2022 Recruiting Needs: Notre Dame Offense
Notre Dame signed back-to-back outstanding offensive line classes that included seven composite Top 100 recruits and 14 composite Top 250 recruits.
Notre Dame has put itself in position with the 2022 class to focus on impact talent over numbers at all but one position. The big class in 2021 and the overall numbers on the roster should result in this class landing anywhere from 19-21 players.
Here's a look at the needs for the Notre Dame offensive staff as the 2022 class becomes the primary focus.
2022 Notre Dame Scholarship Offers
QUARTERBACK
2022 Needs: 1
Notre Dame signed Drew Pyne in 2020 and Tyler Buchner in 2021, but neither are sure things. Pyne is an advanced passer that sources indicate picked up the offense in a hurry, but he lacks elite physical tools.
Buchner has those elite physical tools, but he's played just one season of high school football, he's had a season-ending knee injury already and he still has a lot to improve upon. Buchner has the tools to be a game-changer, but the staff cannot assume he's going to stay healthy and pan out, which means it must follow up with another top signal caller in 2022.
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Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic quarterback Steve Angeli is considered the most likely option at this point, but the quarterback class is still evolving.
Martin (Tenn.) Westview quarterback Ty Simpson is the highest ranked QB on the board, but my favorite quarterback prospect to receive an offer at this point is Owensboro (Ky.) High School star Gavin Wimsatt.
I'll have analysis of Wimsatt later this week and will also have an article about a 2022 Midwest QB that Notre Dame needs to offer immediately.
RUNNING BACK
2022 Needs: 1
Notre Dame struggled recruiting this position during the Autry Denson era, but Lance Taylor, Chip Long and Tommy Rees combined to land three backs in the 2020 and 2021 classes. On top of the numbers boost, the three running back signees can all flat out play.
Landing Chris Tyree in 2020, and then following it up with Audric Estime and Logan Diggs in 2021 has restocked the depth chart with talented players.
The recent boost in impact talent and numbers has the staff in position to focus on landing one high-end talent in 2022.
Shillington (Pa.) Governor Mifflin standout Nicholas Singleton and Memphis (Tenn.) Christian Brothers star Dallan Hayden are two top early targets, and they are outstanding prospects. The staff doesn't seem to be making the same mistake it made early in 2021 by focusing on just one or two players, and we've seen the board expand quite a bit in recent months.
While one is the target number now, if the staff gets any inkling that another big year from Kyren Williams could result in him going pro after the 2021 season it could open up a second spot.
WIDE RECEIVER
2022 Needs: 2-3
Notre Dame has landed back-to-back strong three-man classes, hauling in Jordan Johnson, Xavier Watts and Jay Brunelle in 2020 and Lorenzo Styles Jr., Deion Colzie and Jayden Thomas in 2021.
Despite the two years of good numbers and top talent, the Irish need at least two more wideouts in the 2022 class. Two is the minimum right now, and the number easily jumps to three if rising seniors like Kevin Austin, Braden Lenzy and Lawrence Keys III don't plan on returning for fifth seasons in 2022.
The board is huge right now and there are some outstanding players that Notre Dame has a shot to land, but the staff will have to put in work to go from in the game to landing those players.
Kaleb Brown, Tetairoa McMillan and Tobias Merriweather are some top prospects to know. Landing at least one of them, or players of their caliber, is a must for the staff in the 2022 class. CJ Williams has said some good things about Notre Dame in the past, but that's not looking good right now.
TIGHT END
2022 Commits: Jack Nickel
2022 Needs: 1
With two signees in the 2020 class (Michael Mayer, Kevin Bauman) and two more in 2021 (Cane Berrong, Mitchell Evans), plus the potential return of George Takacs for at least the 2022 season means the staff really doesn't need more than one tight end in the class.
Tight end Jack Nickel committed to Notre Dame back in July, so the Irish have met their needs in the class. I've been told by a source that Notre Dame is still considering taking a second tight end, but with numbers tight the second player at the position would need to be a Mayer caliber prospect.
OFFENSIVE LINE
2022 Commits: Joey Tanona, Ty Chan
2022 Needs: 4
Notre Dame is off to a strong start with offensive line recruiting in 2022, but two more top level prospects are needed.
Notre Dame is down to three recruits in the 2019 class and it landed just two prospects in the 2020 class, so despite landing five players in the 2021 class another good numbers class is needed.
Notre Dame needs to focus on high-end talent in this class, and focusing on tackle bodies is also needed for the final two to three players in the class. While two is the target number, if the right five want to join the staff should think long and hard about adding a fifth OL in this class, especially since 2022 seems to be loaded with Notre Dame caliber OL.
The best player on the board is five-star Virginia standout Zach Rice. Ohio State, Alabama and North Carolina are the top contenders for Rice, but this is a battle that Notre Dame must absolutely win this one.
Landing Rice and Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman star Jake Taylor would give Notre Dame two high-upside tackles that would give the Irish a special offensive line class. Fond Du Lac (Wis.) St. Mary's Springs big man Billy Schrauth is another standout to keep an eye on.
Notre Dame had a chance to land a truly elite OL haul in 2021 and it came up short, failing to land top-level prospects after Blake Fisher and Rocco Spindler. Jeff Quinn landed a strong haul in the last cycle, but he needs to rally and do in 2022 what he couldn't do in 2021, and that is bring in a truly elite line haul.
Related Content
2021 Class Grades: Offense
2020 Class Grades: Offense
Player Rankings: 2021 Offense
Player Rankings: 2020 Offense
Notre Dame Lands A Consensus Top 10 Recruiting Class
SI All-American Breaks Down The Notre Dame 2021 Recruiting Class
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