Tuitt, Day, Nix, EV, Rochelle, Smith, Spond, Shembo, Okwara, Williams. There is ten names that I listed. Tell me eight aren't elite or won't be during their college playing days.
Now that we're back on subject and the personal stuff is over with, I still disagree with this premise.
First off, define elite. I would define it in football terms as someone who is All-American and/or a 1st or maybe 2nd round draft choice. Elite is the cream of the crop. No team in the country has 8 elite defensive linemen. Not even close really...not even Alabama. And maybe you modified your statement, because you originally said ND would have 8 defensive linemen next year, which we won't because of the age differences of the players (they won't all be elite at the same time).
2nd, Jaylon Smith and Danny Spond are not defensive linemen. They are linebackers who drop into coverage and occasionally rush the QB (among other duties of course). But they are certainly not d-linemen in any sense.
3rd, I don't think Ishaq will be elite. He has shown nothing of the sort yet. I;d settle for pretty good at this point. Okwara and Rochell have shown they have great bodies but have yet to do a thing on the football field. Why are we putting such lofty expectations on kids who have never done a thing in football?
I see 2 elite defensive linemen on that list. I see others who have the potential to be very good, possibly elite someday. But not 8. Not even close really. We all wear ND colored glasses, but I haven't read anywhere on the 'net where someone says we have 8 elite or potentially elite defensive linemen. That's why I put that phrase in the "crazy, koolaid statements" thread.