Notre Dame Recruiting Mailbag: July 11 Edition

There hasn’t been much to talk about recruiting wise over the last week or so. Nobody cares about the Dante Moore saga coming to a close, right? (I say with complete sarcasm)

It’s no surprise that quarterback is again the main topic of this week’s mailbag. There is a wide spread of panic and intrigue over that position moving forward, as well as some 2024 talk and filling out the rest of the potentially historic 2023 class.

For those who haven’t followed this series closely, premium subscribers of the Irish Breakdown message board field the questions that I answer every week. Without further ado, it’s time to get into some recruiting talk and intrigue fresh off vacation!

@mike-honcho: Do you think Notre Dame will get a quarterback this cycle? Not just anybody but someone they actually like.

Yes, I am extremely confident that Notre Dame will sign a quarterback in the 2023 recruiting cycle, and one that they really like. Here’s a quick trivia question for the spirit of the question. When was the last time Notre Dame did not sign a quarterback in a recruiting cycle (no cheating)? The answer is 2009.

In fact, the Irish have had only that single occurrence in the last twenty years. The law of averages leads me to believe that 2023 is not going to be any different. As frustrating as the Moore situation was, the Notre Dame staff will identify some extremely talented targets now moving forward.

One thing that I have extreme confidence in about this staff: I don’t think they will force a fit just to hit a number. They have expanded the board because there were several players that they do really like. Whether that is Austin Novosad, Kenny Minchey, Brock Glenn or someone else, there are options in an extremely deep crop of 2023 signal callers.

@banojj10: Who do you think Notre Dame ends up getting at quarterback for 2023?

@ryker-ferg: Which QB would you take for the 2023 class, Austin Novosad, Kenny Minchey, or Brock Glenn?

I felt like it was appropriate to mold both these questions into one response. Novosad, Minchey and Glenn are three players that we have mentioned recently as potential quarterback targets for Notre Dame. I really don’t have a preference on one over the other, currently. I believe that each brings something very unique to the table. Instead, let’s focus in on the biggest positives that each player brings to the table and I’ll let you all decide who you prefer.

Austin Novosad

Stylistically speaking, Novosad reminds me a ton of former Cal quarterback Jared Goff. He is a pure pocket passer with a really advanced understanding for changing arm speeds. He throws with tremendous touch to all levels of the field. The 6-3, 185-pound signal caller won’t create a ton of plays outside of structure but he has enough springiness in the pocket to navigate pressure well enough. His arm strength is also notable. Novosad has more than enough velocity to fit into some tight windows. There is a consistency that can’t be undersold from the Texas native.

Kenny Minchey

He is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the 2023 recruiting class. He is rumored to be closer to the 6-2 range and has a really nice blend of natural instincts as a passer and athleticism. Despite having more than enough foot quickness to win as an extender, Minchey boasts some of the better mechanics inside the pocket that I have seen in the class. He is well coached and keeps a solid base consistently. Minchey also has an outstanding understanding for how to read leverage and layer the football to multiple levels of the field. He strikes me as a quarterback who will rise in the rankings during the process.

Brock Glenn

Upside is the word that comes to mind immediately with Glenn. He’s a bit of a gunslinger in his style, boasting a really, really live arm. There isn’t a throw on the field that he isn’t able to make. Glenn’s arm talent is really intriguing. He is also adept at making plays on the move, boasting a nice blend of athleticism as an extender. The 6-2, 195-pound quarterback can sacrifice some technical soundness at times to unlock his ability to create big plays. The floor may not be as high but Glenn is the ultimate high upside passer with legitimate tools to get excited about.

@goldenshillelagh: How does the quarterback recruiting in prior (‘22) and later (‘24) classes affect recruiting in 2023? Does the fact that Notre Dame has Steve Angeli in 2022 (who seems so far to be more of a high floor/low ceiling guy, similar to a Drew Pyne) and a bona fide five star in 2024 with CJ Carr give them more leeway to take a risk on a more developmental (high ceiling/low floor) guy like Brock Glenn in 2023?

That’s a very interesting question. I think that there is merit for either a high upside or high floor passer in the class. With Tyler Buchner only being a sophomore, he could conceivably be the starting quarterback for the next three seasons. That leaves an appealing window until CJ Carr gets to campus and develops to be the heir apparent.

The staff is incredibly high on Carr so that puts the staff in an interesting position to fill out the 2023 class. They could take a player with a lower ceiling that projects as a backup type of player. This is especially true if the staff is high on Angeli to the degree that he could be that guy with four years of eligibility remaining then that’s where they could play the upside game.

I tend to believe that the staff will roll with a player that they believe can step into the starting role and lead them to a championship. The presence of Buchner and Carr does give the staff to also shoot for a player with a lower floor but a higher ceiling, and that would be Glenn.

@idrink4nd: Is Rickie Collins an option for us at quarterback? Dude can spin it!

I would absolutely explore current Purdue quarterback commit Rickie Collins. He’s a very talented quarterback and is already committed to one Indiana program, so going up to the Midwest from Louisiana obviously isn’t an issue. The real issue, however, is that Collins looks like he is adamant about his commitment to the Purdue program so it may be an extremely hard flip. It doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t at least have the conversation but I’m not sure if Notre Dame will explore it since he's already turned down overtures from LSU and Michigan.

@amd348: Who do you predict, out of Notre Dame’s commits/remaining targets, will see the highest prospect ratings boost as their senior season unfolds?

Of the committed players, safety Peyton Bowen immediately comes to mind. With those type of bumps, I usually trend towards traits developing technique. There aren’t many more gifted athletes in the 2023 class than the Texas star. He has dynamite range on the back end and a propensity for making big plays. Bowen’s ceiling is massive.

Charles Jagusah is another one. The offensive tackle has an argument as potentially the most gifted offensive lineman in the 2023 class. His technique has not quite caught up to his physical gifts but the 6-6, 295-pound offensive tackle has all the makings of an All American on the next level. Jagusah’s combination of core strength, foot quickness and demeanor are a rare mix.

Of the uncommitted players, Samuel M’Pemba is another one that comes to mind quickly. While Rivals does have him pegged as a five star, his physical gifts are enough to be a consensus pick with a huge final season. At 6-4 and 230 pounds, there’s a healthy debate over where his best position may be. He is a raw football player but has one of the higher ceilings in the class. Whether it is as a rover, linebacker or defensive end, M’Pemba is a freak of nature athlete who hasn’t even begun to tap into his long term potential yet.

@christopher-crosby: I know Notre Dame will be looking to take two safeties in the 2024 class. Peyton Woodyard is the obvious one they will go after given his background story. Who are some other names they are high on?

There’s a really large safety board currently and some extremely talented players who should be deeply in the conversation. Obviously Woodyard is a great one to start with. The cousin of Kyle Hamilton is a potentially elite prospect hailing from California.

It’s tough to pick out just one or two players of the recruits who currently have offers. Mike Matthews is a really talented defender out of the state of Georgia. As is both Ricardo Jones and KJ Bolden, all of which bring a silly amount of length to the position.

Zaquan Patterson is a hard hitting safety from Florida, who also boats absurd short area quickness to work in man to man at times. He may have arguably the highest upside of any player on the board. Patterson is a potentially elite player in the 2024 class.

Then of course there’s Brauntae Johnson, the in-state star who also brings crazy length on the back end at 6-3. Of the 18 safeties who currently have been extended offers, 14 are at least 6-1 or taller. It is a tall and rangy group.

@birdmannd06: Now that several of Notre Dame’s “want not need” targets (Jason Moore, Caleb Downs, Richard Young, Monroe Freeling) seem to be trending elsewhere, do you see Notre Dame expanding the board a bit in 2023, or saving those spots for 2024 and/or transfer portal candidates? If Notre Dame does decide to expand the 2023 board, who are the top three prospects that you think they should consider?

I think the board is going to expand a bit, especially at quarterback. We have talked a ton about a few names to keep an eye out for potentially, namely Novosad, Minchey and Glenn. It’s no guarantee that all of them will receive an offer but all three may be in the conversation.

Aside from quarterback, it’s purely speculation on where boards could expand. Even without Young, Notre Dame is still hot on the trail of Jeremiyah Love so not sure an expansion there would happen anytime soon.

I also believe that Notre Dame is going to be okay with keeping the offensive line group to five commitments if Freeling is out of the picture. That’s a good number to work with.

I also don’t think that the staff with force the issue with another defensive lineman with Moore out of the picture. It’s already a phenomenal group with the four committed. If they did decide to take another, it’s probably someone who is already on the board.

Safety could be the one position to keep an eye on. West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West defensive back Ben Minich is a player who has had some buzz out there recently. He will be in attendance for the recruiting barbecue on July 26th and could be a player that Notre Dame pulls the trigger on if he checks out.

@mairish: Assuming Jason Moore doesn’t commit to Notre Dame, do you see the staff trying to flip Jaxon Howard or Joshua Mickens?

With Cam Williams already on board, Notre Dame appears to be in a decent spot with several quality 2024 WR’s (Ryan Wingo, Emmett Mosley, Mylan Graham, Jeremiah McClellan, Bredell Richardson, Tyseer Denmark, etc.). If they were to take three more wide receivers, could this be a “first come, first serve” scenario?

It’s recruiting. Things can change very quickly. For me, you always need to keep evaluating and identifying new fits. That’s why I do expect the board to expand a bit moving forward if there is a couple of players that the staff identifies as good potential fits. That also includes continuing to recruit players you like, even if they are currently committed to other schools. Jaxon Howard is absolutely someone I would keep tabs on, but not just because of Moore committing to Ohio State. I would keep tabs because he’s a really good football player. There is an etiquette to recruiting but all is fair while recruits continue to pick up the phone and answer.

Honestly with how talented the 2024 wide receiver group is, I would be okay with just about any combination of the six players included, and you could probably add another one or two to the list. The only player I would hold a spot for no matter what is Ryan Wingo. I think he’s that special. A similar case could be made for Texas star Micah Hudson. Besides those two, any combination of two wide receivers would be a welcome addition. For the position argument, I’d go with Emmett Mosley and Tyseer Denmark. Mosley is an ultra explosive playmaker who has potential to line up to the field or in the slot, while Denmark is the dynamic slot receiver that the team desperately needs. A combination of Wingo, Hudson, Mosley and Denmark would be deadly.

@mike-honcho: Confidence level that Notre Dame still hits 25 commits this cycle? And do you feel the class is solid with Dante committing elsewhere or any possible flips?

It would be somewhere around a nine, and the only reason it wouldn’t be a ten is because Bryan forbade me from giving out tens. The 2023 class currently sits at 19 commits and they would still like to get a quarterback, two wide receivers and a linebacker at minimum.

They also would potentially take another running back, possibly another defensive back and they are going to keep room for M’Pemba in case he chooses Notre Dame. It is almost a certainty that the board also expands at some point. I think the number will ultimately be between 26 and 27 before everything is all said and done.

@jfish: Ryan, you mad man, I thought you were supposed to be on vacation!!

What is your favorite position to evaluate or watch film?

I have a deep love for the linebacker position just based on my own experiences playing the position. I historically have done a good job of identifying and evaluating linebackers from an NFL Draft perspective. People fall too easily for big time athletes on the second level with less than ideal eyes. I’m a big stickler for diagnostic skills and feel on the second level. Running aimlessly doesn’t do it for me.

I’d also have to mention the offensive line. It’s an extremely close conversation which I enjoy more. I also played offensive tackle so I have a deep admiration for how difficult of a position it is to play. I also believe that being able to really break down the trenches adequately deeply extends a working knowledge of the game. Don’t just watch the ball. Watch the chess match that’s happening up front. It’s always a sight to see.

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