National Recruiting Thread

[ulukinatme]

Best case scenario he winds up at South Carolina. OSU has enough talent, Penn State has Knowles, and fuck Michigan. South Carolina is a doormat most years.

 

[notredomer23]

Why high school football factories are producing tons of recruits, but few NFL Draft Picks

The last ten years have seen the emergence of high school football factories: powerhouse programs with immense resources that dominate competition and churn out top recruits. These household name programs annually compete for state and national titles and play in nationally televised games...

www.on3.com

Actually a good piece from On3 worth the read. Turns out it’s a good thing we can’t recruit from Mater Dei and IMG

For reference, here is the track record of blue-chips from the 2016-2021 recruiting cycles and subsequent NFL Draft picks used in this story. Some players from those cycles are still in college football with very few, if any tracking as potential draft picks. Still, they were excluded in the totals.

IMG Academy: 6/13 five-stars drafted, 10/41 four-stars drafted

Mater Dei: 2/4 five-stars drafted, 0/12 four-stars drafted

St. John Bosco: 1/2 five-stars drafted, 1/11 four-stars drafted

St. Frances Academy: 1/2 five-stars drafted, 2/9 four-stars drafted

Grayson: 2/2 five-stars drafted, 1/10 four-stars drafted

St. John’s College: 1/4 five-stars drafted, 1/6 four-stars drafted

Bishop Gorman: 0/1 five-stars drafted, 3/8 four-stars drafted

Lakeland: 0/1 five-stars drafted, 1/8 four-stars drafted

Though not used in the story, three-star draft picks from these programs during this timeframe are worth noting. For reference, the draft rate of the average three-star is 6.6%.

IMG Academy: 3/52 three-stars drafted: Thomas Fletcher (longsnapper), Greg Newsome, Andre Cisco

Mater Dei: 1/30 three-stars drafted: Quentin Lake

St. John Bosco: 0/39 three-stars drafted

St. Frances Academy: 1/24 three-stars drafted: Gary Brightwell

Grayson: 0/30 three-stars drafted

St. John’s College: 0/21 three-stars drafted

Bishop Gorman: 4/27 three-stars drafted: Cedric Tillman, Jailen Nailor, Kyu Blu Kelly, Jaden Hicks. Edefuan Ulofoshio was also drafted as a former walk-on. Bishop Gorman owns the highest draft rate among four-stars and three-stars among these programs.

 

[stpeteirish]

So taking the best players from the best teams increases your chances of getting an overrated player.

 

[IrishLion]

I’d say it also has a little bit to do with the “name brand bump” thing you see when bigger college programs steal a three-star from a lower power-4 or group-of-6 school. Suddenly that three-star is reevaluated and “oh he’s a four-star player, really developed during his senior year.”

Same goes for these HS kids… “oh, Gorman has a track record of DI stars, and the coach is pumping this kid up. Let’s reevaluate the film and make enough inferences to rate him a bit higher than we would normally”

 

[Dale]

Did they suggest a theory as to why? Mine would be that a lot of high floor players get over exposure. Wrapped into that would be guys that get recruited to maintain relationships with the HS coaching staff as well as guys that get recruited because they fit a cliche of being “winners”

There is also lazy work by the recruiting services here. Some spoiled kids that thought they were hot **** or simply peaked early.

 

[notredamermotherpray4us]

ND is now up to the #2 recruiting class for 2026 on both Rivals and 247. The #3 class on ESPN and the #4 class on ON3.

 

[jprue24]

I think it's just hard to get to the NFL.

 

[Dale]

I think it's just hard to get to the NFL.

The current chances that you are drafted if you are a 4 star player is about 20% so for these programs like Bosco to come below that is interesting

 

[jprue24]

The current chances that you are drafted if you are a 4 star player is about 20% so for these programs like Bosco to come below that is interesting

Sure, but there are "a lot" of powerhouses and 4* players

SI's top-10 hs for draft picks, does not include this year...

1. IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) - 21

2. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) – 16

3. American Heritage (Plantation, FL) – 12

4. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) – 10

T5. Cass Tech (Detroit, MI) - 8

T5. Dematha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD) - 8

T5. Northwestern (Miami, FL) - 8

T9. DeSoto (DeSoto, TX) - 7

T9. Good Counsel (Olney, MD) - 7

T9. Lakewood (St. Petersburg, FL) - 7

What High Schools have produced the most NFL Draft Picks in the past 10 Years?

With the 2025 NFL Draft upon us, it seems to be an appropriate time to take a look at the high school programs across the nation that have produced the most NFL

www.si.com

 

[notredomer23]

Did they suggest a theory as to why? Mine would be that a lot of high floor players get over exposure. Wrapped into that would be guys that get recruited to maintain relationships with the HS coaching staff as well as guys that get recruited because they fit a cliche of being “winners”

There is also lazy work by the recruiting services here. Some spoiled kids that thought they were hot **** or simply peaked early.

Overexposure, age (these players are typically old by time they’re seniors compared to their cohort), and hyper-specialization are the main reasons they cite.

 

[DCDomer]

Sure, but there are "a lot" of powerhouses and 4* players

SI's top-10 hs for draft picks, does not include this year...

1. IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) - 21

2. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) – 16

3. American Heritage (Plantation, FL) – 12

4. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) – 10

T5. Cass Tech (Detroit, MI) - 8

T5. Dematha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD) - 8

T5. Northwestern (Miami, FL) - 8

T9. DeSoto (DeSoto, TX) - 7

T9. Good Counsel (Olney, MD) - 7

T9. Lakewood (St. Petersburg, FL) - 7

What High Schools have produced the most NFL Draft Picks in the past 10 Years?

With the 2025 NFL Draft upon us, it seems to be an appropriate time to take a look at the high school programs across the nation that have produced the most NFL

www.si.com

The headline pisses me off. How many guys has IMG actually produced? They are a halfway house for blue chips.

 

[jprue24]

Four this year for a total of 23 draft picks in the last 8 years. Six straight years with a 1st round pick.

I think that's pretty good.

2025 NFL Draft: Tyler Booker extends IMG streak of alums picked in first round to 6 years

The Dallas Cowboys selected former IMG All-American offensive lineman Tyler Booker with the 12th overall pick in the draft on Thursday night.

www.heraldtribune.com

 

[IAIrish]

Forever not understanding the wall around DC when these three go in there annually. It’s probably the most confusing thing in ND recruiting for much of the last 15 years

There had to be something more to it, right? Has the stank from the Kelly era not faded completely? I recall a Lemming story that he pissed off a few coaches by big timing them, but should be water under the bridge.

 

[NDMatt91]

There had to be something more to it, right? Has the stank from the Kelly era not faded completely? I recall a Lemming story that he pissed off a few coaches by big timing them, but should be water under the bridge.

Lemming asked Dematha's HC why ND didn't get Chase Young and was told that it was because Kelly never visited the school and would only send the DL coach. Meanwhile, Urban was at the school all the time.

 

[ulukinatme]

So taking the best players from the best teams increases your chances of getting an overrated player.

Makes me think of USC, especially post Pete. Tons of skill talent, but up until last year they played in a conference that isn't known for defense. When everyone around you is a big time skill guy it's going to make your QB look better because his job is easy. That's why USC QBs haven't amounted to jack squat after Carson at the next level.

 

[NumbersGuy0520]

Makes me think of USC, especially post Pete. Tons of skill talent, but up until last year they played in a conference that isn't known for defense. When everyone around you is a big time skill guy it's going to make your QB look better because his job is easy. That's why USC QBs haven't amounted to jack squat after Carson at the next level.

Ohio State QBs come to mind, too. Their college production each year is ridiculous largely because they are throwing to 1st round, NFL caliber WRs. But in terms of NFL readiness & production, Stroud is the outlier.

 

[allenm5333]

The video with Dan Lanning and the de commit is worse than BK grinding

 

[Irishdwarte]

Jackson Cantwell committed to Miami.

 

[NDisme]

Jackson Cantwell committed to Miami.

2 mil a year

 

[dublinirish]

Seven visits to UGA and Kirby couldn’t close haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dublinirish]

 

[phillyirish]

ND is now up to the #2 recruiting class for 2026 on both Rivals and 247. The #3 class on ESPN and the #4 class on ON3.

Happens every year. We get a good lead in late spring/summer with early commits. Expect us to finish 10-12 when all the prima donna top 50 recruits who hold out to commit to milk the who ordeal as much as they can make their decisions.

 

[Dale]

Happens every year. We get a good lead in late spring/summer with early commits. Expect us to finish 10-12 when all the prima donna top 50 recruits who hold out to commit to milk the who ordeal as much as they can make their decisions.

This is traditionally been the case but there’s multiple reasons this class is not “happens every year”

This class is #4 on On3 at just 16 commits and it’s May. This time last year they were #6 with 21 commits. 2024 class had already dropped 5 to 8 at this point. They typically peak rankings wise more like in February after Junior Day. They have more commits than most recruiting powers but they aren’t outpacing on pure volume as much as previous years

Average rating above 92 is slightly outpacing last 3 years, noticeably outpacing late BK years

 

[notredomer23]

This is traditionally been the case but there’s multiple reasons this class is not “happens every year”

This class is #4 on On3 at just 16 commits and it’s May. This time last year they were #6 with 21 commits. They typically peak rankings wise more like in February after Junior Day. They have commits than most recruiting powers but they aren’t outpacing on pure volume as much as previous years

Average rating above 92 is slightly outpacing last 3 years, noticeably outpacing late BK years

Yup. ND already has more top 300 commits than last year's class. If you look at the remaining recruiting board, it's filled with top 300 guys and honestly very few outside of it. Much more likely this class ends in the 5-9 range than 10-12 IMO.

 

[Dale]

2026 Top 200 Commits from the South:
- Durham, Osborne, Pouncey, Walton, Davis, Grubbs

2025 Top 200 Commits from the South:
- Blair, Golden
2024 Top 200 Commits from the South:
- Bryce Young, Kedren Young
2023 Top 200 Commits from the South:
- Mukam, Minchey, James

 

[allenm5333]

Xavier Griffin just decommitted from USC...poor Chad

 

[irish o'phile]

That kicks NDs average star ranking above USC on 247.

 

[Dale]

So the Talona Ili CB was just burying the lead

 

[KPENN]

That kicks NDs average star ranking above USC on 247.

It has been

 

[notredamermotherpray4us]

This is traditionally been the case but there’s multiple reasons this class is not “happens every year”

This class is #4 on On3 at just 16 commits and it’s May. This time last year they were #6 with 21 commits. 2024 class had already dropped 5 to 8 at this point. They typically peak rankings wise more like in February after Junior Day. They have more commits than most recruiting powers but they aren’t outpacing on pure volume as much as previous years

Average rating above 92 is slightly outpacing last 3 years, noticeably outpacing late BK years

I view U$Cs class this year a lot like our classes of the past at this point in the cycle. Solid class but not enough depth to remain at the top of the rankings in the end.

Hopefully we can dominate on the field and make another run in the playoffs. Maybe finish with a top 5 class.