'23 IN LB Drayk Bowen (Notre Dame Verbal)

[Dale]

What position do you think Ziegler plays? I actually think he might end up being the dude in the LB class. Watching him play actual football in games shows how great he is.

I could see him staying at Rover or being more like a passing down/distance MIKE but really besides JR they all have a lot of options.

 

[NDFAN420]

Linebacker U.

 

[Luckylucci]

Linebacker U.

Yea, no way we don’t get another Butkus award winner from somewhere in the ‘21, ‘22, and ‘23 classes.

 

[pumpdog20]

Are we a Nwampka and Styles away from being 2021 Georgia good on D in 3 years?

 

[Dale]

Are we a Nwampka and Styles away from being 2021 Georgia good on D in 3 years?

CB1 Derrion Kendrick - 99 Rating, #26 in the country
CB2 Kelee Ringo - 99 Rating, #4 in the country

Having elite CBs is playing a different sport on D in college. That’s the final recruiting step.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Amazing recruiting effort. You don't land the 2022 LB class and the 2023 class thus far without being an ELITE recruiter. What Kirby Smart said last week was 100% spot on w/r/t recruiting. What makes Saban so great is that he and his staff both recruit and coach at an elite level. ND has had plenty of kids developed over the years, but this is the first time in a long time that they are stacking classes on top of each other with ELITE talent. Exciting times.

 

[Dale]

Amazing recruiting effort. You don't land the 2022 LB class and the 2023 class thus far without being an ELITE recruiter. What Kirby Smart said last week was 100% spot on w/r/t recruiting. What makes Saban so great is that he and his staff both recruit and coach at an elite level. ND has had plenty of kids developed over the years, but this is the first time in a long time that they are stacking classes on top of each other with ELITE talent. Exciting times.

Stacking is definitely the key otherwise one class you ease up on and have a couple bad breaks can really be a crux. I think the 2022 and 2023 class have an interesting relationship. COVID impacted when a lot of these kids first visits, camps etc were and it almost blends as one in a togetherness aspect it seems. 2022 guys are taking way more notice of 2023 guys and vice versa IMO

 

[Dale]

His commitment stories kind of reminded be somewhat of some of the Wisconsin lineman talking about choosing Wisconsin. In short he was thinking South (Clemson or Auburn) early in the process for the most part and Freeman/Bowden really changed that. Elston too. Wasn’t a slam dunk. I’d like to think we were always gonna close hard on him but interesting nonetheless. Most of that from a Loy post

 

[NDPhilly]

CB1 Derrion Kendrick - 99 Rating, #26 in the country
CB2 Kelee Ringo - 99 Rating, #4 in the country

Having elite CBs is playing a different sport on D in college. That’s the final recruiting step.

I think Georgia and Bama are at a different level in regards to defensive recruiting, such a different level that I can't even imagine our 2023 class getting that close to what they bring in every year.

Reminder: Notre Dame's leading tackler (by far) is JD Bertrand. JD was basically told to take a hike by Kirby Smart after being committed to Georgia for a year because they recruited 3 Top 150 linebackers over him, including 5 star Nakobe Dean who is one of the best LBs in the country. No offense to JD as I think he's a solid player when healthy, just shows the massive gap between "good" and "great".

 

[ndcoltsfan2010]

I love this puck up!! We are building great back to back classes in 22 and 23!! Awesome get for us!! The future is looking brighter and brighter!!

 

[Wild Bill]

I love this puck up!! We are building great back to back classes in 22 and 23!! Awesome get for us!! The future is looking brighter and brighter!!

Me too man. This kid hits like a mother pucker.

 

[IrishBoognish]

I think Georgia and Bama are at a different level in regards to defensive recruiting, such a different level that I can't even imagine our 2023 class getting that close to what they bring in every year.

Reminder: Notre Dame's leading tackler (by far) is JD Bertrand. JD was basically told to take a hike by Kirby Smart after being committed to Georgia for a year because they recruited 3 Top 150 linebackers over him, including 5 star Nakobe Dean who is one of the best LBs in the country. No offense to JD as I think he's a solid player when healthy, just shows the massive gap between "good" and "great".

I too welcome Drayk to ND!

Thanks so much to NDPHILLY for reminding us even with Drayk... we gone suck. Keeping us grounded in the kid's thread!

Woo-hoo! Great day for ND!

 

[drewsj]

He's a fun player. I think if he bulks up to around 230ish he's likely going to be a swiss knife LB. He could be a bigger Owusu-Koramoah because I think they will be moving this guy around everywhere.

 

[Irishnuke]

Woohoo

 

[Rack Em]

Me too man. This kid hits like a mother pucker.

Puck yeah

 

[IrishSportsDaily]

 

[clashmore_mike]

I watched this last night when it was posted on YouTube, very good job on the interview. Thanks for posting it here.

 

[BeauBenken]

Crazy to find out he was a Bama fan growing up...And they never offered! Thank goodness!

 

[Reaper97]

Crazy to find out he was a Bama fan growing up...And they never offered! Thank goodness!

Of course he was…
I grew up around all ND fans. Then 30 years later the same guys are now Bama fans. I’ve even seen some Clemson gear locally I’ve never seen before? It’s amazing to me how many people just jump on the bandwagon. Same thing happened with FSU & USC during their dominant years. The worst was seeing Patriots’ jerseys all over Indy.

 

[DCDomer]

Freeman Effect.

 

[Rasputin]

DA! Rasputin love.

 

[BeauBenken]

Of course he was…
I grew up around all ND fans. Then 30 years later the same guys are now Bama fans. I’ve even seen some Clemson gear locally I’ve never seen before? It’s amazing to me how many people just jump on the bandwagon. Same thing happened with FSU & USC during their dominant years. The worst was seeing Patriots’ jerseys all over Indy.

I agree with your notion, but in Drayk's case his aunt and uncle were fans and had gone there, and he asked his dad if he could be an Alabama fan at age 7 or 8. I wouldn't call that band-wagoning, but it is crazy to think that the reign of Saban started when these guys were just pipsqueaks. He's the freaking Emperor Palpatine of CFB.

 

[beryirish]

I prefer this now over BVG's Michigan pump.

Welcome Drayk!

 

[IRISHMAN]

Freeman Effect.

great get for ND but how does he fit into freemans defense.

 

[KPENN]

Pete Sampson is such a putz. Of course he retweets the tweet about him not being a 5 star.

 

[NDdomer2]

guess id idnt realize that Bama just straight passed and stopped recruiting him after an in person eval.

Big pick up but I couldnt help but feeling like maybe some of the SEC schools could have won out if he was a priority.

 

[Irish#1]

Bowen said he "Kept trying to eliminate Notre Dame, but couldn't find a reason". Think about that for a minute.

 

[IrishSportsDaily]

guess id idnt realize that Bama just straight passed and stopped recruiting him after an in person eval.

Big pick up but I couldnt help but feeling like maybe some of the SEC schools could have won out if he was a priority.

Alabama and Ohio State didn't end up offering because he wanted to play baseball too. Don't think it had much to do with his football talents.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Bowen said he "Kept trying to eliminate Notre Dame, but couldn't find a reason". Think about that for a minute.

Doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy. Interviews and announcement seemed to focus on his love of Bama SEC ACC. In the end it feels like a business decision, which I am OK with. I like a kid who gets what a ND education can provide for life beyond football. Just didn't get a strong sense of passion for ND. I'm assuming he will stick, but the interviews left me thinking that there is certainly a chance he might not.

 

[Irish#1]

Doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy. Interviews and announcement seemed to focus on his love of Bama SEC ACC. In the end it feels like a business decision, which I am OK with. I like a kid who gets what a ND education can provide for life beyond football. Just didn't get a strong sense of passion for ND. I'm assuming he will stick, but the interviews left me thinking that there is certainly a chance he might not.

Could very well be a business decision, which to me is a positive and means he will stick, since the other schools can't offer him what ND can.