A Freebie! There are pictures of some of the key prospects at the Link.
By Jamie Newberg SuperPrep.com
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http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=109&p=2&c=549562
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Notre Dame is just one of those schools that should always do very well in recruiting. Last season they shocked the college football world on the field under new head coach Charlie Weis and now they are a recruiting power once again. It's safe to say that the Fighting Irish are back.
The Irish are back. Whether you love or hate Notre Dame, Charlie Weis has made such a huge impact on this historic program that you have to be impressed. Yes they were impressive on the field last season in Weis's first at South Bend. But that is now carrying over into recruiting, as the Fighting Irish are off to a great start for their recruiting class of 2007 and should sign one of the nation's top groups. Look for Notre Dame to sign around 25 players. Lets take a closer look.
Quarterback
Jimmy Clausen (6-3, 195) (Committed)
Clausen is a drop back passer that is very polished and advanced at this stage of his young football career. He has good size, mobility and very good arm strength. When he sets his feet he can throw with a ton of velocity and is deadly accurate. When he is forced from the pocket he shows good mobility and he has the ability to throw on the run with precision. Clausen has an exceptional release and can make all the throws you look for – the deep out, the long ball, etc. He can also throw with touch and makes good decisions in the pocket.
Clausen should be a perfect match for Weis and his offense. And the timing couldn't be better, especially with curent Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn leaving for the NFL after this season. Clausen is scheduled to graduate early and enroll at Notre Dame in January.
In two years as a starter, Clausen has a 28-0 record, and finished his junior year being named the state underclass player of the year. He threw for 2,778 yards on 156-of-231 passing and 30 touchdowns, leading Oaks Christian to a third straight CIF Division X title.
Notre Dame is one and done at this position.
Running Back
Notre Dame would love to sign an elite back to pair with Clausen. They lost his high school teammate, Marc Tyler, to Southern Cal. They are hot after Armando Allen (Hialeah, Fla.), Robert Hughes (Chicago, Ill.), Joe McKnight (River Ridge, La.) and Gerald Jones (Oklahoma City, Ok.). Allen lists the Irish with others but the main competition should be Georgia and Florida. Hughes will likely decide between Notre Dame and Illinois while McKnight and Jones will be tough to pry from their home-state schools. Caleb King (Lilburn, Ga.) is starting getting hot on the Irish but will he have the academics for Notre Dame to pursue him?
Wide Receiver
Duval Kamara (6-3, 190) (Committed)
A red zone receiver can be a valuable weapon and Kamara may be one of the best in the nation. He has a great combination of size and strength and he uses his body well to shield defensers away from the ball. he is deceptively fast for his size. Notre Dame is hot after the nation's top wide receiver prospect, Arrelious Benn and the Irish look to be the team to beat. He will decide on September, 6th and he's also considering Florida State, USC, Maryland and Illinois. Greg Little (Durham, N.C.) is another possibility and he also likes North Carolina, Clemson, Florida, Michigan, and N.C. State. The other question is will he play receiver at the next level? He may start out on offense but will likely eventually be a safety or grow into a linebacker. Ron Brooks (Irving, Texas), J.R. Hemingway (Conway, S.C.), Golden Tate (Hendersonville, Tenn.), Jay Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.) are more wideouts to keep a close eye on regarding Notre Dame.
Tight End
Mike Ragone (6-5, 230) (Committed)
Ragone is one of the dominant tight end prospects (Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski) from the Northeast. Like the other two Ragone possesses all the skills you look for in a tight end. He is a very good receiver, showing good hands and concentration. He has excellent size and speed. Ragone has the ability to create on his own and get some yards after the catch. As a blocker, he is very strong at the point of attack. Ragone can be used as a flex-tight end, H-back or line up next to the offensive tackle. He is coming off a knee injury or else he would likely be rated even higher. The Irish may only take one TE this season.
Offensive Line
Andrew Nuss (6-5, 285) (Committed)
Nuss is a powerul and big interior lineman that plays on both sides of the ball in high school. He has good speed and quickness for his size and shows pretty good agility. Look for him to play guard in South Bend. The Irish want to bring in at least five and they would love to have Ryan Miller (Littleton, Co.) as one of their signees. Notre Dame will battle USC, Colorado, Miami and others for him. Right now the Irish and Buffaloes are his co-leaders. Another possibility at tackle is Lee Ziemba (Rogers, Ark.). He likes southern powers like Arkansas, Auburn, Alabama, Ole Miss and Tennessee as well as Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Michigan. Emeka Nwankwo (Hollywood, Fla.) says that Notre Dame, FSU and UVA lead for him while James Wilson (St., Augustine, Fla.) says that he will decide between Notre Dame and USC. Chris Little (Jeffersonville, Ga.) and Matt Romine (Tulsa, Ok.) are two that have Notre Dame in the mix but they remain open, at least publicly.
Defensive End
Justin Trattou (6-4, 250) (Committed)
Trattou has the size and the speed that everyone covets. He fires off the edge and is relentless in pursuit. If a back breaks away, he had better have eyes in the back of his head because Trattou is fast enough to catch them. Trattou has technique, he just needs to rely on it more. Martez Wilson (Chicago) is another city prospect from Chicago that will pick between Notre Dame and Illinois. Ben Martin (Cincinnati, Ohio) has the Irish right there with Ohio State, Michigan, and Florida. Notre Dame would absolutely love to land Martin and or Wilson to compliment Trattou on the end.
Defensive Tackle
Will Blackwell (West Monroe, La.) is a strong d-tackle prospect that is leaning to South Bend while it looks like Notre Dame has a great shot at Joseph Barksdale (Detroit, Mi.). Both of these players could end up on the offensive side of the ball, where they have more upside and potential. Ian Williams (Longwood, Fla.) likes Notre Dame but favors the Gators at this time.
Linebacker
Steve Paskorz (6-2, 220), Aaron Nagel (6-1, 215), Kerry Neal (6-1, 220) (Commitments) Neal is a good pass rusher that has a quick first step. At this time he is more of a speed rusher. Neal has long arms and a good frame. He gives good effort and fights off blocks well. Neal has good speed and quickness. Neal also shows excellent recognition and reacts to the ball very quickly. He plays with aggression and at times can be very physical. Neal also plays well in coverage and shows good vision. He also plays well in coverage and shows good vision. Right now I would call him a 'tweener'. If he gets bigger and taller he could very well put his hand down and be an end. But he could play strong side linebacker as well. Either way he has good upside on both positions. Nagel plays running back and safety in high school but projects as a linebacker at the next level. Nagel actually plays the safety position with a linebacker mentality. He is very physical and can fly to the football. Nagel is a big time hitter and plays in coverage well. He's smart and has good instincts for the game. Nagel has good speed and range and should make an easy transition to the linebacker position. Like Nagel and Neal, Paskorz is a very good athlete, also playing running back. He is a tough, inside north-south runner that has deceptive speed and good power. He runs hard, runs low and loves to punish defenders by lowering his shoulder. Paskorz can also surprise you with his quickness, especially on outside runs. He hits the hole hard and if you are the defense your best defense is to try and get him bottled up in the backfield before he gets going. Parskorz could eventually grow into a fullback at the next level. Two Tennessee LB prospects are high on the Irish – Harrison Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Chris Donald (Huntingdon, Tenn.). Smith has the Vols leading with Notre Dame and Stanford right behind while Donald favors the Vols and Irish.
Safety
The Irish are chasing two big time safety prospects from the Sunshine State in Lorenzo Edwards (Orlando, Fla.) and Major Wright (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). Edwards is open among Florida, Miami, Clemson, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Michigan while the Irish are likley chasing Miami for Wright. There is a good chance Edwards grows into a linebacker. Mark Barnes (Columbia, S.C.) is another possibility from the South who is wide open.
Cornerback
Ronald Johnson (Muskegon, Mi.), Michael Williams (Ventura, Calif.), Gary Gray (Columbia, S.C.), and Dionte Allen (Orchard Lake, Mi.) are cornerbacks that like Notre Dame. In fact, both Williams and Gray list the Irish as co-leaders. Gray had been committed to South Carolina while Notre Dame and Michigan lead for Williams. Johnson is an intriguing prospect because he is so athletic and his best position just may be free safety. He and fellow in-state star Allen are open at this time.
By Jamie Newberg SuperPrep.com
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fficeffice" /><o></o>http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=109&p=2&c=549562
<o
></o>Notre Dame is just one of those schools that should always do very well in recruiting. Last season they shocked the college football world on the field under new head coach Charlie Weis and now they are a recruiting power once again. It's safe to say that the Fighting Irish are back.
The Irish are back. Whether you love or hate Notre Dame, Charlie Weis has made such a huge impact on this historic program that you have to be impressed. Yes they were impressive on the field last season in Weis's first at South Bend. But that is now carrying over into recruiting, as the Fighting Irish are off to a great start for their recruiting class of 2007 and should sign one of the nation's top groups. Look for Notre Dame to sign around 25 players. Lets take a closer look.
Quarterback
Jimmy Clausen (6-3, 195) (Committed)
Clausen is a drop back passer that is very polished and advanced at this stage of his young football career. He has good size, mobility and very good arm strength. When he sets his feet he can throw with a ton of velocity and is deadly accurate. When he is forced from the pocket he shows good mobility and he has the ability to throw on the run with precision. Clausen has an exceptional release and can make all the throws you look for – the deep out, the long ball, etc. He can also throw with touch and makes good decisions in the pocket.
Clausen should be a perfect match for Weis and his offense. And the timing couldn't be better, especially with curent Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn leaving for the NFL after this season. Clausen is scheduled to graduate early and enroll at Notre Dame in January.
In two years as a starter, Clausen has a 28-0 record, and finished his junior year being named the state underclass player of the year. He threw for 2,778 yards on 156-of-231 passing and 30 touchdowns, leading Oaks Christian to a third straight CIF Division X title.
Notre Dame is one and done at this position.
Running Back
Notre Dame would love to sign an elite back to pair with Clausen. They lost his high school teammate, Marc Tyler, to Southern Cal. They are hot after Armando Allen (Hialeah, Fla.), Robert Hughes (Chicago, Ill.), Joe McKnight (River Ridge, La.) and Gerald Jones (Oklahoma City, Ok.). Allen lists the Irish with others but the main competition should be Georgia and Florida. Hughes will likely decide between Notre Dame and Illinois while McKnight and Jones will be tough to pry from their home-state schools. Caleb King (Lilburn, Ga.) is starting getting hot on the Irish but will he have the academics for Notre Dame to pursue him?
Wide Receiver
Duval Kamara (6-3, 190) (Committed)
A red zone receiver can be a valuable weapon and Kamara may be one of the best in the nation. He has a great combination of size and strength and he uses his body well to shield defensers away from the ball. he is deceptively fast for his size. Notre Dame is hot after the nation's top wide receiver prospect, Arrelious Benn and the Irish look to be the team to beat. He will decide on September, 6th and he's also considering Florida State, USC, Maryland and Illinois. Greg Little (Durham, N.C.) is another possibility and he also likes North Carolina, Clemson, Florida, Michigan, and N.C. State. The other question is will he play receiver at the next level? He may start out on offense but will likely eventually be a safety or grow into a linebacker. Ron Brooks (Irving, Texas), J.R. Hemingway (Conway, S.C.), Golden Tate (Hendersonville, Tenn.), Jay Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.) are more wideouts to keep a close eye on regarding Notre Dame.
Tight End
Mike Ragone (6-5, 230) (Committed)
Ragone is one of the dominant tight end prospects (Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski) from the Northeast. Like the other two Ragone possesses all the skills you look for in a tight end. He is a very good receiver, showing good hands and concentration. He has excellent size and speed. Ragone has the ability to create on his own and get some yards after the catch. As a blocker, he is very strong at the point of attack. Ragone can be used as a flex-tight end, H-back or line up next to the offensive tackle. He is coming off a knee injury or else he would likely be rated even higher. The Irish may only take one TE this season.
Offensive Line
Andrew Nuss (6-5, 285) (Committed)
Nuss is a powerul and big interior lineman that plays on both sides of the ball in high school. He has good speed and quickness for his size and shows pretty good agility. Look for him to play guard in South Bend. The Irish want to bring in at least five and they would love to have Ryan Miller (Littleton, Co.) as one of their signees. Notre Dame will battle USC, Colorado, Miami and others for him. Right now the Irish and Buffaloes are his co-leaders. Another possibility at tackle is Lee Ziemba (Rogers, Ark.). He likes southern powers like Arkansas, Auburn, Alabama, Ole Miss and Tennessee as well as Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Michigan. Emeka Nwankwo (Hollywood, Fla.) says that Notre Dame, FSU and UVA lead for him while James Wilson (St., Augustine, Fla.) says that he will decide between Notre Dame and USC. Chris Little (Jeffersonville, Ga.) and Matt Romine (Tulsa, Ok.) are two that have Notre Dame in the mix but they remain open, at least publicly.
Defensive End
Justin Trattou (6-4, 250) (Committed)
Trattou has the size and the speed that everyone covets. He fires off the edge and is relentless in pursuit. If a back breaks away, he had better have eyes in the back of his head because Trattou is fast enough to catch them. Trattou has technique, he just needs to rely on it more. Martez Wilson (Chicago) is another city prospect from Chicago that will pick between Notre Dame and Illinois. Ben Martin (Cincinnati, Ohio) has the Irish right there with Ohio State, Michigan, and Florida. Notre Dame would absolutely love to land Martin and or Wilson to compliment Trattou on the end.
Defensive Tackle
Will Blackwell (West Monroe, La.) is a strong d-tackle prospect that is leaning to South Bend while it looks like Notre Dame has a great shot at Joseph Barksdale (Detroit, Mi.). Both of these players could end up on the offensive side of the ball, where they have more upside and potential. Ian Williams (Longwood, Fla.) likes Notre Dame but favors the Gators at this time.
Linebacker
Steve Paskorz (6-2, 220), Aaron Nagel (6-1, 215), Kerry Neal (6-1, 220) (Commitments) Neal is a good pass rusher that has a quick first step. At this time he is more of a speed rusher. Neal has long arms and a good frame. He gives good effort and fights off blocks well. Neal has good speed and quickness. Neal also shows excellent recognition and reacts to the ball very quickly. He plays with aggression and at times can be very physical. Neal also plays well in coverage and shows good vision. He also plays well in coverage and shows good vision. Right now I would call him a 'tweener'. If he gets bigger and taller he could very well put his hand down and be an end. But he could play strong side linebacker as well. Either way he has good upside on both positions. Nagel plays running back and safety in high school but projects as a linebacker at the next level. Nagel actually plays the safety position with a linebacker mentality. He is very physical and can fly to the football. Nagel is a big time hitter and plays in coverage well. He's smart and has good instincts for the game. Nagel has good speed and range and should make an easy transition to the linebacker position. Like Nagel and Neal, Paskorz is a very good athlete, also playing running back. He is a tough, inside north-south runner that has deceptive speed and good power. He runs hard, runs low and loves to punish defenders by lowering his shoulder. Paskorz can also surprise you with his quickness, especially on outside runs. He hits the hole hard and if you are the defense your best defense is to try and get him bottled up in the backfield before he gets going. Parskorz could eventually grow into a fullback at the next level. Two Tennessee LB prospects are high on the Irish – Harrison Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Chris Donald (Huntingdon, Tenn.). Smith has the Vols leading with Notre Dame and Stanford right behind while Donald favors the Vols and Irish.
Safety
The Irish are chasing two big time safety prospects from the Sunshine State in Lorenzo Edwards (Orlando, Fla.) and Major Wright (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). Edwards is open among Florida, Miami, Clemson, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Michigan while the Irish are likley chasing Miami for Wright. There is a good chance Edwards grows into a linebacker. Mark Barnes (Columbia, S.C.) is another possibility from the South who is wide open.
Cornerback
Ronald Johnson (Muskegon, Mi.), Michael Williams (Ventura, Calif.), Gary Gray (Columbia, S.C.), and Dionte Allen (Orchard Lake, Mi.) are cornerbacks that like Notre Dame. In fact, both Williams and Gray list the Irish as co-leaders. Gray had been committed to South Carolina while Notre Dame and Michigan lead for Williams. Johnson is an intriguing prospect because he is so athletic and his best position just may be free safety. He and fellow in-state star Allen are open at this time.
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