2019 - State of the Recruiting Class thread

[Luckylucci]

I'm talking about the '17 and '18 classes. We don't have a true impact WDE in either class, based on what we currently know. I'll be happy if Wardlow develops into a future starter after Hayes/Okwara are gone, or if Ovie/Justin A. are the answers we're looking for when they step in as juniors. There is time for development.

But that's what makes me nervous... you're counting on avoiding attrition AND counting on someone to develop above their projections. I'd like to see ND mitigate any potential issues by landing a couple of highly-rated WDE's that we KNOW can generate pass-rush on their own, that's all.
I am not "down" on our classes in '17 and '18, but one of the criticisms of both classes post-NSD was, "we missed on an impact pass rusher. Would've made the class perfect."

I get nervous when we're talking about missing on a specific type of player two classes in a row... that's how you create holes in your roster if any unplanned attrition occurs.

My bad, somehow spaced we just inked another class, lol.

And I just don't subscribe to this whole, we KNOW, who will and won't be impact pass rushers. Both Prince Shembo and Romeo Okwara, had more collegiate sacks than Aaron lynch and Ishaq Williams combined.

Therefore, 1 full year before this class inks and 18 months before they report to campus, I don't understand being nervous.

Also, we haven't missed on anything yet. We might have missed on who you or others think will be an impact pass rusher. But as of today, we've signed 4 WDE's in 3 classes. That number could be 3, in a couple of years, or it could be 5. Numbers are not an issue and if talent is the concern, I think we should probably judge that when the time comes.

WalterFootball.com: 2018 NFL Draft: Defensive End Rankings

Here is Walter Football's DE rankings, as of Feb. 3rd. How many of those guys did we KNOW were going to be impact pass rushers in college? Probably not many, otherwise they wouldn't have ended up at BC, NCSU, or BFE.

 

[BobbyMac]

Good talk today fellas. I'm slammed until Saturday so I'll have to catch up then.

Sorry if this got posted elsewhere and talked about but Loy put the brakes on the 2019 class having all of the DT's ND leads for. It's the first time I've seen a talking head admit it in print. Then again on the flip side, he has every last one of them CB'd to the Irish.

He gave Briggs a Leave it and Johnson as Like it to Leave it because of a lack of room. He gave Spears a Love it and Smith a Like it. What he's saying is: ND gets 3 DT's, (Lacey, Spears & Smith w/ Johnson as the back up) plus Anderson and probably NOM. I think a 6th guy comes in as a classic WDE who may be a LB at this time.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Like It, Love It, Leave It: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NotreDame</a> predictions on the <a href="https://twitter.com/247CrystalBall?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@247CrystalBall</a> from the class of 2019. Where do things currently stand? Update: <a href="https://t.co/W1NLlEtIdg">https://t.co/W1NLlEtIdg</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IrishIllustrated?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IrishIllustrated</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/247Sports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@247Sports</a> <a href="https://t.co/vsX3XnrcR3">pic.twitter.com/vsX3XnrcR3</a></p>— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomLoy247/status/963794445081526272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[BobbyMac]

So Loy just released the most optimistic projection piece since the Holtz era. Here's his '19 class:

QB - Max Duggan
RB - Steele Chambers
RB - Chez Mellusi
APB - Kyren Williams
WR - Cornelius Johnson
WR - Jake Smith
TE - Hudson Henry
OL - Quinn Carroll
OL - Harry Miller
OL - John Olmstead
OL - Bryan Hudson
DE - NaNa Osafo-Mensah
DE - Joe Anderson
DT - Mazi Smith
DT - Hunter Spears
DT - Jacob Lacey
LB - Keith Maguire
LB - Osita Ekwonu
LB - Spencer Lytle
S/R - Kyle Hamilton
S - Litchfield Ajavon
DB - Kenyatta Watsson
CB - KJ Wallace
CB - Salim Turner-Muhammad

Link to the FREEBIE slideshow in the tweet:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The way-too-early Best Guess for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NotreDame</a> and its 2019 class has been revealed at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IrishIllustrated?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IrishIllustrated</a>. Give it a look: <a href="https://t.co/TF15j13KPd">https://t.co/TF15j13KPd</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/247Sports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@247Sports</a> <a href="https://t.co/QpIJWiIvxv">pic.twitter.com/QpIJWiIvxv</a></p>— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomLoy247/status/973278807531585537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[DONTH8]

So Loy just released the most optimistic projection piece since the Holtz era. Here's his '19 class:

QB - Max Duggan
RB - Steele Chambers
RB - Chez Mellusi
APB - Kyren Williams
WR - Cornelius Johnson
WR - Jake Smith
TE - Hudson Henry
OL - Quinn Carroll
OL - Harry Miller
OL - John Olmstead
OL - Bryan Hudson
DE - NaNa Osafo-Mensah
DE - Joe Anderson
DT - Mazi Smith
DT - Hunter Spears
DT - Jacob Lacey
LB - Keith Maguire
LB - Osita Ekwonu
LB - Spencer Lytle
S/R - Kyle Hamilton
S - Litchfield Ajavon
DB - Kenyatta Watsson
CB - KJ Wallace
CB - Salim Turner-Muhammad

Link to the FREEBIE slideshow in the tweet:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The way-too-early Best Guess for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NotreDame</a> and its 2019 class has been revealed at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IrishIllustrated?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IrishIllustrated</a>. Give it a look: <a href="https://t.co/TF15j13KPd">https://t.co/TF15j13KPd</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/247Sports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@247Sports</a> <a href="https://t.co/QpIJWiIvxv">pic.twitter.com/QpIJWiIvxv</a></p>— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomLoy247/status/973278807531585537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That would be a great class, and doesn't seem super unrealistic, especially if we can have a solid year on the field.

What do you think the odds are that it works out though Crusader?

 

[arrowryan]

That would be a great class, and doesn't seem super unrealistic, especially if we can have a solid year on the field.

What do you think the odds are that it works out though Crusader?

How can it be realistic? I'm not sure why he even wrote that up.

So many things can/will change as Spring/Summer evals are done, offers go out after camps, kids blow up after their senior season, etc.. I'd love that class and it would be a top 5 class, but its just not going to happen. For example, I think there is a <10% chance Jake Smith goes to Notre Dame. For that class to happen, they would have to not offer anyone else this cycle besides a kicker/punter lol.

 

[BobbyMac]

That would be a great class, and doesn't seem super unrealistic, especially if we can have a solid year on the field.

What do you think the odds are that it works out though Crusader?

Works out exactly like that? >1%

If ND lands Chambers, Smith, Miller, & Henry I'd shat thyself.

If they landed that exact class on top of last year's... they're in the playoffs once, <strike>maybe</strike> probably twice and could seriously win the whole enchilada... And that's if Phil's only 2/3's of the QB we think he is.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Works out exactly like that? >1%

If ND lands Chambers, Smith, Miller, & Henry I'd shat thyself.

If they landed that exact class on top of last year's... they're in the playoffs once, <strike>maybe</strike> probably twice and could seriously win the whole enchilada... And that's if Phil's only 2/3's of the QB we think he is.

But what if Duggan is everything we think he is?

 

[BobbyMac]

But what if Duggan is everything we think he is?

Then he'll be the absolute best clipboard slingin, play relayin, snap snaggin, ball holdin, red hat since Steve Belles... until of course Phil moves on and then he can duke it out with the one St Beano was really talking about.

 

[NDdomer2]

Works out exactly like that? >1%

If ND lands Chambers, Smith, Miller, & Henry I'd shat thyself.

If they landed that exact class on top of last year's... they're in the playoffs once, <strike>maybe</strike> probably twice and could seriously win the whole enchilada... And that's if Phil's only 2/3's of the QB we think he is.

Greater than 1%? That's about the whole spectrum

 

[DONTH8]

How can it be realistic? I'm not sure why he even wrote that up.

So many things can/will change as Spring/Summer evals are done, offers go out after camps, kids blow up after their senior season, etc.. I'd love that class and it would be a top 5 class, but its just not going to happen. For example, I think there is a <10% chance Jake Smith goes to Notre Dame. For that class to happen, they would have to not offer anyone else this cycle besides a kicker/punter lol.

Definitely agree, sorry I wrote that statement a little too hastily. What I meant to ask is more like how many of these players are we actually going to get in the end. But it definitely came off as "are we going to get 100% of these people" so my apologies there. And by looking at the list it doesnt seem like there is some crazy "5 star that we have no chances at but we all convince ourself we do" on that list which is why i said its "not super unrealistic" meaning i feel we have a little chance at most of those people. Jake smith would probably be the one I would argue is the most unrealistic.

That being said, you're right, it's a dumb article, but kind of fun to think about who we could end up with right now. Recruiting is a lot of fun for me to follow, even with the heart break. IDK it's just so unpredictable and you never know what to expect. I like that. So I have no issues with some guy like Loy just throwing out names to get the ball rolling and then having guys on here share there opinions and why guys like Loy are wrong. But I'd rather be proactive in recruiting discussions and looking towards the future, then just sitting idly by and waiting till the end of the year to see how everything turns out.

 

[Crazy Balki]

I think it's pretty realistic...y'know, for a way too early projection, which by definition is almost entirely best guesses.

But yeah, why make this?

 

[BobbyMac]

I think it' a great piece. I think ND is ssitting pretty good with all those guys. There's not a Rashan Gary ain't gonna happen type on that list. The 5 hardest guys to sign on that list would be half the shock of signing Manti.

It wouldn't surprise me if ND signed 19 of those 24. I think there are 13 guys who are 90%ers or higher.

 

[beryirish]

I think it' a great piece. I think ND is ssitting pretty good with all those guys. There's not a Rashan Gary ain't gonna happen type on that list. The 5 hardest guys to sign on that list would be half the shock of signing Manti.

It wouldn't surprise me if ND signed 19 of those 24. I think there are 13 guys who are 90%ers or higher.

He posted that list earlier.

https://247sports.com/college/notre-dame/Article/What-would-Notre-Dames-perfect-2019-class-look-like-116014980

QB — Max Duggan
RB — Austin Jones
WR — Kyle Ford
WR — Jake Smith
WR — Joe Ngata
TE — Hudson Henry
OL — Quinn Carroll
OL — Harry Miller
OL — Enokk Vimahi
OL — Zeke Correll
DE — Zach Harrison
DE — NaNa Osafo-Mensa
DE — Joseph Anderson
DT — Jacob Lacey
DT — Hunter Spears
DT — Mazi Smith
LB — Brandon Smith
LB — Osita Ekwonu
LB — Cade Stover
DB — K.J. Wallace
DB — Andrew Booth
DB — Kenyatta Watson II
DB — Litchfield Ajavon
DB — Salim Turner-Muhammad
ATH — Bru McCoy

 

[ab2cmiller]

Zach Harrison? Has anything come out yet to make us think we have significant shot at him?

 

[Luckylucci]

Zach Harrison? Has anything come out yet to make us think we have significant shot at him?

I don’t know about significant shot. Though, Per ISD’s sources he’s not the lock to OSU, that some assumed he would be. Apparently ND has some traction here, along with PSU and a few others. So yea, there is some info out there to at least suggest we are at least a player.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

We are not signing Jake Smith.

I almost want him more than any other player because he looks like a gamebreaker but USC has been his dream school.

That dont' end well.

 

[NDMIA]

I posted this in Zach Harrison's page a few months back. Here's his updated visitor log at the perceived top 4. One note, Notre Dame was the first of the 4 to offer.

Notre Dame: 11/19/16 & 4/2/17 & 6/24/17 & 11/18/17
Ohio State: 1/28/17 & 2/20/17 & 3/23/17 & 4/15/17 & 6/17/17 & 7/21/17 & 10/28/17 & 2/3/18
Penn State: 3/25/17 & 7/15/17 & 10/21/17
Michigan: 3/26/17 & 3/16/18

Also of note, his family is from Chicago!

 

[BobbyMac]

We are not signing Jake Smith.

I almost want him more than any other player because he looks like a gamebreaker but USC has been his dream school.

That dont' end well.

I hope you aren't being glum on account of my past glum-ness.

I've heard some very encouraging stuff recently. I'm guessing it got back to Loy too for him to put him in his Too Early Best Guess piece.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I hope you aren't being glum on account of my past glum-ness.

I've heard some very encouraging stuff recently. I'm guessing it got back to Loy too for him to put him in his Too Early Best Guess piece.

Actually I base 100% of my recruiting knowledge on what you say because you seem the most informed this side of the Couv. If you now have reason for optimism then I'll stay cautiously optimistic but I still believe this is the metastory of Pac-12 recruiting and the end only deviates <1% of the time.

 

[jerboski]

I hope you aren't being glum on account of my past glum-ness.

I've heard some very encouraging stuff recently. I'm guessing it got back to Loy too for him to put him in his Too Early Best Guess piece.

Rest easy, we are in this one.... lot of good momentum happening here with alexander and him. Family loves Chip as well

 

[ab2cmiller]

Boom Jerboski throwing down the crystal ball

 

[BobbyMac]

Rest easy, we are in this one.... lot of good momentum happening here with alexander and him. Family loves Chip as well

My kid got accepted to NDP so I'll have eyes on the ground this fall. We went to the NDP - Brophy LAX game over the weekend and got the update. Got an ND alum deeply embedded in the program. That's how I found out about Dad wanting the offer originally.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I’m excited to announce that I will be playing in the 2019 Under Armour All American Game! Officially an All American💯 <a href="https://twitter.com/DemetricDWarren?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DemetricDWarren</a></p>— Jake Smith (@jakesmith27) <a href="https://twitter.com/jakesmith27/status/973677672659169281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Edge]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sb...iting-florida-state-miami-receiver-cornerback

 

[ab2cmiller]

Sinclair's take on the current state of the class.
https://247sports.com/college/notre-dame/Article/Sinclairs-Mid-Week-Recruiting-Rundown-116786282

A couple of items surprised me.

At defensive tackle, I’m leaning towards the Irish sticking with the two committed athletes they have in Jacob Lacey and Hunter Spears.

If the Irish do add a third body, Rodas Johnson or Mazi Smith would be the names I would expect.

No question, Osita Ekwonu is the linebacker I’m predicting to commit to the Irish. This is an extremely naturally gifted junior with loads of potential.

I do think it’s possible the Irish could add just one linebacker in the 2019 class. If they add multiple, it would be because the opportunity to land Brandon Smith, Keith Maguire, Tristan Sinclair, or possibly others came to fruition.

 

[NDMIA]

Very insightful article, but I just don’t believe that ND would take 1 LBer this cycle. I think 2-3 is more likely, but i think ND is going to be in too good of a position to not take more than 1 LBer this cycle. My two co-number ones are Osita Ekwonu & Brandon Smith. ND also has traction with Cade Stover (Drop/Buck), Lance Dixon, Nick Henrich, Keith McGuire, Tristan Sinclair, and Spencer Lytle. That’s a ton of great prospects to only be taking 1. Especially seeing that ND has carried 12 & 13 scholarship LBers in this new defense the last two year I don’t think they’ll underrecruit a position of strength for ND.

 

[BobbyMac]

I give the chance of signing 1 LB at below 10%.

Brandon Smith's been my #1 OA since Day 1. He doesn't even count towards a position group for me. Him & Zach Harrison are takes if I've already signed 27. That said, not holding my breath on either.

The one who has separated himself from the pack at LB for me is Henrich. I see a freakishly elite ceiling with him. I can't wait to see his combine #'s compared to to the rest of the '19 LB's.

This is a great LB class for ND kinda guys. They're in the lead groups of quite a few guys already including Luke Fulton if they offer today and Tommy Eichenberg if they decide to go after him.

The more I think about it, the chance of taking a lone LB this class is prolly less than 1%.

 

[BobbyMac]

Regarding, the ND DB recruiting for 2019, I think a more positive picture needs to be made out of the class. If ND totally fills up and grabs 4 DB's in the 2019 class (giving them 19 scholly DB's in 2019), then they only need 3 more commits. Yes Kenyatta Watson seems to be trending to Texas, Nick Cross loved his OSU visit and they lead for him now, and Kyle Hamilton might be swayed to stay at Georgia, but...

.9835 4* Chris Steele - Longshot, but when has that ever stopped Polian
.9670 4* Jeremiah Criddell - Plans to take an OV to ND, late scratch for January Junior Day
.9490 4* Litchfield Ajavon - we lead for him, and he's coming Thursday for his 3rd visit
.9489 4* Ronnie Hickman - “Notre Dame was always a top school because of who they are and what they stood for. After going on this visit, it solidified it, and they are always going to stay at the top of my list." OSU leads but maybe they take other guys ahead of him.
.9413 4* Cam'Ron Kelly - Childhood dream school curse, Clemson leads, but ND "definitely" a contender according to Kelly
.9376 4* Woodi Washington - Wants to come up and visit, being recruited by Rees, Lyght & Joseph. He's a regional recruit they could snatch up (7 hours away)
.9279 4* Nick Cross - OSU leads after the visit this week, but has said he will visit ND, we're overdue for a knock-your-socks-off visit like KJ Wallace in January.
.9248 4* Kenyatta Watson - might be trending to Texas, but ND has been recruiting him really hard for a while & gets the last visit in May now which is exciting.
.9142 4* Wesley Walker - came with his mother in January & loved it. Wants to visit once more for a game, and ND will definitely make his top 8.
.9136 4* Jalani Williams - ND made his top 8, not much more info, but isn't far away (6 hours), needs to visit campus for interest to be acknowledged as real.
.9046 4* Raymond Woodie III - ND knocked his March 3rd visit out of the park, wants to return with mom & pops (FSU assistant).
.8950 3* Salim Turner-Muhammad - visited twice in March, loved his visits & parents are on board. Teammates with other ND lean Litchfield Ajavon.
.8416 3* Kyle Hamilton - ND leads with UGA lurking, but hit a homerun on March visit with his parents.

For only 3 spots left, ND sure is in good position with a heck of a lot of big time DB's. And, of course, many DB's haven't been evaluated or recruited that hard, yet. Noah Boykin came really late last cycle and Houston Griffith didn't come to us until really late. The ideal scenario is ND picks up the commitment of Litchfield Ajavon sooner rather than later, Terry Joseph & Todd Lyght go all in on Kenyatta Watson & hopefully beat out Texas, and then close the last spot with the best possible player. Exciting, exciting position group to watch!

In regards to safety

Sign Ajavon and stay after Hamilton and Cross. Cross is gonna be a star OLB in college and Hamilton could play either S or Rover. Love either or with Cross' measurables, take all three and drop one of the LB's.

After Cross and Hamilton, they have to identify and offer a few more well targeted safeties. I like:

Noa Pola Gates - AZ - 6-2 - Cross like athlete. Waste of time - Bama showed up - My fav
Chris Adimora - CA - 6-1 - Great ATH - Prolly a waste of time
Bryon Shaw - MD - 6-2 - Wiscy Commit, so what if they like him.
Khalid Martin - NC - 6-2 - Good fit
Fabrice Voyne - CA - 6-2 - Great fit, under recruited/valued - runs sub 11/100's
Jayden Russell - KS - 6-2 - Good fit
Kaulana Makaula - HI - 6-3
Quinton Newsome - GA - 6-2 - N. Gwinnett HS

The bolded make a lot of sense, especially Voyne.

 

[NDIrish88]

Where so we stand with DE now that nana is a UT lean? Is Joseph Andersen still good to go? Are we.good.with anyone else at their level? Seems like we could get Ellison, cross and dicosmo but are they the best we can get?

 

[BobbyMac]

Where so we stand with DE now that nana is a UT lean? Is Joseph Andersen still good to go? Are we.good.with anyone else at their level? Seems like we could get Ellison, cross and dicosmo but are they the best we can get?

There's smoke about Anderson's books.

Ellison sound like a good bet, he came to ND on his own dime w/ the fam last year.

Cross sounds like a good fit. Sounds like he has serious interest. He's small and would need extended time w/ Balis.

DiCosmo sounds like is a Michigan lean. I'm just not that fired up about him. Would rather have Miamen.

Mataio Soli is who they need to go after.

They missed on Gabe Newburg from Ohio (Michigan)

Watch out for Isaac Townsend from CO

There's always Beau Robbins from Indy.

 

[Luckylucci]

Some more offered guys to remember.

Etinosa Reuben, staff was in frequent contact with him early on. Sounded like legit interest.

MJ Anderson, is a prospect I like, provided he comes back healthy and ready to go this year.

Marcus Hicks interest seems genuine. I’d think we make a top 5 and get an OV.

Joseph Wete. Per Loy we are no longer recruiting him. No reason as to why

Cade Stover has visited 3 times on his own and would’ve been a 4th if his b-ball team lost.

Now, we are behind in some of these recruitments but it also April 9th and the staff has already told us they are pushing most prospects to OV in the fall.