'25 FL DB Ivan Taylor (Alabama Verbal)

[CanadalovesND]

Wonder if you’ll see more offers go out a guy like Tariq hayer, Remington moss,

They were in on Moss early on, but he committed to Wisconsin. He wasn’t a top target. Very similar to Tre Harrison in that regard.

 

[Rocketman84]

And what about the others?

Zackery, Blair, Golden…

NOB & Faraimo both still in the picture….

They still need to close on some of the top remaining targets, but this class is gap closing.

Give me a break, mate.

Let's be honest until we start swapping those 0 or 1's in the 5* column to at least 2+, and definitely dial back on the 8-10 3* to 3-5 we won't ever bridge the gap completely. We're fine in the 4* range but never good enough to the elites and waaaaay to generous to the underachieving.

 

[CanadalovesND]

Let's be honest until we start swapping those 0 or 1's in the 5* column to at least 2+, and definitely dial back on the 8-10 3* to 3-5 we won't ever bridge the gap completely. We're fine in the 4* range but never good enough to the elites and waaaaay to generous to the underachieving.

Winning also helps.

ND never will be able to recruit like Bama or Georgia or Ohio State. Out of the Top 100 recruits every year, maybe only half will actually qualify for ND admissions. So they are already starting at a disadvantage. Then you couple it with another percentage of that group that just are not a fit because the interests between school and player are not mutually exclusive.

ND really only has a shot at 25 or 30 Top 100 guys every year. With likely only a handful of five-stars. And then they really have to fight and battle for them.

Again, winning on the field more has never hurt anyone in recruiting. Maybe Michigan but that’s a weird one to breakdown. If Freeman can show that he can win incrementally each year, then the recruiting will incrementally improve. I personally think it’s already pretty good. This class is going to be Top 10 and the highest of MFs career at ND so far. Obviously there is room to grow. People just need to understand that this is a process. It can be trusted or it can’t amongst the eyes of the fans and the critics.

 

[NDFAN2008]

Let's be honest until we start swapping those 0 or 1's in the 5* column to at least 2+, and definitely dial back on the 8-10 3* to 3-5 we won't ever bridge the gap completely. We're fine in the 4* range but never good enough to the elites and waaaaay to generous to the underachieving.

Michigan won a title with a bunch of low 3 star recruits so it can be done.

 

[Irish8248]

Michigan won a title with a bunch of low 3 star recruits so it can be done.

Sure -- it can be done. But Michigan won 1 while Bama Georgia and the likes are over 8... so which way seems the most probable?

 

[Rocketman84]

If Ivan Taylor flips it opens up a scholly for a transfer Safety next year.(which we'll need in my opinion). As far as the Logan kid, one of the beat guys said the offer was more of a walk-on position a la Faison and he'd be on baseball scholarship unless he plays. Can anyone confirm that? Not a terrible backup plan.

But a terrible habit to get into year after year

 

[Rocketman84]

Right next to our last championship trophy… when most of us were still drinking/eating milk and Cheerios

Taylor itself isn’t trajectory changing loss, but the formula of losing or not getting the top players is still in place

We haven’t shown the ability to lose a top recruit and backfill them with another top recruit like the top programs do.

Very true losing a Top 50 guy and replacing him with a PWO?? Sheesh

 

[Rocketman84]

Michigan won a title with a bunch of low 3 star recruits so it can be done.

The 50 4* guys and a few 5* in the past few cycles helps alot as well.

 

[Irish#1]

Even if he ends up committing to the good guys, the odds are pretty good he wouldn't be here more than a year.

 

[Irish du Nord]

People stop doing this after a certain age?

A man is never too old to have a good breakfast.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

A man is never too old to have a good breakfast.

Chocolate peanut butter Cheerios at 1 am are fantastic

 

[NDpendent]

Very true losing a Top 50 guy and replacing him with a PWO?? Sheesh

But a terrible habit to get into year after year

If it's true that he wants a guaranteed starting role as a freshman I don't care how many stars or how high he is rated. It's a bad mentality and bad for culture and morale. I'll take Blair over that all day.
The only 5 star guy we lost the last few years that still hurts is Keeley. The rest came with issues

 

[notredomer23]

I’m glad this is rightfully turning into 2025’s food thread

 

[fightingirish26]

Michigan won a title with a bunch of low 3 star recruits so it can be done.

I mean if you want to analyze their roster I'm sure this would look like a silly statement. They were fortunate to play a brand of bully ball with a bunch of sixth year, grown men. Yes they were less "talented" than schools like Bama/UGA but also were trotting out 5 stars like JJ, Donovan Edwards and Will Johnson in key roles.

 

[NDFAN2008]

I mean if you want to analyze their roster I'm sure this would look like a silly statement. They were fortunate to play a brand of bully ball with a bunch of sixth year, grown men. Yes they were less "talented" than schools like Bama/UGA but also were trotting out 5 stars like JJ, Donovan Edwards and Will Johnson in key roles.

I'm going off their DL Kenneth Grant low 4 star, Graham low 4 star, Rayshaun Benny Low 4 star, Kris Jenkins 3 star they have turned a bunch of low ranked DL guys into studs. Something we need to get better at.

 

[ulukinatme]

Michigan won cheated their way to a title with a bunch of low 3 star recruits so it can be done.

FIFY

 

[GrangerIrish24]

I’m glad this is rightfully turning into 2025’s food thread

Just patiently waiting to drop my recipe for smoked pork belly tacos

 

[a mike]

The loses of Keeley, Bowen, and now apparently Taylor aren't necessarily ND/Freeman specific phenomenon

I don't follow national recruiting super closely but seems there's a lot of top 50ish guys flaking on their original verbal commitment all the time

And it's becoming pretty clear pattern now that its almost a given the super early commit guys will eventually back out now

ND was close to getting a verbal from Samuel Mpemba (sp?) during his junior year and he would have no doubt backed out

It's almost a disadvantage to get an early commit from these guys because once they blow up or their true feelings start to come out--you're never going to get them to come back around

I'm sure if Meadows would have committed early we would have been in a no win/worst spot because he obviously still wanted to see what was out there, especially after he blew up this spring

I think these top 50 guys are always going to be a challenge and frustrating--even if ND starts doing really well on the field--but obviously have to keep at it

Can't imagine how annoying it is for the staff but I guess that's why they're paid the Big $$

 

[zelezo vlk]

FIFY

Never let it go unsaid that Michigan has an asterisk. Harbaugh was suspended for half the season due to separate NCAA infractions including a massive cheating system.

 

[SDIrishFan]

Never let it go unsaid that Michigan has an asterisk. Harbaugh was suspended for half the season due to separate NCAA infractions including a massive cheating system.

Anyone else feel like that's going to just be forgotten and nothing will come of it after all the death penalty posturing?

 

[allenm5333]

Anyone else feel like that's going to just be forgotten and nothing will come of it after all the death penalty posturing?

Firm believer they wld have been nuked had they not won it all. But now ncaa is too afraid to do anything major bc they won it all

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Anyone have a healthy, high protein recipe involving ground beef? I could google but then I wouldn't be helping us turn the page on this soon-to-be Benedict Arnold of a recruit. So....what you guys got?

 

[Golden-Domer805]

What's up with this kid!! scared of a little competition

 

[CanadalovesND]

From Singer

Trending to Michigan (obviously). Doesn't believe that Taylor has not been responding much to ND lately. But there's still a chance that ND flips it back to their favor when Taylor does talk with Marcus Freeman - anticipates the convo happening today.

 

[SDIrishFan]

What's up with this kid!! scared of a little competition

Especially if you think you’re an NFL prospect after 3 years. No college depth chart should scare you.

 

[Rocketman84]

If it's true that he wants a guaranteed starting role as a freshman I don't care how many stars or how high he is rated. It's a bad mentality and bad for culture and morale. I'll take Blair over that all day.
The only 5 star guy we lost the last few years that still hurts is Keeley. The rest came with issues

"If" being the keyword

 

[PutuporShutup]

Especially if you think you’re an NFL prospect after 3 years. No college depth chart should scare you.

If I was in his shoes it would be more about the schools ability to play the best players regardless of class. The top schools/programs play the young talented kids early, they still have to earn it and not all of them do, but top talent plays and develops young.

Kyle hamilton and Ben Mo should be great examples. Not sure why anyone would be scared of our safety depth chart after this year. Yeah there's numbers, but it's not overly talented or highly recruited players for the most part.

Also, how much we play 5 DBs. You're losing 4 major contributors in the secondary after this year. Watts, Heard, Clark, Ben Mo

 

[NDFAN2008]

I mean if Taylor wants instant playing time hes gonna play day 1 next year. I don't see any way he doesn't Freeman needs to assure him of that.

 

[rtrn2glory]

I mean if Taylor wants instant playing time hes gonna play day 1 next year. I don't see any way he doesn't Freeman needs to assure him of that.

Nah I'm in the make him earn band wagon. If he's good enough he'll play. Hamilton proved that.. If he's not then special teams and practice hard until proven otherwise. This instant gratification BS is why kids don't reach their potential because they don't know how to work for it. If this is truly why he's cooling on us then Michigan can have him. Just shows a lack of confidence in the kid if he doesn't think he can come in and play on his own and needs the coaches to give it to him without earning it

 

[stlnd01]

I mean if Taylor wants instant playing time hes gonna play day 1 next year. I don't see any way he doesn't Freeman needs to assure him of that.

He'd probably, have a shot, given the departures, but if Taylor's making Day One playing time a condition of his commitment, we should probably say no thanks, and frankly so should most top programs that have a shred of honesty, a good culture, and concern for the other players already in the room. And wherever he goes should be on transfer alert from Day One.