Notre Dame 2023 Class Is Adding A Major Boost In Speed, But More Is Needed
One of the knocks against Notre Dame over the years was the perceived lack of speed, especially at the skill positions. At times that wasn't a legitimate criticism, but many times it has been an issue for the Irish.
Whether or not this was a primary goal for Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame coaching staff, there is no doubt the 2023 recruiting class is going to add a huge boost in length, speed and athleticism to the Fighting Irish roster.
ELITE LEVEL MOVERS
You would be hard pressed to find a faster football player in the 2023 class than cornerback commit Micah Bell. As a junior, Bell ran a blazing 10.41 in the 100 meter dash, 20.89 in the 200 meter and had a personal best of 24’5.25” in the long jump. Those numbers demonstrate not only long speed but also explosiveness. That track speed translates to the football field, where he is a dynamic player at cornerback and running back for The Kincaid School.
Bell truly has elite speed and could be the fastest player to pledge to the Irish in decades.
While he doesn’t have the track and field background to quantify his speed, you can quickly take a look at safety commit Peyton Bowen to see that he also brings an elite level of movement skills. Sources have told Irish Breakdown that Bowen ran a 4.38 and 4.41 in the forty yard dash at a Notre Dame camp in the past. Bowen was also the second fastest player at the recent Future 50 event in Florida, which brought many of the nation's best players to one event.
Like Bell, the Denton Guyer star is also a dynamic player on both sides of the football. The 6-0, 185-pound athlete brings an absurd amount of range on the backend for a defense. It’s pretty exciting to think that Notre Dame may have landed commitments from two legitimate 4.3 athletes in one cycle, and both in the secondary. As if speed wasn’t enough, Bell and Bowen are also really good football players.
Both Texas players rank inside the Top 100 by at least one major recruiting platform. Bell is currently pegged as the No. 67 player by 247Sports, while Bowen sits as a five-star recruit and the No. 18 overall player in the class according to On3.
THE PLAYMAKERS
The potential pass catchers in the 2023 cycle are the perfect example of this emphasis to get longer and more explosive. It is led by current commit Braylon James, who brings an athletic profile similar to former Dallas Cowboys star Dez Bryant. The 6-3, 185-pounder is a springy athlete who boasts some absurd explosiveness for a player with his length.
He has been rumored to have run a 4.47 forty yard dash and posted a personal best 38 inch vertical jump. Those numbers paint the picture of just what caliber of athlete Notre Dame has landed here. The ceiling is ridiculously high. James has suffered the dreaded Notre Dame commit recruiting plunge recently but he still ranks as high as the No. 46 overall player and No. 10 wide receiver in the class according to ESPN.
In most years, players like cornerback commit Christian Gray and running back pledge Jayden Limar would be right at the top for the Irish in terms of pure athleticism. Both players bring a nice mix of athletics traits.
Gray was was rumored to have run a 4.40 and 4.41 at an Ohio State camp last summer, showcasing superb athleticism for the position. It speaks volumes that Gray might be considered the “lesser athlete” between him and Bell. That's the kind of dynamic athleticism desperately needed to add to the second.
The 6-1, 175-pounder also brings notable length to the position, offering a lot of possibilities to the defensive staff in the future. According to Rivals, Gray is the No. 51 overall player and No. 8 player in the 2023 recruiting class.
Limar is another player who isn’t just a good athlete, he’s a very impressive athlete who also brings a ton of juice to the table. His straight line speed is notable, having timed in the low 4.5s at several camps this spring and summer. Speed is in no way going to be a concern for the skill positions moving forward. The 5-11, 190-pound Limar is another key example of that. If they are able to get a commitment from Love, there’s a good argument that no program has signed a more dynamic one-two punch in the country this cycle.
He is another who is a bit underrated from a ranking perspective. Limar is rated as the No. 247 overall player and No. 9 running back by 247Sports.
MORE LEFT ON THE BOARD
Notre Dame is trying to add even more speed to its 2023 class, and both are on the offensive side of the ball.
The Notre Dame staff is incredibly high on Cambridge (Mass.) Buckingham Browne and Nichols standout Ronan Hanafin. The 6-3, 205-pound pass catcher boasts a college ready frame to play a physical brand of football. His athleticism is severely underrated by man. Hanafin is a dynamic athlete, having been timed in the 4.4s in the 40-yard dash as well.
If Notre Dame is able to land Hanafin they would add a much-needed second home run type of player on the offense. Notre Dame simply cannot afford to miss on a prospect like Hanafin, who adds so much of what the Irish still want and need at the wide receiver position.
Criminally underrated from a rankings perspective, Hanafin has seen his ranking rise while he has been pulling in some impressive late offers. He is currently pegged as the No. 166 overall player and No. 13 athlete in the class according to 247Sports. The Irish are currently battling Clemson to land Hanafin.
The designated athlete of the group, St. Louis (Mo.) star Jeremiyah Love could potentially play a variety of positions for Notre Dame, if he commits. His primary position to begin would be running back, where he brings an intriguing frame (6-1, 195 pounds) and straight line speed (10.76 100 meter yard dash as a sophomore). Love has some parallels to former Notre Dame running backs Josh Adams and CJ Prosise, boasting an upright style, notable athleticism and position versatility.
He could potentially bring elite playmaking ability to a variety of positions. After beginning the process very underrated from a recruiting perspective, Love has now experienced a huge bump in that department. He now sits as the No. 49 overall player and No. 3 running back in the 2023 class according to Rivals. Things have been trending well for Notre Dame but they must close with a lot of premier programs selling their pitch to Love.
If Notre Dame can in fact land Hanafin and Love to go with what's already in the class you'll have a hard time finding a program that will be adding the kind of impact talent, speed and playmaking ability at the skill positions that Notre Dame would add. As it stands right now there is no doubt that Notre Dame is adding a significant boost in athleticism, but the ideal close of Hanafin and Love makes this a special, special group.
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Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
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