'25 NV WR Derek Meadows (Alabama Verbal)

lcaps20

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From all the chatter it's time to let this one die. At least the sites got another 6 days of clicks out of all the late night phone calls.

On the staff now to figure out potential flips or dig into senior film to fill out the class with 2 more impact players.
 

a mike

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I am convinced recruiting is just not that big of a deal anymore with NIL and the portal. Just shop what you want when you need it.
This is an emotional soothing technique and not based off any historical precedent/transpirings

Over now three "portal era" cycles, ND has not even come close to sniffing the best WR prospects

The usual suspects on the recruiting trail also snatch up the best players in the portal

Guys like AD Mitchell or Keon Coleman can help a team win a national championship--mid guys like Kris Mitchell or Beau Collins or whoever just aren't going to get it done

The best prospects in the portal this past cycle were guys like Evan Stewart, Juice Wells, London Humphries, and Isiah Bond and ND either couldn't even pursue them or got not traction

And frankly, even in that list--really only Stewart would be a needle mover as comes to transforming a room into a championship contender

Outside of Michigan last year--the returns are pretty clear--teams with first and second round type WRs are legitimate contenders, others not really

Objectively, ND has one singular player on the roster that has the potential to turn into a first or second round pick at WR

They really needed to follow that up with a sure thing guy or at least a guy or two with the potential this year

They didnt. They whiffed

Thinking they're going to get a prospect similar to Meadows in the portal or some unidentified senior late bloomer is extremely wishful thinking

Getting Meadows wouldn't ensure ND would win a championship but not getting Meadows places a significant damper/wet blanket on those prospects
 

allenm5333

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This is an emotional soothing technique and not based off any historical precedent/transpirings

Over now three "portal era" cycles, ND has not even come close to sniffing the best WR prospects

The usual suspects on the recruiting trail also snatch up the best players in the portal

Guys like AD Mitchell or Keon Coleman can help a team win a national championship--mid guys like Kris Mitchell or Beau Collins or whoever just aren't going to get it done

The best prospects in the portal this past cycle were guys like Evan Stewart, Juice Wells, London Humphries, and Isiah Bond and ND either couldn't even pursue them or got not traction

And frankly, even in that list--really only Stewart would be a needle mover as comes to transforming a room into a championship contender

Outside of Michigan last year--the returns are pretty clear--teams with first and second round type WRs are legitimate contenders, others not really

Objectively, ND has one singular player on the roster that has the potential to turn into a first or second round pick at WR

They really needed to follow that up with a sure thing guy or at least a guy or two with the potential this year

They didnt. They whiffed

Thinking they're going to get a prospect similar to Meadows in the portal or some unidentified senior late bloomer is extremely wishful thinking

Getting Meadows wouldn't ensure ND would win a championship but not getting Meadows places a significant damper/wet blanket on those prospects
The Athletic did wr draft prospect rankings today. Not a good look for us…
 

lcaps20

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I am convinced recruiting is just not that big of a deal anymore with NIL and the portal. Just shop what you want when you need it.
Until Notre Dame starts having an offense that receivers want to play in, recruiting is going to be the way to get impactful WR. As someone mentioned there wasn't a single immediate impact WR that even gave ND a look in the portal this year.

Every good team has been able to find impact recruits and then supplement through the portal. ND can't be portal shopping WR's every year.
 

Blazers46

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I am convinced recruiting is just not that big of a deal anymore with NIL and the portal. Just shop what you want when you need it.
You would think there are schools 18 year olds might be hesitant to commit that takes in a ton of portal help, like CO and even USC off the top of my head. Those are the guys to nab but every 5 star think they are different so it may not matter .
 

PutuporShutup

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Just received a LSU CB on Rivals.

Absolutely embarrassing recruiting cycle at WR.
Dang it

Atrocious how this WR class is turning out.

Hot take, slightly emotional take but either Deuce isn't doing a good job recruiting the most important position to help him, or if he is doing a great job, and they're not coming for "other" reasons, why the heck would would he want to continue at ND. Getting 2-3 mid level, old, portal WRs with one year of eligibility left is not ideal for a QB. Coming in and building chemistry with players like gilbert, williams, meadows, hines, robinson and growing together is how you create the top offenses.

One of if not the top QBs in the nation is committed to ND and we can't even land a serviceable WR let alone studs in his same class. It's not adding up.
 

NDPhilly

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Dang it

Atrocious how this WR class is turning out.

Hot take, slightly emotional take but either Deuce isn't doing a good job recruiting the most important position to help him, or if he is doing a great job, and they're not coming for "other" reasons, why the heck would would he want to continue at ND. Getting 2-3 mid level, old, portal WRs with one year of eligibility left is not ideal for a QB. Coming in and building chemistry with players like gilbert, williams, meadows, hines, robinson and growing together is how you create the top offenses.

One of if not the top QBs in the nation is committed to ND and we can't even land a serviceable WR let alone studs in his same class. It's not adding up.

I feel like these kids from the south dont push their friends to their schools. IDK. They all go on a ton of visits together before and after committing.
 

FightingIrishLover7

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If i'm a top QB, i'd want the best WRs over any other position to be with me. I wouldn't be going to a school without really good WRs to pass to.
But if said school that may not have good WRs has a proven history of willing to bring in transfers....
NIL has definitely changed the game. Its more than just the recruiting class you have to highlight.
 

lcaps20

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If i'm a top QB, i'd want the best WRs over any other position to be with me. I wouldn't be going to a school without really good WRs to pass to.
There's the reverse side of this where Duece has seen the WR's currently on campus and is confident in the young talent level there. I'm sure he wants some in his class as well, but there is time to rectify the situation prior to ESD.
 

Jiggafini19Deux

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lynntwt-cassie.gif
 

PutuporShutup

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But if said school that may not have good WRs has a proven history of willing to bring in transfers....
NIL has definitely changed the game. Its more than just the recruiting class you have to highlight.
You'd rather go to a school on a promise or as close to an absolute as possible?

Why didn't Freeman go heavy portal last year?

Thomas and Colzie are far from it, everyone at practices could tell Tobias wasn't it. The rest were true frosh or a converted RB.

You had a really good college passing QB last year, and you didn't bring in any good WR support or an OC that had a clue.
 

PutuporShutup

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Delvaugn is more responsible for the pain in the ass we are having recruiting than Mike Brown. Be real. We haven’t produced NFL caliber WRs. Why would an elite WR want to come here vs OSU, Bama, LSU?
Because there aren't enough passes to go around there with the talent they have at WR. On average, 4 WRs will make a big impact each year (catches). There's a lot of talented WRs out there.
 

NDpendent

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Delvaugn is more responsible for the pain in the ass we are having recruiting than Mike Brown. Be real. We haven’t produced NFL caliber WRs. Why would an elite WR want to come here vs OSU, Bama, LSU?
I agree, Poker and Stuckey should have the highest blame. Supposedly we were in a really bad spot with Meadows, Robinson and Hines when Mike Brown took over and it was a miracle we even lead for all three at one point. At this point Mike Brown needs to prove it on the field during the season and flip some kids or pick up someone who blows up his season year. Until he does proves that, the other teams are going to have a field day negatively recruiting against us at WR
 
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NumbersGuy0520

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Pickings for WRs from the portal will be a bit lower in talent than other positions, almost by definition. Most teams start several WRs and allocate snaps. If a WR is unhappy/doesn’t get play time/whatever else and decides to transfer, what does that really say? Much different from situations where you have, say, a QB room like ND, OSU, etc and all of the QBs want to start.

We are basically restricted to the Kris Mitchells (high performing WRs on smaller programs who want to compete with the big boys) and the Beaux Collins (guys who maybe are great, but for some reason aren’t producing at bigger schools). I think stud WR transfers like Jordan Addison are few and far between, even with NIL.

Quickest route to fixing our WR woes is probably through recruiting, which, of course, is tied to WR success on the field. Let’s air it out 2024 and get Riley that first round pick baby.
 

NDWarrior

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I get the '23 baggage and give Brown a chance, but like many have said, maybe we could have done better with the WR Coach hire. If I remember correctly, it was a good time to be looking for one, but it seemed like top candidates were staying with HC and OC coaches as they were moving to next destination, and we needed to move quickly, but in hindsight, with the WR room being such a mess through Smoke-y's (I mean Stuckey's) departure, it was even more important to get a good hire here IMO, even if it meant taking a longer time to get it right.
 

PutuporShutup

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Pickings for WRs from the portal will be a bit lower in talent than other positions, almost by definition. Most teams start several WRs and allocate snaps. If a WR is unhappy/doesn’t get play time/whatever else and decides to transfer, what does that really say? Much different from situations where you have, say, a QB room like ND, OSU, etc and all of the QBs want to start.

We are basically restricted to the Kris Mitchells (high performing WRs on smaller programs who want to compete with the big boys) and the Beaux Collins (guys who maybe are great, but for some reason aren’t producing at bigger schools). I think stud WR transfers like Jordan Addison are few and far between, even with NIL.

Quickest route to fixing our WR woes is probably through recruiting, which, of course, is tied to WR success on the field. Let’s air it out 2024 and get Riley that first round pick baby.
Exactly....... You're typically getting a WR that can't make the top 5 wrs at their school, or one from a much lesser program. I like the 3 we got this year, and I think they'll all make an impact. But only Collins do I think has a slight chance to be a game changer.
 

Max Power

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I get the '23 baggage and give Brown a chance, but like many have said, maybe we could have done better with the WR Coach hire. If I remember correctly, it was a good time to be looking for one, but it seemed like top candidates were staying with HC and OC coaches as they were moving to next destination, and we needed to move quickly, but in hindsight, with the WR room being such a mess through Smoke-y's (I mean Stuckey's) departure, it was even more important to get a good hire here IMO, even if it meant taking a longer time to get it right.
There’s no maybe, they could have and should have done better.
 
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