Most Underrated 2024 Offensive Recruits On The Notre Dame Radar

The Notre Dame board has expanded recently, adding an array of talent to an already impressive group of 2024 recruiting class. When evaluating the board as a whole, there is a ton of talent with substantial rankings to back it up.

There are also several recruits that the Irish staff is prioritizing that do not necessarily have the ranking to verify the talent. Let’s take a look at several of the most underrated Notre Dame targets out there on the offensive side of the football.

Forget stars for a second. Let’s appreciate what these players can each potentially bring to the table.

OT CALEB BREWER

If you want a great time, pop on the for Reading (Pa.) Wyomissing offensive tackle Caleb Brewer and sit back. It is absolutely hysterical how Wyomissing chooses to use him.

The 6-5, 300-pound offensive lineman currently plays mostly tight end and defensive line for Wyomissing. When you pop on the film, you see a dominant member in the run game. As he transitions full time to offensive tackle as a senior, Brewer has a tremendous opportunity to rise in the rankings.

The Pennsylvania native has brought in some impressive offers thus far. Some of the notable programs include the Irish, Michigan, Tennessee, Nebraska, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Boston College, Illinois, and Rutgers among others.

Brewer is also a tremendous high school wrestler for Wyomissing. That background pops on film, possessing quick feet, hands and clearly understanding how to create and maintain leverage as a blocker.

From a ranking perspective, Brewer is currently only ranked by On3. They have him as a three-star recruit on their platform and the No. 38 interior offensive lineman in the 2024 recruiting class. It is understandable to a degree just because there is some projection needed with the Pennsylvania star.

Still, it is difficult to see Brewer's combination of athleticism and size and not get excited. He has some big time tools.

His upside is about as high as any offensive tackle in the 2024 recruiting class. Brewer may be a bit of a projection but he has the size, athleticism and demeanor to be a dominant offensive tackle on the next level.

WR JAYLAN HORNSBY

Early on, it looks like a star studded wide receiver group in the 2024 recruiting class. That has caused some very talented pass catchers to already go below the radar from a national perspective.

One of them is Hornsby, who is a long and sturdy athlete at 6-2 and 195 pounds. In a lot of ways, his home is reminiscent of five-star 2024 wide receiver Ryan Wingo. The New Jersey native uses strength and explosiveness to gain body positioning consistently.

Hornsby also possesses some underrated foot speed. His style can kind of lull you to sleep and before you know it, he’s past you to create a big play.

Hornsby is considered a four-star recruit on the On3 Consensus ranking. He currently sits as the No. 234 overall player and No. 36 wide receiver in the 2024 recruiting class. On that ranking, Hornsby is also considered as the No. 4 player in the state of New Jersey.

The New Jersey native has continued to pull in some impressive offers. Some of his notable offers include the Irish, Georgia, Michigan, Penn State, Maryland, Illinois, Pittsburgh and Rutgers among others.

The 6-2, 195-pound wideout has put together a productive junior campaign for the 9-1 Camden Panthers. In eight games played, he has hauled in 23 receptions for 441 yards and two touchdowns. His 19.2 yard per reception average is evidence of big play making ability.

You should expect Hornsby to rise throughout the process. He has a really nice all around profile that college coaches will find tantalizing.

TE CARTER NELSON

At 6-5 and 210 pounds, Nelson is the type of athlete who can pretty much do anything he wants to on the football field. For the 9-1 Ainsworth squad, he was the team’s leading rusher with 761 yards and 14 touchdowns on 119 carries, averaging 6.4 yards per carry. Nelson was also somehow the team’s leading receiver with 525 yards and 11 touchdowns on just 28 total receptions.

He has done all that while also playing a lot of reps as the team’s quarterback. On the season, he has thrown for 663 yards and 15 touchdowns on 83 attempts. The Junior has also been careful with the football, only throwing three interceptions on the year.

It doesn’t end on the offensive side of the football for Nelson’s impact. Doubling as a dynamic safety and linebacker for Ainsworth, he hauled in six interceptions and totaled 41 tackles.

Nelson is also the team’s top punter to boot (pun intended), averaging 39.6 yards per punt.

Nelson is also a standout basketball player on the hardwood. As a sophomore, he averaged 12.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 3.4 blocks per game during the season. His highlight tape is littered with gravity defying dunks and athletic feats. There appears to be no limits to his athletic upside.

During the spring, Nelson is a premier long jumper for the track and field program, posting a personal best jump of seven feet in the high jump. That isn’t a total surprise and a testament to the caliber of athlete he is.

Nelson also has a personal best time of 11.05 seconds in the 100 meter dash, which is a very good time for a sophomore of his size. Again, not a total surprise. The Nebraska native is also a tremendous pole vaulter, which you don’t typically see at his size. Nelson had a personal best jump of 13’8” in the pole vault as a sophomore.

That is again not only a testament to his athleticism, but also to his flexibility and upper body strength. Just to cap it off, Nelson is also a premier discus thrower with a personal best of 175 feet. A combination of sprinting, high jumping, pole vaulting and throwing the discus isn’t a typical combination. This is a very unique athlete.

All that is to say, Nelson is a freak athlete. He has begun to really gain traction from a recruiting ranking’s perspective but he still ranks outside of the top 200 overall players by ESPN (No. 228) and is currently ranked as a three-star recruit by Rivals. It wouldn’t be surprising if Nelson was a consensus top 50 recruit when all is said and done.

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