Notre Dame Set To Get Its First Look At The 2020 Newcomers

Spring practice will give Notre Dame its first look at its early enrollees and graduate transfers

One of the fun parts of spring practice is getting a first look at the new members of the roster. For Notre Dame, that means getting our first glimpse of seven early enrollee freshmen and a pair of transfers from the Big Ten.

There are actually eight early enrollees on campus, but freshman wide receiver Jay Brunelle will not practice while recovering from shoulder surgery. But we will get a chance to see quarterback Drew Pyne, wide receiver Xavier Watts, defensive lineman Rylie Mills, defensive end Jordan Botelho, defensive end Alexander Ehrensberger, cornerback Ramon Henderson and cornerback Caleb Offord.

Wide receiver Bennett Skowronek (Northwestern) and safety Isaiah Pryor (Ohio State) are the new transfers.

As we go through spring practice here is what I’ll be looking for and asking myself regarding the newcomers:

Transfer Impact

Former Northwestern wideout Bennett Skowronek took a medical redshirt after playing just three games in 2019, so the first question with him this spring is how healthy is he. If Skowronek is back to full health the next question is where does he play. The long, rangy wideout played outside and in the slot for Northwestern, and he fits aspects of both positions in the Notre Dame offense.

Skowronek was a captain for the Wildcats in 2019 and he brings a veteran presence and leadership to a group lacking both. The more important question, however, is what kind of impact will he make as a pass catcher and blocker. Skowronek is a chain-mover that shows good ball skills on the outside and over the middle, when healthy. His skill set complements the more explosive younger wideouts quite nicely, assuming he’s healthy.

Landing former Ohio State safety Isaiah Pryor solidified the safety depth chart. Pryor started eight games during his Buckeye career, so he brings experience and size to the position. A top recruit coming out of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, Pryor is at his best playing the alleys and coming down in the box.

At the very least Pryor will serve as a key part of the safety rotation, which we saw in 2019 can thrive with three players. If rising junior Houston Griffith doesn’t fulfill his potential then it could thrust Pryor into the starting lineup. What I’m most interested in seeing is if Pryor can improve as a cover player. That will be the key to him being able to earn a starting role even if Griffith emerges.

If Pryor improves as a cover player, shores up his tackling and Griffith taps into his full potential the Irish could be truly outstanding on the backend of the defense in 2020. The spring will give us our first glimpse at that.

How Quickly Can Pyne Adapt

Freshman quarterback Drew Pyne and rising sophomore Brendon Clark are completely different quarterbacks. Clark is a tremendously gifted player that is raw mechanically and needs to continue developing the finer points of the position. Pyne lacks the top-level physical tools, but he’s mechanically sound, smart and competitive.

Clark sits in pole position in the battle for the backup quarterback job, but Pyne developing is crucial to solidifying the depth chart. Even if Clark takes a big step this spring, Pyne will be needed to push him, and should starter Ian Book go down in the fall it would thrust Pyne immediately into the backup role. Notre Dame needing to play three quarterbacks is not a new concept.

The question is how quickly can Pyne add the necessary strength to compete and how quickly can he pick up the offense, adapt to position coach Tommy Rees’ teaching and develop a rapport with the Irish pass catchers during the spring.

Is Xavier Watts Ready To Make A Splash

I’m on record saying Xavier Watts was the most overlooked and underrated recruit in Notre Dame’s 2020 signing class. A dominant two-way player that could easily play on either side of the ball with the Irish, Watts led his Omaha (Neb.) Burke team to a 22-2 record the last two seasons, which included a state championship during his junior campaign.

Watts caught 163 passes for 2,978 yards and 36 touchdowns during his career, and he registered 126 tackles, 13 pass break ups and eight interceptions on defense. The former Burke star got by on talent and instincts, but his technical game needs a lot of work. This spring will be about Watts finally getting to focus on one position, and using that opportunity to make major strides as a route runner and improving his ability to win at the line against press coverage.

If Watts can pick the offense quickly and make strides with the technical part of his game he should be able to push the veterans in front of him, especially when you consider the injury history of the 2018 class.

Can Ramon Henderson Turn Dent The Depth Chart

I wasn’t all that impressed with Ramon Henderson the football player when breaking down his junior film. The California athlete looked more like a track star trying to play football than a football player with track speed.

His game still needs a lot technical work, but as a senior Henderson looked a lot more like a football player with outstanding track speed. Henderson looked far more comfortable playing defense as a senior, and that allowed him to better use his elite length (6-3, long arms) and top-level speed to make plays.

I’d be willing to bet a lot of money new cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens didn’t have anyone with Henderson’s combination of length and speed at Cincinnati or Bowling Green. But if Mickens can do with Henderson what he did with Nick Johnson (Bowling Green) and Ahmad Gardner (Cincinnati) - a pair of freshman standouts under Mickens - then we could see Henderson much an early splash for the Irish.

Development From The Linemen

I don’t expect any of the early enrollee defensive line - Rylie Mills, Jordan Botelho and Alexander Ehrensberger - to make a major dent in the depth chart this spring. What I am looking to see is where they are physically this spring and what their starting point is. That will tell us how much work each needs during the summer and fall camp if they are going to be able to help the defense in 2020.

To read my rankings and full analysis of the 2020 class CLICK HERE.