of blocks. A GCL kid, so it would be shocking to see ND
miss if they pursued. Main competition: Louisville & Michigan State
Reagan Williams - ILB - 6'2" - 235 -
Jackson, OH - Jackson - No Offer - Highest Ranking: 245th overall,
7th ILB
Seems to fit the
mold of the last two ILB commits (Deeb & Martini). Not a great athlete, but
fills space very well, does a good job diagnosing plays, and is a mean and
physical player. Main competition: No big offers yet, but Louisville and
Michigan could become players
Get
This Kid An Offer!
Some
prospects I would love to see offered:
Minkah Fitzpatrick - CB - 6'0" - 183
- Jersey City - St. Peter's Prep - Highest Ranking: Top 10 / Rivals
Five Star
Arguably the
most puzzling non-offer, Fitzpatrick is an elite level corner (wouldn't put him
in the five star category) from a Jersey Catholic school (often good profile
fit). SPP definitely isn't the best Jersey Catholic school fit, but there
shouldn't be much of a concern over academics considering he has an offer from
Stanford. Main Competition: Ohio State, South Carolina, and Bama (no offer)
Garrett Taylor - CB - 6'1" - 185 -
Richmond - St. Christopher's - Highest Ranking: 45th overall,
5th CB
Another puzzling
no offer, Taylor is a top level corner who could also return kicks or play receiver.
It is a very good year at corner, so the staff if probably favoring other guys
right now. One of the biggest gripes about ND recruiting over the last decade
is the lack of a presence in the DMV metro. Besides Good Counsel and Gilman
there aren't many solid private school programs to set up a pipeline, so there
going to need to bounce around from school to school every year. In 2015,
that's gotta be St. Chris's. Main Competition: Stanford
Ricky DeBerry - ILB/OLB - 6'2" - 237
- Richmond - St. Christopher's - Highest Ranking: 10th overall,
2nd OLB
eek (Highlights) One of my favorite recruits in this class.
Awesome athlete who could play any of the LB positions. Flashes plus athleticism,
a great motor, and tremendous use of his hands (includes catching the ball).
Reminds me of Devante Downs running the football and is a similar style
athlete. A pause for concern that other academic schools (Stanford and
Michigan) have not offered, but I would imagine that an elite prep school would
have their kids on track to be admitted into ND. Main Competition: ? (Very
open, but UF, Clemson, and OU should be in good shape going forward)
Josh Rosen -
QB - 6'4" - 205 - Bellflower, CA - St. John Bosco - Highest Ranking: 5th overall, 1st
QB (written before offer)
What
would a list complaining about offers be without Rosen on it? He's the
consensus #1 QB in the country and has talked about wanting an ND offer in the
past (and commended the handling of the Golson situation). He's a heavy lean to
the Bay Area, with the likely landing spot being Cal or Stanford, and there's
been some chatter about him being a diva. But know what, I don't care? Offer
the kid, set up a dialogue, and establish where the program stands with him
instead of going through secondary and tertiary channels (ask Mack Brown how that can backfire). Zaire and Kizer are
both projects and have high ceilings, but Rosen has one of the lowest floors
and it would be nice to see the staff go after more of a sure thing at QB. Main
Competition: Cal & Stanford
Christian Wilkins -
DT - 6'4" - 295 - Suffield, CT - Suffield Academy - Highest Ranking: 45th overall, 8th
DT
Super
athletic big man. Moves extremely well for 295 and is quick off the line.
Stands up too frequently (often to get a speed edge rush) and doesn't create
great leverage because of it, but uses his hands well to disengage blockers
regardless. Does not have very long arms and will play inside in college, so
will have to get better at gaining leverage. New England boarding school kid
with a Stanford offer, so seems like a great profile fit for the school. Main
competition: ? (FSU, OSU, and Stanford are the early top offers)
Position of Need - Running Back
Running
back looks to be a position of significance for the 2015 class with the loss of
Elijah Hood. There's plenty of depth and youth at the position right now, but
that picture will be quite different in two years. Who knows, maybe Elijah's
parents let him leave home or another top back comes on the board, but at this
moment running back will be crucial in 2015. Look for the staff to take two,
with at least one being an elite prospect. Some targets:
Josh Adams - 6'2" - 182 -
Warrington, PA - Central Bucks South - Highest Ranking: 118th overall,
14th RB
Has a reported
offer on 247, but that would be pretty surprising because it "came"
before Brossette committed. Regardless, I'm a big fan of this kid's film and
upside. Looks very thin and could probably play up to 220 lbs without much loss
of speed. Is very fast on film, but could be relative due to competition (not
really sure of the quality). Either way, shows great acceleration, goes through
the line at top speed, and is quite good at making open field cuts at top
speed. Does not show great lateral agility, but taller backs almost never excel
in this aspect even in the NFL (unless your name is Adrian Peterson). Would
like to see his 40 time in a camp this upcoming summer. Could be a diamond in
the rough considering lack of offers. Main competition: Penn State
Jordan
Scarlett -
5'11" - 205 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - University School - Highest Ranking: 26th overall,
2nd RB
Teammate of ND
commit Richard Yeargin III and former ND target Quincy Wilson, Scarlett is one
of the nation's top backs in 2015. Like American Heritage, University School is
establishing itself as a new state power and ND is trying to tap into these
Florida schools without any ties to local colleges. I'm wary of no offer going
out here, and it could be due to several factors: Scarlett likely stays in
state, is not academically eligible (although I think University would have him
on track), or they had higher backs on their board and are/were waiting on
their decisions. But with Alford as his primary recruiter, I won't count him
off the board yet. Main Competition: FSU, UF, Miami
Derrius
Guice -
5'9" - 190 - Baton Rouge - Catholic High School - Highest Ranking: 37th overall,
4th RB
Very intriguing
prospect for a multitude of factors. Is an elite player IMO, has great speed
and awesome lateral agility, but only has one offer (LSU). 247 has him at 37th,
while the other services aren't that high (not even in the Rivals250). Has no
noted interest in the Irish and LSU clearly leads, but could be a very
impactful prospect on this class regardless if he ends up in it. Looks to be a
fit socially and academically, with Catholic being an all-male, religious
school that is one of the best academically in the state. Also, a
commitment to LSU, coupled with the commitment of Leonard Fournette, could
force Brossette to reconsider playing time and his pledge to the Tigers. Main
Competition: LSU
Other Top
Targets: Jacques Patrick, Soso Jamabo, Nicholas Brossette
Feel free to add on or critique. If the feedback is positive, I'll update this in a month or so.