Who's Next? - 2021 Edition

[IHateMarkMay]

Shipleys comments post Clemson commitment didnt really sound like ND had a chance, extra visit or not.

Absolutely. However, what would you want him to say after his commitment? "I was thinking about ND, but couldn't visit, so here I am committing to Clemson".

 

[NDdomer2]

Absolutely. However, what would you want him to say after his commitment? "I was thinking about ND, but couldn't visit, so here I am committing to Clemson".

ha however you wanna spin it be my guest. bottom line - he isnt with ND.

 

[ThePiombino]

Shipleys comments post Clemson commitment didnt really sound like ND had a chance, extra visit or not.

Agreed. I think we were in it until we weren't in it. Then we were REALLY not in it.

 

[IrishLax]

In general, I do not care about recruiting highly rated CBs because with the exception of true 5-star level players most of them end up being busts. Just get athletic players with good feet and good hips and teach them how to play the position. The one thing I really like about Lyght is that he was a great teacher.

With that being said, I was pretty disappointed with front 7 recruiting in this class. I like the players we signed and many of them have a lot of potential and could be stars... but there are very few that look like instant impact players. They're almost all projects.

This is completely different from offense, where this is one of the better classes they've signed in a long time. With the exception of missing on Shipley, this is what they need to do on a yearly basis to match talent with Ohio State and southern powerhouses.

 

[Irish du Nord]

In general, I do not care about recruiting highly rated CBs because with the exception of true 5-star level players most of them end up being busts. Just get athletic players with good feet and good hips and teach them how to play the position. The one thing I really like about Lyght is that he was a great teacher.

With that being said, I was pretty disappointed with front 7 recruiting in this class. I like the players we signed and many of them have a lot of potential and could be stars... but there are very few that look like instant impact players. They're almost all projects.

This is completely different from offense, where this is one of the better classes they've signed in a long time. With the exception of missing on Shipley, this is what they need to do on a yearly basis to match talent with Ohio State and southern powerhouses.

Fair concern, although I don't know about Rubio or Kollie being projects. We signed 6 guys in the front seven this class. There were 4 in the previous class, with 1 or 2 of those being projects. This probably should be point of emphasis in the next cycle, right?

 

[Luckylucci]

I don't have any issues with DT and LB as the depth charts are loaded with very capable players. So, I feel like the goal of getting an elite guy at each position was achieved. However, I do think Elston settled for program additions at DE. That's not to say that they won't be very good to the program in time, but I really would've like to see him push the envelop on a few of the guys we've mentioned around here. I also think that if Elston could go back in time and not accept Abiara's commitment and focus that early attention, effort, and space in the class elsewhere, he would do so and we would not be having this conversation.

 

[Blazers46]

Running Back: I would hate to think we just take two warm bodies at the position to just have bodies at the position. What is the cost/benefit of just not signing any RBs and going all-in in 2022 selling an awful looking depth chart at the RB position? Is that a high-rish/high reward? Or do top RBs even care about depth?

 

[Sea Turtle]

I was listening to a podcast last night and the guys were saying that the staff does not care about stars or rankings.
They care about measurables, metrics, camp performance, traits and fit with team and university.
Tyler Buchner isn't a 5 star but he wowed them at their camp when he was competing with several others for one offer. They love him.

They talked about another player whose biggest offer was Western Michigan but they wanted him and got him.

 

[Luckylucci]

I think the concern over Estime waiting to sign was WAY overboard. As of today, everyone is super confident he’s coming to ND. It’s just a matter of when. Others are still confident in them getting Diggs. Either way, if they get Estime and don’t land Diggs. It would be a miss but not end of world as we return 3 guys that are playing very well. It would just place a lot of importance on 22’ making sure we get two guys that can both play fairly early.

 

[Irish YJ]

I was listening to a podcast last night and the guys were saying that the staff does not care about stars or rankings.
They care about measurables, metrics, camp performance, traits and fit with team and university.
Tyler Buchner isn't a 5 star but he wowed them at their camp when he was competing with several others for one offer. They love him.

They talked about another player whose biggest offer was Western Michigan but they wanted him and got him.

BK also mentioned that while they need to get good fits, and not be overly starry eyed, they can't let that overly limit who they go after, and still need to stride for a #1 ranked class (in the actual star ranking system).

I'm not overly starry eyed, but stars are a good indicator, and the overall correlation to Natties can't be ignored.

He also talked about the process of looking for gems, and development of guys like Claypool and others

 

[oddz313]

Stars are good but only for so much

Stars are good but only for so much

BK also mentioned that while they need to get good fits, and not be overly starry eyed, they can't let that overly limit who they go after, and still need to stride for a #1 ranked class (in the actual star ranking system).

I'm not overly starry eyed, but stars are a good indicator, and the overall correlation to Natties can't be ignored.

He also talked about the process of looking for gems, and development of guys like Claypool and others

Of course you want to be the star czar of football recruiting but with an emphasis on getting the overlooked 3 stars that should be 4's and possibly 5's you can put together a very good team i.e what MSU was doing for several years, sprinkle in a decent amount of 4's and a couple 5's and you are better than those teams which puts you as a contender. Love how the O-line is going over the years, the O-line has hit elite status in my eyes but I would like to see the front 7 improve just a little and grab that elite D end and LB

 

[NDRock]

BK also mentioned that while they need to get good fits, and not be overly starry eyed, they can't let that overly limit who they go after, and still need to stride for a #1 ranked class (in the actual star ranking system).

I'm not overly starry eyed, but stars are a good indicator, and the overall correlation to Natties can't be ignored.

He also talked about the process of looking for gems, and development of guys like Claypool and others

Pretty much this. No team has won a NC this millennium with the talent level (via recruiting rankings) ND has on its roster. If this ND team can beat Clemson, Ohio State, and Bama to win a title it would be unprecedented.

 

[Irish YJ]

Pretty much this. No team has won a NC this millennium with the talent level (via recruiting rankings) ND has on its roster. If this ND team can beat Clemson, Ohio State, and Bama to win a title it would be unprecedented.

Yup, it would be. I still have the little PTSD voice from all the years post Lou that tells me we can't.

Of course you want to be the star czar of football recruiting but with an emphasis on getting the overlooked 3 stars that should be 4's and possibly 5's you can put together a very good team i.e what MSU was doing for several years, sprinkle in a decent amount of 4's and a couple 5's and you are better than those teams which puts you as a contender. Love how the O-line is going over the years, the O-line has hit elite status in my eyes but I would like to see the front 7 improve just a little and grab that elite D end and LB

Agreed, but we also don't need to bash or diminish stars just because we can't get them. You should both recruit stars and dig for diamonds. I think we're doing that now, just more successful on one side than the other. Not sure that will be enough.

 

[jason_h537]

Pretty much this. No team has won a NC this millennium with the talent level (via recruiting rankings) ND has on its roster. If this ND team can beat Clemson, Ohio State, and Bama to win a title it would be unprecedented.

This is not true at all. Notre Dame currently has a blue-chip ratio of 56%

in 2013 Florida State won it all with a 53% blue-chip ratio.
2016 Clemson had a 52% blue-chip ratio.

So while may ND be on the lower end, teams have won it all with less talent based on recruiting rankings. And it would not be unprecedented.

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/Blue-chip-ratio-college-football-2020-Bud-Elliott-15-teams-who-can-win-a-national-title-148079661/#148079661_9

 

[tussin]

Pretty much this. No team has won a NC this millennium with the talent level (via recruiting rankings) ND has on its roster. If this ND team can beat Clemson, Ohio State, and Bama to win a title it would be unprecedented.

That's not true -- this ND team has more composite team talent (per 247) and a higher average composite rating than the 2016 Clemson team.

...and I just checked and their 2016 season included wins over the #1, #4, and #5 teams in terms of "total talent". IMO the rise of Clemson in the mid-2010s has little to do with juggernaut recruiting (though they are that now) and more to do with generational QB play and amazing development by their staff of 3-star and low 4-star players.

 

[NDRock]

This is not true at all. Notre Dame currently has a blue-chip ratio of 56%

in 2013 Florida State won it all with a 53% blue-chip ratio.
2016 Clemson had a 52% blue-chip ratio.

So while may ND be on the lower end, teams have won it all with less talent based on recruiting rankings. And it would not be unprecedented.

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/Blue-chip-ratio-college-football-2020-Bud-Elliott-15-teams-who-can-win-a-national-title-148079661/#148079661_9

Basically, two types have teams have won. Those with super high end talent all over and those with a 5* Heisman type QB. Notre Dame has neither. Both teams you mentioned had the QB who were 1st round picks. I love Book but he ain’t Vince Young, Cam, Winston, Watson, etc...

 

[Irish YJ]

This is not true at all. Notre Dame currently has a blue-chip ratio of 56%

in 2013 Florida State won it all with a 53% blue-chip ratio.
2016 Clemson had a 52% blue-chip ratio.

So while may ND be on the lower end, teams have won it all with less talent based on recruiting rankings. And it would not be unprecedented.

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/Blue-chip-ratio-college-football-2020-Bud-Elliott-15-teams-who-can-win-a-national-title-148079661/#148079661_9

I'd say it is blue-moonish at minimum.

Here's 2020

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Py_...8401/Screen_Shot_2019_05_30_at_8.14.43_AM.png

 

[IrishRazor82]

This is not true at all. Notre Dame currently has a blue-chip ratio of 56%

in 2013 Florida State won it all with a 53% blue-chip ratio.
2016 Clemson had a 52% blue-chip ratio.

So while may ND be on the lower end, teams have won it all with less talent based on recruiting rankings. And it would not be unprecedented.

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/Blue-chip-ratio-college-football-2020-Bud-Elliott-15-teams-who-can-win-a-national-title-148079661/#148079661_9

I don't know if the data backs this, but it seems like our 4 star players aren't the same as Clemson and FSU's back in the day. I'd imagine we have a lot more .90's and they had a lot more .96's. Technically counts the same the way you're counting them, but those dudes different.

 

[jason_h537]

Basically, two types have teams have won. Those with super high end talent all over and those with a 5* Heisman type QB. Notre Dame has neither. Both teams you mentioned had the QB who were 1st round picks. I love Book but he ain’t Vince Young, Cam, Winston, Watson, etc...

OK? You said no team has won with the talent ND has which is just false. Teams have won with less talent. Now if you want to move the goal post and say you need a Heisman level QB, well I am sure Oklahoma might feel a bit different.

But the reality is that ND has the talent and everyone who has seen them play agrees they are one of the 4 best teams in the country. If you want to say it is unlikely they win or that you don' t believe in the team, that is a valid feeling. But you said ND does not have the talent to win, which is false. And more importantly, all despite the hand wringing over three stars, ND's Blue-Chip ratio is actually going up.

 

[NDRock]

OK? You said no team has won with the talent ND has which is just false. Teams have won with less talent. Now if you want to move the goal post and say you need a Heisman level QB, well I am sure Oklahoma might feel a bit different.

But the reality is that ND has the talent and everyone who has seen them play agrees they are one of the 4 best teams in the country. If you want to say it is unlikely they win or that you don' t believe in the team, that is a valid feeling. But you said ND does not have the talent to win, which is false. And more importantly, all despite the hand wringing over three stars, ND's Blue-Chip ratio is actually going up.

Not moving the goalposts at all, as this has been talked about often on this board often in regards to QB recruiting. That’s our “easiest” path to a title. Recruit and develop like we do now and get that Heisman caliber QB. Honestly, has there been a title winning team with talent like ours who hasn’t been led by a stud QB (1st round talent)? I can’t remember one.

Notre Dame can win the whole thing this year, no doubt about it. My only point is that it hasn’t happened with a team like ND before. There’s always a first.

 

[texbender]

So, who's next??

 

[NDRock]

So, who's next??

I say Estime

 

[NDdomer2]

Real question is who is after him?

 

[NDGOLDEN]

Mike singer said to look out for 4* Khari Gee. Possible flip from LSU

 

[Mavericknyc1980]

Mike singer said to look out for 4* Khari Gee. Possible flip from LSU

Hmmm,m that would be huge.

 

[fightingirish26]

I pray he is good in coverage. He looks like an elite rover prospect, but an elite safety prospect is a much bigger need right now imo. Film showcases some incredibly athletic and aggressive plays near the box.

 

[arndtjc]

Mike singer said to look out for 4* Khari Gee. Possible flip from LSU

Is he really big time if he’s LSU table scraps??!

 

[Irish Man3]

ISD has a nice update after talking to a beat writer that covers LSU. The beat writer is adamant that he is not being "processed out" of the recruiting class. There was talk of him starting at linebacker and that was the start of him looking around.

 

[NDdomer2]

ISD has a nice update after talking to a beat writer that covers LSU. The beat writer is adamant that he is not being "processed out" of the recruiting class. There was talk of him starting at linebacker and that was the start of him looking around.

Lol and everyone here is taking LB.

 

[irishfan]

Lol and everyone here is taking LB.

Rover in our system for the right player could project to strong safety in NFL at least. I know McShay was projecting JOK as a strong safety earlier in the season.