Class Impact: OL Ty Chan Commits To Notre Dame
Notre Dame has picked up a commitment from 2022 offensive tackle Ty Chan, a standout from Groton (Mass.) Lawrence Academy.
Chan had offers from Penn State, Michigan, Boston College, Nebraska, Virginia, Michigan State, Duke, Minnesota, Syracuse and Vanderbilt.
Let's take a look at how landing Chan impacts the 2022 recruiting class and the future depth chart for Notre Dame.
CLASS IMPACT
Notre Dame signed just two offensive linemen in the 2020 class, but it bounced back with five in the 2021 class. The high level talent isn't there in the 2021 class, which is more about upside than it is proven talent once you get past Blake Fisher and Rocco Spindler.
That reality, and the lack of pure tackles in the class, means that Notre Dame must focus more on high-upside talent in the 2022 class than it does numbers. It also means Notre Dame must focus on blockers that can play on the edge at the next level.
Chan certainly fits that mold. He's not an elite prospect, ranking as the nation's No. 154 overall player according to ESPN, No. 189 according to Rivals and he is ranked No. 182 on the 247Sports composite rankings.
Landing Chan gives Notre Dame its fourth commitment in the 2022 class, but he's the second offensive lineman, joining Zionsville (Ind.) High School star Joey Tanona. Tanona has played tackle in the past but he dominated at center this past season, and he projects as more of an inside player, so landing Chan gives Notre Dame a much-needed pure tackle in the class.
Chan gives Notre Dame its floor at offensive tackle in the class, and everyone it gets moving forward must be even better.
NOTRE DAME FIT
At 6-6 and 265 pounds, Chan is still on the thin side, but he has the kind of frame that should allow him to easily get to 300 pounds. His length is above-average for a 6-6 player, and although he lacks elite length, he has the necessary length for tackle.
Chan is an incredibly raw blocker at this point, and that's partly due to him playing on both sides of the ball in high school, which has prevented him from focusing just on the technique needed to thrive at offensive tackle.
He shows good quickness off the ball and good flexibility for someone his size. Chan shows off fast hands and he has some punch, although right now you see that more of him on defense than you will on offense.
The tools for Chan to develop into a top tackle are there, but he'll certainly need a lot of work. That is actually a good thing for Notre Dame, as he won't have as many long established bad habits that will need to be broken, but it also means he won't be ready to play early on, which isn't really a need for the Irish anyway.
Chan will need to learn to bend with his knees and not lunge as much as he does now. He has the flexibility and athleticism to do it, but the technique isn't there yet. He shows strong hands and a strong base for his size, and that will become a top strength once he gets into a college weight room.
I'm interested to see how he develops over the next year. He might need some time, but there's a lot to like about his upside. Right now he plays right tackle, but with work he could potentially be a left tackle target for the Irish.
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