2019 - State of the Recruiting Class thread

[snoopdog]

The lack of RB's in the last few classes is odd, considering the quality of the O-line. As an RB, the strength of the O-line should be the second most important factor in deciding what school to attend (after the obvious first consideration......$$$$$$)

But kidding aside, every single eligible 4 star RB should be begging for a schollie from ND. But we end up chasing 2 stars at closing time.....very odd situation.

Now stars for rb's aren't the be all and end all....but c'mon, why haven't the Irish locked down two or three studs in this class.

Someone must have some clarity on this odd predicament.

 

[ab2cmiller]

The lack of RB's in the last few classes is odd, considering the quality of the O-line. As an RB, the strength of the O-line should be the second most important factor in deciding what school to attend (after the obvious first consideration......$$$$$$)

But kidding aside, every single eligible 4 star RB should be begging for a schollie from ND. But we end up chasing 2 stars at closing time.....very odd situation.

Now stars for rb's aren't the be all and end all....but c'mon, why haven't the Irish locked down two or three studs in this class.

Someone must have some clarity on this odd predicament.

Maybe all of the RB's are concerned about their pass protection ability and are concerned that they would ride the bench at ND.

 

[longliveautrydenson]

Messed around on 247's class calculator a bit. If we add Ekwonu, Correll, and Mertz in June (as our Loy and Savior has predicted), that puts our team score at 222.84, second only to Alabama. Now factor in that our two lowest ranked prospects are due for massive ratings bumps (Hamilton and Kristofic), and we're knocking at the door for the top overall class. What an incredible turnaround from just a month ago.

 

[Henges24]

Messed around on 247's class calculator a bit. If we add Ekwonu, Correll, and Mertz in June (as our Loy and Savior has predicted), that puts our team score at 222.84, second only to Alabama. Now factor in that our two lowest ranked prospects are due for massive ratings bumps (Hamilton and Kristofic), and we're knocking at the door for the top overall class. What an incredible turnaround from just a month ago.

Don't worry the freak-outs will return

 

[BobbyMac]

Messed around on 247's class calculator a bit. If we add Ekwonu, Correll, and Mertz in June (as our Loy and Savior has predicted), that puts our team score at 222.84, second only to Alabama. Now factor in that our two lowest ranked prospects are due for massive ratings bumps (Hamilton and Kristofic), and we're knocking at the door for the top overall class. What an incredible turnaround from just a month ago.

All ND needs is the programs above them to sign nobody while the happens.

Don't worry the freak-outs will return

Was there freaking-out happening? Pretty much everybody who was expected to sign with ND signed besides Watson and he went UT so far out that it was expected.

Ekwonu, Correll, K Williams, will sign too.

Hard to freak out... this isn't the summer of '16 when the '17 class warranted some freaking.

 

[ab2cmiller]

The freak outs happened when a string of CB’s went to Texas for Nana. That’s even worse than someone freaking out about a kid actually committing someplace.

 

[BobbyMac]

The freak outs happened when a string of CB’s went to Texas for Nana. That’s even worse than someone freaking out about a kid actually committing someplace.

Was that here or other sites? I don't pay a lot of attention to "feelings" posts other than the Top 10-20 posters who usually mix in some thoughtful analysis with their feelings about what is going on.

 

[NDIrish88]

Was that here or other sites? I don't pay a lot of attention to "feelings" posts other than the Top 10-20 posters who usually mix in some thoughtful analysis with their feelings about what is going on.

We weren't freaking out. Nana is still going to be pursued regardless. I am excited to see how June ends up. Hopefully it's a quiet recruiting year and all goes as planned. WR should be interesting

 

[Luckylucci]

Lol, there was some pretty heavy freaking out. We weren’t going to get Hamilton, Kristofic (he was visiting OSU “unannounced”), and Nana was going to Texas (ND can’t recruit DE’s).

 

[ab2cmiller]

We weren't freaking out. Nana is still going to be pursued regardless. I am excited to see how June ends up. Hopefully it's a quiet recruiting year and all goes as planned. WR should be interesting

I think your previous posts indicate a definite level of freak out in Nana's thread

Mike roach just flipped CB to Texas. Wtf

All the Texas analysts flipped. Nobody else has

Greg powers just CB to Texas. Shit

He better not go to UT

Elston must have known since he offered recent DEs

Still should have taken nana no matter what

Meaning that they should continue to recruit even if he verbally commits to texas

This is crazy that they can lose both recruits like this considering how elston has been so invested in nana and kj wallace knows kenyatta. Hopefully we continue to recruit them both even after they commit

Expect the worst

Yeah I'd almost rather he not make any pick until NSD

 

[NDdomer2]

All ND needs is the programs above them to sign nobody while the happens.



Was there freaking-out happening? Pretty much everybody who was expected to sign with ND signed besides Watson and he went UT so far out that it was expected.

Ekwonu, Correll, K Williams, will sign too.

Hard to freak out... this isn't the summer of '16 when the '17 class warranted some freaking.

Although I've seen some justify the end means as reason no one should have, this is 100% true.

 

[NDIrish88]

I think your previous posts indicate a definite level of freak out in Nana's thread

Did you go through every post? Perhaps we should occupy our time with something else? Also I was more annoyed then anything.

 

[connor_in]

Was that here or other sites? I don't pay a lot of attention to "feelings" posts other than the Top 10-20 posters who usually mix in some thoughtful analysis with their feelings about what is going on.

Awwww, thanks NDC. I appreciate the compliment!

 

[connor_in]

Don't worry the freak-outs will return

STOP IT MAN...STOP IT!!! NOBODY IS GONNA FREAK THE F@$% OUT! NOW OMG WHEN ARE WE GONNA SIGN 2 MORE FREAKING KICKERS OR WE CAN JUST FLUSH THE NATTY AWAY NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[stlnd01]

It'd be awesome if we have the #2 (or even #1) class after our next three potentials sign on.
But it's May. Doesn't this happen pretty much every year?
We load up early with our guys and have a high class ranking, while lots of five-stars and high fours who were never coming here anyway play the game and "take their visits" and commit at All Star Games and on ESPN on Signing Day. And when the dust is settled our class slots in at a still-solid-but-not-spectacular 10th or so.

 

[arrowryan]

On the II podcast, they made a really interesting point about how the staff has spent less time in Florida and spending their time in Georgia, Texas, and New Jersey instead. Off the top of my head, I was thinking "yeah, that sounds right". Then I looked at how many kids they have offered in Florida and compared it to the Georgia kids; they've offered 8 kids from Florida compared to 23 Georgia kids. That is a huge difference.

This is a very small sample size as it is just one recruiting class, but it definitely makes you think. Not only have they offered just 8 from Florida, I don't believe any of them are being actively recruited by Notre Dame (Chez Melusi was, but I doubt he is anymore). This might be happening because they simply aren't high on the Florida talent this cycle, or it could be bigger picture. I wonder if they're realizing they're getting burned more often than not by the kids they get from Florida.

Whether they stopped prioritizing Florida or not, I'm a huge fan of the staff prioritizing the Catholic prep schools in the Atlanta area.

 

[NDMIA]

Notre Dame is never as high as 1-2 in the country in terms of class score. Schools like UM, Georgia, Bama and others usually have a bunch of commits that they can later drop depending on their development and they also close on some 5 stars later in the cycle. ND gets pretty high in terms of team score to maybe like 7 or 6 max and then Fall’s slightly to the solid #10 spot they usually sit in. However, getting to #1 or 2 is a big big difference in my opinion. I mean just last year Georgia got some recruits that I think would not have signed there had they not had all the momentum there for a few months. Miami had that for a short time last year as well and then they were able to hang onto some guys before their ranking fell. If ND gets to a top 2 position in the team rankings I think you’ll see some interesting recruits get really interested in ND that you didn’t think ND had a chance for.

 

[NDMIA]

On the II podcast, they made a really interesting point about how the staff has spent less time in Florida and spending their time in Georgia, Texas, and New Jersey instead. Off the top of my head, I was thinking "yeah, that sounds right". Then I looked at how many kids they have offered in Florida and compared it to the Georgia kids; they've offered 8 kids from Florida compared to 23 Georgia kids. That is a huge difference.

This is a very small sample size as it is just one recruiting class, but it definitely makes you think. Not only have they offered just 8 from Florida, I don't believe any of them are being actively recruited by Notre Dame (Chez Melusi was, but I doubt he is anymore). This might be happening because they simply aren't high on the Florida talent this cycle, or it could be bigger picture. I wonder if they're realizing they're getting burned more often than not by the kids they get from Florida.

Whether they stopped prioritizing Florida or not, I'm a huge fan of the staff prioritizing the Catholic prep schools in the Atlanta area.

I think they’ll still recruit Florida heavily but they’ll just be more picky in who they spend their time on. Being from a South Florida public school myself I can tell you recruits down here are generally all about the U and then can be persuaded to join an SEC program or FSU but a vast majority like staying in the south. But there are some geographical areas and types of schools that ND could attack. The Tampa area and Naples areas have some really really good academic private schools and public schools where Nicholas Petit-Frere, Chez Mellusi, and George Takacs are from. The Palm Beach area is also a really good area where I think they got Kevin Austin. But a Miami High, Homestead High, or Orlando public schools might not be a fruitful endeavor for ND.

 

[longliveautrydenson]

Assuming a class of 24, here’s a rough projection for the rest of the way.

QB - 1 ......... Clark

RB - 2 .......... K Williams / TBD

WR - 2 ......... Hart OR Sheffield OR C. Johnson OR TBD

TE - 0 .......... Pass

OL - 5 .......... Olmstead / Kristofic / Carroll / Correll / Wormley OR TBD

DT - 1 .......... Lacey

DT/SDE - 2 ... Spears / Cross

SDE - 1 ......... 1 of: Ojabo OR TBD

WDE - 2 ........ NaNa / diCosmo OR Miamen

LB - 3 .......... Ekonwu / Kiser / Turner OR Sinclair OR Heinrich

CB - 2 ........... Wallace / Washington OR Rutherford OR TBD

S - 2 ............. Ajavon / Hamilton

ST - 1 ............ Bramblett

If Clark and Kyren wrap things up soon as expected, we’ll have 2/3rds of the class finished by June. Truly impressive work by the staff, especially Quinn and Elston. If we can get off to a hot start in September, we can really go big game hunting for the final few spots.

 

[irishff1014]

We had good quality we just need to some how add 2 or 3 star players and i just don't see that happening.

 

[Rack Em]

We had good quality we just need to some how add 2 or 3 star players and i just don't see that happening.

Your post is confusing. It reads like you want to bring in lower rated players haha. I think you mean you want star players, preferably 2 or 3 of them!

 

[snoopdog]

I don’t mind finishing 8-10 every year in recruiting if we develop the kids at an elite level.

This is the only route to a national championship imo

 

[NDdomer2]

I don’t mind finishing 8-10 every year in recruiting if we develop the kids at an elite level.

This is the only route to a national championship imo

complete classes with no holes and then as then pray your QB is that guy.

I think its clear at this point in Kelly's tenure we are never going to have a run game that just breaks backs like Bama, or a Defense that no one can penetrate (although 2012 was damn close). We just have to be very good in all areas and hope the QB play can take us to promise land.

Classes in the 10-15 area are perfectly fine as long as they dont leaving glaring gaps.

But maybe I am clueless and we have to get significantly more top end talent to ever have hope.

 

[fightingirish26]

complete classes with no holes and then as then pray your QB is that guy.

I think its clear at this point in Kelly's tenure we are never going to have a run game that just breaks backs like Bama, or a Defense that no one can penetrate (although 2012 was damn close). We just have to be very good in all areas and hope the QB play can take us to promise land.

Classes in the 10-15 area are perfectly fine as long as they dont leaving glaring gaps.

But maybe I am clueless and we have to get significantly more top end talent to ever have hope.

We legitimately looked like we belonged in the playoff before miami last year, that gave me a lot of hope. QB play is crucial like you said.

 

[Sea Turtle]

complete classes with no holes and then as then pray your QB is that guy.

I think its clear at this point in Kelly's tenure we are never going to have a run game that just breaks backs like Bama, or a Defense that no one can penetrate (although 2012 was damn close). We just have to be very good in all areas and hope the QB play can take us to promise land.

Classes in the 10-15 area are perfectly fine as long as they dont leaving glaring gaps.

But maybe I am clueless and we have to get significantly more top end talent to ever have hope.

The thing is, our recruiting strengths play into an ability to run the ball like Alabama. O-linemen, Tight End, Running Back, QB is what we recruit best.

Our O-linemen should have been outperforming Alabama since the Zach Martin days. Q, Glinch, Martin, the other Tackle who was a top 10 pick escapes my memory. Hiestand had us loaded for bear.

Defense is another story. The best defensive players seem to have a different attitude. More attitude. More blue collar. They don't want to play school if they don't have to. And they don't have to. I almost think we should pick a defense. Big or fast and recruit specifically for that. A 3 star is a bit short or small but blazing fast? Take him. Stars be damned. This is what the 49ers did when they had to draft at the back when they had those great teams. Just be very fast or very big like Parcels Giants and stick with it.

You're not going to build Alabama or Georgia defenses with ND restrictions. Just my 2 cents with my first post.

 

[zelezo vlk]

The thing is, our recruiting strengths play into an ability to run the ball like Alabama. O-linemen, Tight End, Running Back, QB is what we recruit best.

Our O-linemen should have been outperforming Alabama since the Zach Martin days. Q, Glinch, Martin, the other Tackle who was a top 10 pick escapes my memory. Hiestand had us loaded for bear.

Defense is another story. The best defensive players seem to have a different attitude. More attitude. More blue collar. They don't want to play school if they don't have to. And they don't have to. I almost think we should pick a defense. Big or fast and recruit specifically for that. A 3 star is a bit short or small but blazing fast? Take him. Stars be damned. This is what the 49ers did when they had to draft at the back when they had those great teams. Just be very fast or very big like Parcels Giants and stick with it.

You're not going to build Alabama or Georgia defenses with ND restrictions. Just my 2 cents with my first post.

Maybe not, but you can definitely build a Stanford defense, which is more than good enough to make it to the playoffs with a good offense. Get your higher ranked players and the athletes that need years in the weight room to fill out the class. Let them sit for 2-3 years and then unleash them like Stanford has done with their D line or like Sparty did with the Bullough bros

 

[NDdomer2]

The thing is, our recruiting strengths play into an ability to run the ball like Alabama. O-linemen, Tight End, Running Back, QB is what we recruit best.

Our O-linemen should have been outperforming Alabama since the Zach Martin days. Q, Glinch, Martin, the other Tackle who was a top 10 pick escapes my memory. Hiestand had us loaded for bear.

Defense is another story. The best defensive players seem to have a different attitude. More attitude. More blue collar. They don't want to play school if they don't have to. And they don't have to. I almost think we should pick a defense. Big or fast and recruit specifically for that. A 3 star is a bit short or small but blazing fast? Take him. Stars be damned. This is what the 49ers did when they had to draft at the back when they had those great teams. Just be very fast or very big like Parcels Giants and stick with it.

You're not going to build Alabama or Georgia defenses with ND restrictions. Just my 2 cents with my first post.

i think the reason our OL recruiting doesnt always = pure running dominance is a coaching/scheme choice more than a lack of talent issue. but could be wrong.

welcome to IE sea turtle

 

[OhioIrish31]

i think the reason our OL recruiting doesnt always = pure running dominance is a coaching/scheme choice more than a lack of talent issue. but could be wrong.

welcome to IE sea turtle

Though Josh did a great job (before everyone jumps on me) I don't think we have had a truly electric/dominant RB to take advantage of our OL play...since the Holtz days.

 

[GoldenToTheGrave]

Though Josh did a great job (before everyone jumps on me) I don't think we have had a truly electric/dominant RB to take advantage of our OL play...since the Holtz days.

C. J. Prosise absolutely was when he was healthy.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

C. J. Prosise absolutely was when he was healthy.

Word