Notre Dame Recruiting Mailbag
The first game week has come and gone! If that wasn’t exciting enough, that also means that the dead period is over as well. Recruiting visits and rumors are right over the horizon.
As the momentum hopefully carries over to the field, there are still several 2023 targets who remain out there for Notre Dame to potentially close on. In this week’s mailbag, we dive into the numbers in the class, the Vyper position, a little 2024 recruiting chatter and a potential quarterback reclassification.
@irishfan184: I know you and Bryan have said the class could get to 27. Since we’re already at 23, hypothetically who would you want to see round out the remaining four? And if we sign those guys, where would that rank us at the end of the year?
The biggest target left on the board is St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers running back Jeremiyah Love, who Notre Dame has made a priority for a long time. If the Irish could sign only one more recruit in the class, my pick would be Love.
Things have been trending extremely well with Hayward (Calif.) Tennyson wide receiver Taeshaun Lyons since Notre Dame extended an offer to him back in August. It is anticipated that Lyons will travel to South Bend for the Cal game the weekend of the 17th. If it goes well this one could end very quickly. The 6-2, 170-pound pass catcher brings an attractive blend of length and propensity to create big plays.
The final two spots are reserved for a quarterback and Vyper recruit. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly who that player would be in the class but it’s hard to believe that Notre Dame leaves the 2023 recruiting class without a signal caller and fifth defensive lineman. The evaluation period in the fall will go a long way to figuring out the best fits.
Depending on who the quarterback and remaining defensive lineman is in the class, Notre Dame has a good opportunity to be a dark horse pick for the top class in 2023. At worst, they should be able to fit within the top three schools overall.
@jacwat25: What are the current positions Notre Dame will fill for the 2023 class? Will they take 27 if Samuel M’Pemba commits?
I believe that Notre Dame would take 27 regardless of whether Samuel M’Pemba ultimately wants to be a part of the class. The Irish staff is definitely interested in bringing in a true Vyper prospect and obviously M’Pemba would be a welcomed addition if he wanted to join the class.
As it currently stands, it is very unlikely that the IMG Academy star does end up in the class. He has been vocal that NIL will be a big factor in his recruitment so that limits Notre Dame to a degree. M’Pemba is expected back on campus this fall so the Irish staff will have a final push. Regardless, I expect that a talented Vyper type will be in the 2023 class.
@king-of-the-leprechauns: As we wrap up the 2023 class and the recruiting attention turns to the future, what do you see as the biggest need for the 2024 class since we already have a high level quarterback on board?
It’s a great question. Wide receiver continues to be at the top of the priority list for me. It has been well documented how important it is for this staff to recruit the wide receiver position. Numbers are not where you want them to be currently.
Otherwise, continuing to strengthen both the offensive (less numbers but need quality) and defensive line is extremely important. The staff has made it apparent that they want to continue to build from the inside out. Adding talent to the trenches remains vital.
Another strong year at safety is also an important need.
@mooseiwoodski: With Armel Mukam in the class and with other Canadian wins like Chase Claypool, is Canadian recruiting talent increasing overall or just a few data points? Would be curious since it seems like we have a nice “Canadian pipeline” going.
Remember that fellow 2023 defensive line commit Devan Houstan is also a native of Canada.
For Notre Dame, I believe it is just a data point. It’s a cool story but I wouldn’t necessarily expect the Irish to tap into the territory consistently. They’re a national brand who has also touched other parts of the globe so I have no doubt that they will tap in when the opportunity makes sense.
It is, however, extremely exciting for Canadian born players to continue to get more and more opportunity and exposure. From Claypool, Neville Gallimore, Benjamin St-Juste and Matthew Bergeron, Canada is becoming more and more prevalent for both the recruiting and NFL Draft landscape. The pipeline continues to get stronger and it is exciting to see.
@99problems-but-bk-aint-1: On a scale of one to five (five only being allowed if it’s a silent commit, four being that a commitment hasn’t happened but you suspect it to come based upon where things stand, three being that Notre Dame is the perceived leader at the moment, two being Notre Dame is in the mix, one being that the recruit is listening but it is a long shot as of today) how would you rate Notre Dame’s position with the following players? For the record, I wouldn’t expect you to assign a five to anyone if it isn’t public information, just wanted to set the parameters of the question.
I feel pretty similarly about quarterbacks on the board. It was a big step when Kenny Minchey publicly announced that he had received an offer from Notre Dame but there hasn’t been much news since then. I do believe that Minchey is firm with his commitment to Pittsburgh currently. That could change but it’s a process that will have to play out. The staff is going to have to keep developing that relationship and get him on campus for a visit this fall. It would have to be a one on the scale right now.
The Avery Johnson situation is a little bit different. The staff was in solid standing early on but obviously they made a full effort to get Dante Moore in the class. Since then, Johnson committed to Kansas State and has been solid in his pledge. Notre Dame is now trying to rekindle that relationship. They have a lot to lean on with the pitch, including wide receiver commit Dylan Edwards who Johnson had a close relationship with. I’d keep it at a two right now. It would be a tough pull but time will tell.
I’ve been very consistent in Notre Dame’s standings with running back Jeremiyah Love. After originally intending to make his commitment during this month, Love had to push into the fall so that his mother was able to meet the potential coaching staffs. He intends to get on campus for the Marshall game and I wouldn’t expect the recruiting to stray much longer afterwards. It’s between three and four right now. It’s closing time and Notre Dame is in a very good spot.
It feels like just a matter of time that Notre Dame is able to close on California wide receiver Taeshaun Lyons. The talented pass catcher is not shy about his admiration for the program and has tentative plans to visit South Bend for the Cal game. If all goes well, I would expect that recruitment to not stay open much longer. Like Love, I’d say this is between a three and four. It’s closing time.
The Vyper position is one that has a few names popping up and a lot of uncertainty. I’d put Tennessee commits Chandavian Bradley and Caleb Herring in a similar bucket in the sense that I believe they are long shots right now.
Both Bradley and Herring seem firm to their commitment to the Volunteers and would have to be a bit of a process to create any movement on that front. I’d imagine that they are going to take advantage of the evaluation period this fall and let the Vyper board figure itself out.
@99problems-but-bk-aint-1: Do you think that CJ Carr will ultimately reclassify? If he does, how will this end better than things did with Quinn Ewers?
There is some definite smoke with the topic and I believe Notre Dame would very much like Carr to reclassify, but they will be fine with whatever decision he makes. There is still a lot to figure out on that end, but it will ultimately be about Carr changing his mind and choosing to reclassify.
Up to this point he's be adamant about staying in the 2024 class, but as long as the conversations continue it will still be a possibility.
If Carr were to reclassify, I do believe he would be coming into a pretty good situation. Notre Dame would have Tyler Buchner for at least one more year so there wouldn’t be an immediate need in theory for Carr to come in and contribute. They can afford to be patient with him, which should be incredibly beneficial.
I do believe reclassification can be successful but the recruit needs to have the right mindset and they also need to land in an advantageous situation. I believe Notre Dame would have both in this scenario.
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Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense
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