2023 - State of the Recruiting Class

[NDMIA]

QB
Austin Novosad - I think the staff is all in trying to get him into the late July visit. Doubt he wants to flip to ND but you never know
Kenny Minchey - He isn't offered but I'm putting him here cause I like him and hopeful that ND offers and doesn't do their one man at a time QB recruiting stupidity

RB
Jeremiyah Love - Bama/ND battle. This is where I hope ND can convince him that RB is better for him. If Bama wants to go offensive route I hope they get Richard Young and ND is left in the driver's seat. Hopefully a decision in the next month!!

WR
Jaden Greathouse - Committing Tomorrow!
Ronan Hanafin - Hopeful he commits before his season. Clemson/ND battle. 5 analysts have CB's/FutureCasts for ND so I like the chances. Definitely understand he's torn but ND desperately needs him for their WR class. Absolutely need minimum 4 WR's in this class

TE
DONE

OL
Monroe Freeling - I don't see it anymore. I don't see Harry, with an already full class, continuing to push hard for this kid because he's already got his numbers. I'd love to see it happen but Harry loves closing up shop in the summer (Aaron Banks and a few others being the exception) and I don't see Freeling coming to ND if this drags out into the fall.

DL
DONE

LB
Samuel M'Pemba - Definitely a BPA and could see him as a Vyper as well as a Rover. Think this recruitment will go into signing day in December and UGA is a team to watch for him
Jaiden Ausberry - I think a lot of analysts have mentioned ND is the favorite but I'm hoping this ends sooner rather than later. He's been quoted as saying he'd like to make his decision by signing day but for ND's sake I hope this is over sooner than that.

DB
Caleb Downs - Not coming to ND. Love the kid but not gonna happen
Ben Minich - Seems to be the thought amongst some analysts that if offered he'd be in the class.

Overall I think the QB position needs to be figured out hopefully soon! After that I hope the strategy of the staff is to keep pushing to flip every WR and DB in the country haha until signing day!

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

How sure can we be that ND hasn't offered Minchey?

Novosad's been pretty open about the fact he's considering schools but has Minchey?

 

[allenm5333]

QB
Austin Novosad - I think the staff is all in trying to get him into the late July visit. Doubt he wants to flip to ND but you never know
Kenny Minchey - He isn't offered but I'm putting him here cause I like him and hopeful that ND offers and doesn't do their one man at a time QB recruiting stupidity

RB
Jeremiyah Love - Bama/ND battle. This is where I hope ND can convince him that RB is better for him. If Bama wants to go offensive route I hope they get Richard Young and ND is left in the driver's seat. Hopefully a decision in the next month!!

WR
Jaden Greathouse - Committing Tomorrow!
Ronan Hanafin - Hopeful he commits before his season. Clemson/ND battle. 5 analysts have CB's/FutureCasts for ND so I like the chances. Definitely understand he's torn but ND desperately needs him for their WR class. Absolutely need minimum 4 WR's in this class

TE
DONE

OL
Monroe Freeling - I don't see it anymore. I don't see Harry, with an already full class, continuing to push hard for this kid because he's already got his numbers. I'd love to see it happen but Harry loves closing up shop in the summer (Aaron Banks and a few others being the exception) and I don't see Freeling coming to ND if this drags out into the fall.

DL
DONE

LB
Samuel M'Pemba - Definitely a BPA and could see him as a Vyper as well as a Rover. Think this recruitment will go into signing day in December and UGA is a team to watch for him
Jaiden Ausberry - I think a lot of analysts have mentioned ND is the favorite but I'm hoping this ends sooner rather than later. He's been quoted as saying he'd like to make his decision by signing day but for ND's sake I hope this is over sooner than that.

DB
Caleb Downs - Not coming to ND. Love the kid but not gonna happen
Ben Minich - Seems to be the thought amongst some analysts that if offered he'd be in the class.

Overall I think the QB position needs to be figured out hopefully soon! After that I hope the strategy of the staff is to keep pushing to flip every WR and DB in the country haha until signing day!

IB keeps hinting that there is something regarding Freeling. Would love to know the story there

 

[KizerWilhelm]

A 247 subscriber wrote on the forum that Driskell was reporting an offer for Minchey, anyone else see that?

 

[NDBoiler]

IB keeps hinting that there is something regarding Freeling. Would love to know the story there

It was reported elsewhere that there is some issue with his school and their accreditation, or something to that affect. It seemed like it would be a potential issue for admissions. Nothing the kid did wrong, sounds like the school has screwed up big time.

Edit - here’s an article I found, sounds like related to questionable financial activities by the school: Mount Pleasant charter could face closure over questionable spending by for-profit manager

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

It was reported elsewhere that there is some issue with his school and their accreditation, or something to that affect. It seemed like it would be a potential issue for admissions. Nothing the kid did wrong, sounds like the school has screwed up big time.

Edit - here’s an article I found, sounds like related to questionable financial activities by the school: Mount Pleasant charter could face closure over questionable spending by for-profit manager

Major wow if true

 

[Whiskeyjack]

It was reported elsewhere that there is some issue with his school and their accreditation, or something to that affect. It seemed like it would be a potential issue for admissions. Nothing the kid did wrong, sounds like the school has screwed up big time.

Edit - here’s an article I found, sounds like related to questionable financial activities by the school: Mount Pleasant charter could face closure over questionable spending by for-profit manager

I'm not sure why a charter being under investigation for alleged mismanagement by its administrators should impact Freeling's eligibility. ND presumably has his transcripts, and if his grades and credits were good enough to merit an offer, why would his Oceanside getting scrutinized change anything?

 

[stpeteirish]

Major wow if true

Major for the school but wouldn't Freeling be OK by simply going somewhere else? They wouldn't lose their accreditation retroactively.

 

[Dale]

From a recruiting standout I believe it’s not only trended away from ND with Paige/Jagusah but also Clemson with their additions. Georgia and Miami seem to have the steam. Miami has some others too so seems Georgia would be the best bet

 

[Reaper97]

A 247 subscriber wrote on the forum that Driskell was reporting an offer for Minchey, anyone else see that?

We aren’t supposed to put premium content on here, but in this case I want to put Driskell’s response so that he is correctly quoted & it is understood he is NOT saying Minxhey was offered.

“I corrected that. I didn’t write anything in the article about him being offered yet. That was a cut and paste from Novosad and I simply forgot to change that part.

I don’t think we’ll hear Minchey claim public about an offer until he knows if he is serious about visiting ND, etc.”

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Driskell being lazy and copy and pasting his own content? What kind of "publisher" would do this sort of thing?!

 

[Dale]

Thoughts Following the Latest Notre Dame Commitment

Following a big splash on the recruiting trail in Jaden Greathouse, Kevin Sinclair shares his thoughts.

247sports.com

Sinclair says Flores, James and Greathouse plan to early enroll.

Let’s say Wilkins doesn’t take a 6th year, that results in:

Colzie, Thomas, Styles
Merriweather
Flores, Greathouse, James

A great opportunity for those 3 and still a clear need for more numbers.

 

[Rizzophil]

I would see us adding a grad transfer in that scenario. Just for depth as much as anything

 

[317Irish]

I would see us adding a grad transfer in that scenario. Just for depth as much as anything

Will Josh Downs have two years of eligibility left?

 

[T-Boone]

I must be missing something, 247 doesn't list Lonergan as a Bama commit. A hard lean though.

Maybe 247 takes time off and has to catch up…

 

[T-Boone]

Only major takeaway is the Novosad will have a call with Freeman today.

I’d drop a 7 CB on that news.

 

[Sea Turtle]

I’d drop a 7 CB on that news.

That's better than the deuce I was going to drop in the Dante thread.

 

[WilliamWallace]

After the miss on J Moore, who else are we looking at for DT?

I know we still have a shot with M’ Pemba, and Downs, though they may be a stretch.

Hanafin, who knows? Hopefully we still have the edge, or can make up ground.

Ausberry is looking more like he’ll be in this class.

Silence from the Freeling camp makes me think that ship has sailed. If so, are we done on OL?

We all know we will take a QB if given a chance.

Not sure who I might’ve missed that we are still after, surely Safety is a concern.

 

[Sea Turtle]

After the miss on J Moore, who else are we looking at for DT?

I know we still have a shot with M’ Pemba, and Downs, though they may be a stretch.

Hanafin, who knows? Hopefully we still have the edge, or can make up ground.

Ausberry is looking more like he’ll be in this class.

Silence from the Freeling camp makes me think that ship has sailed. If so, are we done on OL?

We all know we will take a QB if given a chance.

Not sure who I might’ve missed that we are still after, surely Safety is a concern.

Ben Minich is a safety from Ohio who is blowing up. Vising on the 26th.
Feeling is probably gone at this point. Which is fine. Our O-line class is sick.
Jeremiah Love is rb/wr/ath who is reportedly down to us and Alabama.
A few more kids will blow up this coming season.

 

[WilliamWallace]

QB
Austin Novosad - I think the staff is all in trying to get him into the late July visit. Doubt he wants to flip to ND but you never know
Kenny Minchey - He isn't offered but I'm putting him here cause I like him and hopeful that ND offers and doesn't do their one man at a time QB recruiting stupidity

RB
Jeremiyah Love - Bama/ND battle. This is where I hope ND can convince him that RB is better for him. If Bama wants to go offensive route I hope they get Richard Young and ND is left in the driver's seat. Hopefully a decision in the next month!!

WR
Jaden Greathouse - Committing Tomorrow!
Ronan Hanafin - Hopeful he commits before his season. Clemson/ND battle. 5 analysts have CB's/FutureCasts for ND so I like the chances. Definitely understand he's torn but ND desperately needs him for their WR class. Absolutely need minimum 4 WR's in this class

TE
DONE

OL
Monroe Freeling - I don't see it anymore. I don't see Harry, with an already full class, continuing to push hard for this kid because he's already got his numbers. I'd love to see it happen but Harry loves closing up shop in the summer (Aaron Banks and a few others being the exception) and I don't see Freeling coming to ND if this drags out into the fall.

DL
DONE

LB
Samuel M'Pemba - Definitely a BPA and could see him as a Vyper as well as a Rover. Think this recruitment will go into signing day in December and UGA is a team to watch for him
Jaiden Ausberry - I think a lot of analysts have mentioned ND is the favorite but I'm hoping this ends sooner rather than later. He's been quoted as saying he'd like to make his decision by signing day but for ND's sake I hope this is over sooner than that.

DB
Caleb Downs - Not coming to ND. Love the kid but not gonna happen
Ben Minich - Seems to be the thought amongst some analysts that if offered he'd be in the class.

Overall I think the QB position needs to be figured out hopefully soon! After that I hope the strategy of the staff is to keep pushing to flip every WR and DB in the country haha until signing day!

Sorry man, just saw this, thanks for the update.

 

[WilliamWallace]

Ben Minich is a safety from Ohio who is blowing up. Vising on the 26th.
Feeling is probably gone at this point. Which is fine. Our O-line class is sick.
Jeremiah Love is rb/wr/ath who is reportedly down to us and Alabama.
A few more kids will blow up this coming season.

Thank you, can’t believe I forgot the RB with all my digging on a possible transfer, haha

 

[Dale]

Instead of by position it’d think of it more by current situation:

Actively looking to close commitment
- Jeremiyah Love, Ronan Hanafin, Jaiden Ausberry

Longshots
- Samuel M’Pemba, Caleb Downs

I don’t know but it wouldn’t shock me if they aren’t even talking to Freeling. It’d consider him off the board

New Prospects
- Ben Minich, Austin Novosad

If true that Ausberry and Love could decide soon, it’d imagine who else appears as new prospects somewhat depends how they close there first.

 

[du Lac]

I’d turn down Michigan for Purdue also. Let’s go 150% for Collins just for that alone.

So true. Michigan is going to feel this for years. You can’t simply fix a terrible recruiting class.

 

[Irishdrunk]

Imagine we swing and miss on Moore, but somehow Nelson falls in our lap?

Keep dreaming as that is not happening.

The Top QB that the SI National Analyst Garcia was discussing was Holstein. He is not happy that Bama also took Lonergan.

 

[du Lac]

No idea

What do you anticipate the close for their class ranking will be?

No idea, but I saw a thread on the Michigan board where they were submitting to the idea that 25-30 range is just the way it is in the new NIL era. I’d be shocked if they can’t do a little better than that, but things are dire 😂

 

[Dale]

Potential 2 year recruiting class at LB:

ND

LB #3 Jaylen Sneed
LB #4 Jaiden Ausberry*
LB #6 Drayk Bowen
LB #9 Josh Burnham
LB #15 Niuafe Tuihalamaka
LB #29 Nolan Ziegler
LB #37 Preston Zinter

Georgia

LB #2 Troy Bowles
LB #4 Jalon Walker
LB #5 Raylen Wilson
LB #10 CJ Allen
LB #11 CJ Washington
LB #48 EJ Lightsey

Freeman is quite literally recruiting at a championship level.

 

[Rockin’Irish]

Potential 2 year recruiting class at LB:

ND

LB #3 Jaylen Sneed
LB #4 Jaiden Ausberry*
LB #6 Drayk Bowen
LB #9 Josh Burnham
LB #15 Niuafe Tuihalamaka
LB #29 Nolan Ziegler
LB #37 Preston Zinter

Georgia

LB #2 Troy Bowles
LB #4 Jalon Walker
LB #5 Raylen Wilson
LB #10 CJ Allen
LB #11 CJ Washington
LB #48 EJ Lightsey

Freeman is quite literally recruiting at a championship level.

Lock step with the Dawgs!

 

[NewEnglandGuy]

What do you anticipate the close for their class ranking will be?

Current composite of 175.96 and #36 team OA. Even with some generous class calculator additions, it is difficult to see them breaking 230. Likely 220something - and that is AVOIDING disaster…which they seriously should do with another good year challenging for the BIG10 East. In 2022 that total would be good for #29-#37. Let the slide begin. However they were fortunate to get Moore, Sabb, Clemons, Berry, Rolder, and Walker late In 2022. That was 5 of their top 7 prospects, an unsustainable practice but perhaps a future unknown prospect after another 10/11 wins with their laughable OOC schedule.

 

[CoachB]

Man, I am hoping this staff can coach even 80% as well as they can recruit. I think they can. I have confidence in OL, OC, DC, DB, and RB. I am hoping the S, WR, ST, and TE coaches are top notch too. Not sure either way. Say what you will about Kelly. The man knew how to win games. Whether low or high scoring. By running or passing. Whatever. He just knew how to win. I know it isn't realistic to think Marcus is as good a game day coach as Kelly yet, but hopefully his recruiting can make the difference as he learns on the fly. I think having Golden around will help. It is good to have at least one coach on staff with head coaching experience, IMO. It is SO important to have a good season. The recruits need to see that the winning doesn't skip a beat under the new staff. I have confidence they will get it done.

 

[Irish Heaven72]

So true. Michigan is going to feel this for years. You can’t simply fix a terrible recruiting class.

I think they had their "moment in the sun" last year and that wasn't based on how good they were but how PUTRID the OSU defense was - putrid is actually being too kind as they ended up firing most of their defensive staff. You are correct - a really bad recruiting class like this one will just be too much for the weasels to overcome in future years.