Recruiting Comparison: Notre Dame vs NC State

Notre Dame is gearing up for their first true test of the 2023 season when they travel to take on the NC State Wolfpack. Their team has built up a reputation as being a very fundamentally sound, and well coached bunch who get the most out of their ability.

When taking a look at the overall recruiting rankings for both teams, that fact becomes even more apparent. While recruiting rankings aren’t everything, acquiring high level talent is a requisite to compete at the highest level. Let’s take a look at how both teams compare from a recruiting perspective.

Notre Dame Offense vs NC State Defense

From a recruiting perspective Notre Dame holds a firm edge in this matchup. The Irish are set to start eight players that were four-star recruits, including four players who were rated as top 100 recruits nationally. There are also another seven former four-stars who are key reserves off the bench, really showcasing the overall depth of this 2023 Notre Dame offense.

The matchup most people will be keeping their eyes on is how well Notre Dame is able to run the football. A big reason for that is how deep the running back room is, but also because of how dominant the Irish are up front.

The Notre Dame offensive line boasts four former four-star recruits. From center over to right tackle, there are three former Top 100 recruits in Zeke Correll, Rocco Spindler and Blake Fisher. That is a big, and physical group who will need to have a big day on Saturday.

The front seven for NC State will be challenged but have a ton of talent. It’s cliche to say the game will be won up front, but in this case, it will.

The Wolfpack return Payton Wilson, who is the team’s top overall recruit on the roster. He ranked as the No. 79 overall player nationally on the 247Sports Consensus ranking. Wilson has dealt with some injuries in his career but when healthy he is one of the top linebackers in college football.

Wilson will be kept clean by a trio of former four-star recruits up front on their defensive line. They will be counting heavily on Davin Vann, CJ Clark and Savion Jackson to make a tremendous impact.

It is astounding how quickly Notre Dame has rebuilt their wide receiver depth chart. With senior pass catcher Matt Salerno out with injury, the top six wide receivers will all be former four-star recruits for the Irish. That deep and talented corp will be challenged by one of the best secondaries in the ACC.

NC State also brings back arguably the best cornerback duo in the ACC with Aydan White and Shyheim Battle. Both players have been extremely productive over the last couple of seasons. Funny enough, Battle was the only four-star in that secondary, and ranked as just the No. 402 overall player in his class.

That duo is a great example that stars are not everything in recruiting.

Notre Dame will clearly have a talent advantage in the passing game. Quarterback Sam Hartman, who is actually the team’s lowest rated recruit offensively, will hope to have a much needed big performance against a Wolfpack defense that he has struggled against in the pass.

Notre Dame Defense vs NC State Offense

On defense, Notre Dame has an even clearer advantage over NC State.

For the Wolfpack, there are only two players of the starters and key reserves who ranked as four-star players coming out of high school. One is starting wide receiver Porter Rooks and the other is backup running back Michael Allen.

The team is led by transfer quarterback Brennan Armstrong, who like Hartman, was an underrated three-star recruit before landing in the ACC. The Wolfpack offense is definitely more built on development and scheme than raw recruiting rankings.

For the Notre Dame defense, they will hope to slow down NC State and force them to be uncomfortable. The front seven for the Irish is especially talented. They have six players on the front two levels who were ranked as former four-star players, including defensive end Jordan Botelho and defensive tackle Rylie Mills, who ranked inside the top 200 of their class nationally.

The depth for the Irish is especially impressive on the defensive side of the football. They are set to play six players as key reserves who were pegged as former four-stars. The highest rated was linebacker Jaylen Sneed, who came in as a five-star on the 247Sports Consensus ranking.

CLASS RANKINGS

Here are the class rankings of the two programs from the last five seasons. (247 Composite Ranking)

NOTRE DAME

2023 - 12
2022 - 7
2021 - 9
2020 - 18
2019 - 14

NC STATE

2023 - 43
2022 - 64
2021 - 36
2020 - 43
2019 - 32

Advantage: Notre Dame

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Irish Breakdown Content

2023 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule

Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

2024 Commit Rankings - Offense
2024 Commit Rankings - Defense

2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

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