Notre Dame 2024 Class Rankings - Offense Edition
Notre Dame has made its 2024 recruiting class official, with all 23 commits signing during the early signing period. Notre Dame had an outstanding class overall, and the offensive haul was especially good.
The class was finalized in December, but in honor of today's National Signing Day let's take another look at the grades, rankings and analysis of the Irish 2024 class.
CLASS RANKINGS - OFFENSE
1. WR Cam Williams
2. QB CJ Carr
3. OL Guerby Lambert
4. RB Kedren Young
5. WR Micah Gilbert
6. RB Aneyas Williams
7. OL Styles Prescod
8. OL Peter Jones
9. TE Jack Larsen
10. WR Logan Saldate
11. OL Anthonie Knapp
Let's look at the individual player breakdowns and grades.
PLAYER RANKINGS - ANALYSIS
1. CAM WILLIAMS, WIDE RECEIVER
Height/Weight: 6-2, 195
Hometown/High School: Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard South
IB Grade: 5.0 (Top 25 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 5.0
Analysis: Williams has continued to get better and better and better throughout his career. When Notre Dame landed him after his sophomore season it was a strong pickup, but his junior season was even better. As a senior he became a true five-star player. Williams dominated in every phase of the game. He can stretch the field with game breaking speed, he is dynamic after the catch, his route running has improved every season, and he has consistently good hands. Williams was a home run hitter in the return game, and his play at safety during his senior season showed he could play that position at the next level as well. His combination of speed, fluid athleticism, play strength and feel for the game is rare.
Notre Dame Fit: Williams is everything Notre Dame wanted and needed in the 2024 receiver class. Notre Dame needs more speed, Williams has big time speed. Notre Dame needs more outside receivers, he can dominate outside. Notre Dame needs more playmakers, and he's one of the best playmakers in the country. Landing Williams gives the Irish the kind of game-breaking receiver it needs a lot more of, and he has the talent to come in and make an immediate impact.
2. CJ CARR, QUARTERBACK
Height/Weight: 6-2½, 195
Hometown/High School: Saline, Mich./Saline
IB Grade: 5.0 (Top 25 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 5.0
Analysis: Carr is a highly intelligent quarterback with a lot of arm talent. While he doesn't throw the ball downfield much for his high school, the arm strength is there to power the ball down the field. Carr also shows the willingness and ability to get a lot of zip up the seams and on perimeter throws. As he fills out and gets stronger you'll see the ball really jump out and get to his wideouts in a hurry. Carr changes arm angles naturally, and can make plays outside of structure as a thrower. His timing and ball placement are top notch, and Carr is one of the smartest quarterbacks in the class. At times Carr will take some unnecessary risks which result in turnovers, but more often than not his grittiness leads to him making a lot of big plays.
Notre Dame Fit: Notre Dame wants a quarterback that can first and foremost be a great decision maker. Carr, like all young quarterbacks, will need to continue developing here but he shows a great football IQ for his age. His decision making, timing and ball placement are perfect for the Notre Dame offense, and he's willing and able to push the ball down the field. Notre Dame doesn't "need" a quarterback that can make plays with his legs, but when that is there it makes the position even more dangerous, and Carr certainly has that ability. While he's not the pure runner that past quarterbacks have been, Carr's mobility in the pocket and escapability makes him a challenge in the pocket.
3. GUERBY LAMBERT, OFFENSIVE LINE
Height/Weight: 6-6, 290
Hometown/High School: Boston, Mass./Catholic Memorial
IB Grade: 5.0 (Top 25 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 5.0
Analysis: I really liked Lambert when Notre Dame landed him, grading him as a Top 50 overall player even before he committed. Lambert was even better as a senior and he now grades as a five-star recruit. Where to begin with Lambert. He has an elite frame with exceptionally long arms, and Lambert shows the natural power to dominate at the point of attack. He's a work in progress still from a technical standpoint, but Lambert is athletic, can bend and he drives through contact well. Lambert needs the most work with pass game technique, but his lateral quickness, agility, punch and elite length give him the tools to eventually grow into an elite, first-round draft pick caliber all-around player.
Notre Dame Fit: Notre Dame absolutely needed to add tackles to its 2024 class and Lambert is one of the best tackles in the country. He fits the Irish offense due to his ability to be dominant in the run game and potential in pass protection. He needs more work, but the tools are there for him to be a dominant all-around player. Lambert plays right tackle in high school, but he has all the tools you want in a left tackle as well.
4. KEDREN YOUNG, RUNNING BACK
Height/Weight: 5-11, 225
Hometown/High School: Lufkin, Texas/Lufkin
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 100 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 5.0
Analysis: Young is a physical runner that can hand out a lot of punishment, but you aren't one of the nation's best backs just because you're physical. There is so much more to Young's game. He has excellent balance and foot quickness for a bigger back, and his ability to make defenders miss in space with quick, sudden moves is impressive. You don't see many backs with his size that can make the moves he can, both behind the line and in space. Young is a fundamentally sound back for his age, he shows good patience, his vision is top notch and he's an efficient runner. Young gets downhill quickly and when he gets a crease he can hit home runs. This is an outstanding running back.
Notre Dame Fit: Young is one of the best pure running backs in the 2024 class. The Texas standout can do a little bit of everything with the ball in his hands. Young can play physical ball, he can slash, he can hit home runs and he's more than capable out of the backfield. Young can thrive in downhill runs (Inside Zone, Duo), and he has the combination of vision and speed to rip off big runs on perimeter and gap scheme plays.
5. MICAH GILBERT, WIDE RECEIVER
Height/Weight: 6-2, 205
Hometown/High School: Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Christian
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5
Analysis: Landing Gilbert gives Notre Dame a boost in size and strength. He's listed at 6-2 and 205 pounds, but he is built well and is quite strong for his age. Gilbert is a long-armed athlete that has an impressive catch radius, and his ability to dominate at the catch point in 2023 really stood out and improved his grade. We saw this from him on offense and defense this season. Gilbert lacks burner speed, but he's a smooth athlete that has the length, route running skills and ball skills to go with enough speed to make plays down the field. The North Carolina native showed a surprising ability to make plays after the catch as a senior, and some of it translates well to the next level.
Notre Dame Fit: Landing Gilbert was always important for Notre Dame, but it became an even better pickup after his senior season. Gilbert projected more as a potential slot/field receiver earlier in his career, but he put legit boundary receiver skills on display in his final high school campaign. He was healthy, and Gilbert dominated as a pass catcher in his final season. Most of the boundary receivers on the current roster are older, so landing a player with legit boundary ability in the 2024 class was key. While I see him as capable of being a playmaker in the boundary, Gilbert brings a diverse game that can fit at multiple receivers spots in the Irish offense.
6. ANEYAS WILLIAMS, RUNNING BACK
Height/Weight: 5-10, 200
Hometown/High School: Hannibal, Mo./Hannibal
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5
Analysis: Williams is arguably the best all-purpose back in the country. His numbers are absurd, with the Missouri star going for over 4,000 rushing yards and 3,000 receiving yards in his career while scoring over 150 touchdowns. I don't care what level you play at those are elite numbers. His foot quickness and balance are special, and his ability to make make sudden moves and immediately get back to full speed makes him a nightmare to bring down. He is a natural runner with top notch vision and an excellent feel for the game. Williams is a big-time pass catcher, possessing strong hands and talent as a route runner. Williams isn't the biggest back, but he is physical when he needs to be and hard to get a clean shot on.
Notre Dame Fit: Notre Dame prefers backs that can do a little bit of everything, and that certainly fits what Williams brings to the game. He is an effective runner, which I addressed above, and his combination of vision, strength and quickness is ideally suited for Notre Dame's specific run scheme, which mixes double team, zone and mis-direction concepts. What puts Williams over the top as a great fit for Notre Dame is his ability to make plays in the pass game. He not only has good hands and skills in space, he's also shows top-notch downfield ball skills.
7. STYLES PRESCOD, OFFENSIVE LINE
Height/Weight: 6-5½, 270
Hometown/High School: Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 200 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5
Analysis: Prescod is a work in progress, and he might need time to develop, but I love his tools and potential. The first two things you see when you pop in Prescod's senior film is his impressive length and athleticism. Those two traits project him quite nicely to offensive tackle. Prescod shows a good punch and he bends quite well. His lateral quickness and change of direction skills improved quite a bit as a senior, although his technical footwork is quite raw. Prescod gets after it in the run game, and after a year or two in the strength program he'll be able to be an effective mover. There's a lot to like about this young man's ability.
Notre Dame Fit: Notre Dame needed tackles in the 2024 class and Prescod gives the Irish that kind of player. His combination of length and athleticism is ideally suited for the edge of the offense, and he shows the natural tools to play left tackle as well. Despite being technically raw, Williams shows a good feel for the game. As the technical parts of his game improve this will become an even greater strength and he should be able to strive on the edge.
8. PETER JONES, OFFENSIVE LINE
Height/Weight: 6-5, 300
Hometown/High School: Coatesville, Pa./Malvern Prep
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 200 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.0
Analysis: Jones is a punishing football player, that's absolutely the first thing you notice when you put in his film. The Pennsylvania native plays with a nasty disposition and he clearly enjoys playing in the trenches. Jones is a thickly built young athlete, and he has some length to him, which I like. His hand play needs to improve, but he has heavy hands and he can move people in the run game. Jones works well to the second level, he improved his movement skills as a senior (in pace) and although he lacks the lateral quickness I prefer on the edge, he comes off the line with some quickness and pop. That's why I really like his game inside, where he can not only be a run game mover, his pass pro skills fit nicely in tighter spaces.
Notre Dame Fit: Jones is exactly what you think of when you think of a Harry Hiestand type of lineman. He's big, he's strong, he has some length, he has some positional versatility and he loves to play physical football. While he could play right tackle at the next level, Jones projects best inside at guard, where his physicality and ability to dominate in tight spaces should thrive.
9. JACK LARSEN, TIGHT END
Height/Weight: 6-3, 212
Hometown/High School: Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Catholic
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 250 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.0
Analysis: I completely understand why Larsen isn't loved by recruiting services. In a business built on physical traits and measurables, Larsen isn't going to blow anyone away. He's not all that big and he's not an elite athlete. That likely why he dropped in the rankings, but I think we are missing out a bit on Larsen. Yes, he lacks those elite measurables, but this kid knows how to play and he knows how to win snap after snap. He is a smart route runner, a quality athlete and his feel for the game is really impressive. Larsen can play all over and his hands/ball skills are truly elite. Sleep on him at your own peril, this kid can play.
Notre Dame Fit: Notre Dame signed a big blocking tight end in the 2023 class (Cooper Flanagan), and the only remaining signee in the 2022 class is Eli Raridon, who is over 6-7 and about 250 pounds. Notre Dame was looking for a different type of tight end in the 2024 class and it focused in on Larsen as the top target very early on. He can play attached, but his game is more about moving around, either in wing situations, or outside in slot and outside alignments. Larsen is the perfect complement to both the 2023 class tight end (Flanagan) and the 2025 tight end commit (James Flanigan).
10. LOGAN SALDATE, WIDE RECEIVER
Height/Weight: 5-11, 185
Hometown/High School: Gilroy, Calif./Palma
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 250 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.0
Analysis: When I heard Notre Dame was making a run at Saldate I wasn't expecting to like his game nearly as much as I did. There's nothing he does that is elite, but he just knows how to play the game of football. Saldate is a quality route runner that shows a really good feel for getting open. He changes tempo effectively when attacking defensive backs, but he can turn it up when he needs to. I was impressed with how well he catches the ball over the middle of the field for his size. Saldate is a smooth athlete that changes direction with ease, and those traits give him the potential to become an even more impactful route runner.
Notre Dame Fit: Saldate was the third commitment in Notre Dame's talented 2024 receiver class. While Cam Williams and Micah Gilbert project initially outside, Saldate brings a lot of slot skills to the table. He's a smooth athlete that can work open as a route runner, he has strong hands and focus, he can make plays in traffic, he can make plays with the ball in his hands and he shows a really good feel for the game. Saldate has enough size, athleticism and ball skills to play the outside Z position as well, but he projects best as an inside slot receiver, making him an ideal complement to the other wideouts.
11. ANTHONIE KNAPP, OFFENSIVE LINE
Height/Weight: 6-4½, 275
Hometown/High School: Roswell, Ga./Roswell
IB Grade: 3.5 (Top 300 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5
Analysis: I wasn't high on Knapp when he originally committed to Notre Dame, but his senior film was more impressive. Knapp is an athletic lineman, there's no doubt about that, and he showed me a lot more physicality as a senior. Knapp plays with an edge, and he will battle in the run game. He's undersized, and that's my biggest concern, and why he grades as the lowest ranked player in the offensive class. His overall skillset is good, which is why his upside grade is high. Knapp does have really long arms for a guy who isn't all that tall, which combines with a strong athletic profile and quickness to make him an effective edge player in pass protection. I want to see him bend his knees more.
Notre Dame Fit: A left tackle for Roswell, Knapp projects as a guard or center in the Notre Dame offense. Guard is where Notre Dame is recruiting him at the moment but he has plenty of skills that could thrive at center as well. His combination of athleticism and power potential should allow him to develop into a quality dual-threat blocker at the next level.
UPSIDE GRADE RANKING
1. OL Guerby Lambert - 5.0
2. WR Cam Williams - 5.0
3. QB CJ Carr - 5.0
4. RB Kedren Young - 5.0
5. OL Styles Prescod - 4.5
6. RB Aneyas Williams - 4.5
7. WR Micah Gilbert - 4.5
8. OL Anthonie Knapp - 4.5
9. WR Logan Saldate - 4.0
10. OL Peter Jones - 4.0
11. TE Jack Larsen - 4.0
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Irish Breakdown Content
2024 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers
2024 Commit Rankings - Offense
2024 Commit Rankings - Defense
2024 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2024 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense
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