Notre Dame Commit Profile: Tight End James Flanigan
Notre Dame added another very talented player to its tight end room with Wisconsin standout James Flanigan committed to the Fighting Irish. Let's take a look at Flanigan and why this is such an important pickup for Notre Dame.
JAMES FLANIGAN COMMIT PROFILE
Hometown/High School: Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame Academy
Height/Weight: 6-5, 225
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 100 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5
Player Comp: Hunter Long, Boston College (but a much better blocker)
2023 Stats: 27 catches, 502 yards, 18.6 YPC, 6 TD - 75 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 sacks
2022 Stats: 22 catches, 520 yards, 23.6 YPC, 9 TD - 71 tackles, 8 TFL, 3 sacks
2021 Stats: 11 catches, 201 yards, 18.3 YPC, 2 TD - 9 tackles, 3 TFL, 0 sacks
Career Stats: 60 catches, 1,223 yards, 20.4 YPC, 17 TD - 155 tackles, 17 TFL, 8 sacks
Recruited By: Gerad Parker
Offers: Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, Stanford, Missouri, Louisville, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa State
RECRUITING RANKINGS
On3: 4-star - No. 92 overall - No. 5 tight end
247Sports: 4-star - No. 116 overall - No. 5 tight end
ESPN: 4-star - No. 177 overall - No. 4 tight end
Rivals: 4-star - No. 244 overall - No. 7 tight end
On3 Consensus: 4-star - No. 125 overall - No. 4 tight end
247Sports Composite: 4-star - No. 145 overall - No. 3 tight end
FILM ANALYSIS
Flanigan has an impressive frame, being listed around 6-5 and 225-230 pounds. He has plenty of room to fill out and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he's close to 245-250 pounds by the time he shows up at Notre Dame as a true freshman. He plays hockey and is a thrower on the track team (and a really, really good one), and once he focuses solely on football he's going to fill out that impressive frame quite nicely.
Where Flanigan really stands out, and where he earns his 4.5-star upside grade, is due to the athleticism that he brings to the position. Flanigan shows good foot quickness, balance, and he has the speed to stretch the field, with the ability to work the seams vertically and the ability to outrun defenders once he gets the ball in his hands. That power-speed-athleticism combination is as good as any tight end in the country.
Flanigan is a natural pass catcher with strong hands and body control. He doesn't catch it a bunch in high school (39 catches the last two years), but his tools are that of a player that is an every down, volume pass catcher. Right now Flanigan is more about dominating with talent and want to more than it is about him being a polished and refined player. He needs a lot of work as a route runner, from a release standpoint, from a top ends standpoint and working on his angles out of breaks. All of that are things that can be learned, and learned relatively quickly. The physical tools are there for him to be a strong route runner in time, but he'll need work there.
The Notre Dame Academy star is a dominant prep blocker and he projects to be dominant in the run game at the next level. He has the power in his hands and lower body to be that kind of physical point-of-attack blocker the Irish want and need on the edge. His athleticism should work well in the movement run game as well, and as he improves his pad level and at the snap footwork he will be even better.
Flanigan has the tools to be an outstanding dual threat player at the next level.
NOTRE DAME FIT
Flanigan projects to the more traditional tight end (Y) role in the offense. He thrives lining up attached to the line of scrimmage and handling business in the run game. He gets to the second level well and he can also block well on the perimeter. He should thrive in Notre Dame's movement blocks as well on the counter/power schemes. As a pass catcher, Flanigan can stretch the field and is averaging over 22 YPC over the last two seasons.
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