Notre Dame Recruiting Mailbag: Part One
The regular season is already a quarter of the way over and time keeps rolling by in a hurry. With that, the 2023 recruiting class is on the brink of becoming solidified in the not so distant future.
In this week’s recruiting mailbag, there were a variety of outstanding questions about the Vyper questions, quarterback speculation and priorities still on the board. As always, these outstanding questions were provided by the loyal members of the Irish Breakdown premium message board.
Let’s dive into some recruiting news and chatter!
@clearscreen25: Do you expect Cooper Flanagan to stay at tight end when he enrolls at Notre Dame or is there a realistic chance he switches to defensive end?
Obviously Notre Dame sees Cooper Flanagan at tight end, and he’s a really good one. He is, however, a really good defensive end as well. There’s no plan, as of right now, to consider that possibility to my knowledge.
I have just been throwing it out into the universe because Flanagan could potentially contribute on the defensive side of the football. His film at defensive end is impressive and there also might be an easier path to playing time earlier on at that position. It is extremely possible that there could be a bit of a logjam at tight end over the next couple of seasons.
The Vyper position, on the other hand, has less certainty.
Could Joshua Burnham and Aiden Gobaira be the next guys up and both be studs at Vyper? Without question.
At this point, we have seen very little of both outside of practice reps. I just wouldn’t completely rule it out that demand could open up opportunities for Flanagan over his first couple seasons in South Bend.
@christopher-crosby: Is there a particular reason Ian Moore hasn’t got an offer from Notre Dame yet? His tape looks legit. What’s the hold up?
Notre Dame is keeping close tabs on Moore but the staff has so far kept a very small offensive line board and appear to be being patient in evaluating the 2024 group.
Could Moore get an offer eventually? I wouldn’t be shocked.
I think the real holdup is that the Irish staff is targeting true offensive tackle types, while Moore fits much more naturally inside on the next level. Historically Harry Hiestand has tended to recruit those types the majority of the time, prioritizing length and foot quickness.
It’s hard to argue with the results during his first tenure with the program.
@christopher-crosby: There is a lot of buzz about Brandon Davis Swain leaning Michigan. Any word from the staff?
My first question would be, where is that report coming from? Our recruiting analyst Shaun Davis was on that rumor quick and made the message board fully aware of the situation.
Davis-Swain made the trips with some teammates. There was nothing really to it. They are the home state power and some Michigan high schoolers went to visit.
From everything we are told, Davis-Swain is fully committed. That is also coming directly from him. There doesn’t appear to be much to be worried about at this time.
@irish65: There’s been no news about quarterback in awhile, what’s up? I’m hoping Coach Freeman is out there trying to flip one of the top recruits.
@utahirish237: Any news on the 2023 quarterback targets?
The staff is definitely attacking the process, and continuing to evaluate and recruit potential 2023 quarterbacks. I would be very surprised if that wasn’t a part of their travels this week.
There isn’t a major update, other than that you shouldn’t expect a major update for a while. This is going to be a process, which is fine. The end result is what matters.
Obviously the potential CJ Carr reclassification is the main thing to get figured out. If he does end up making the switch then the 2023 dilemma is obviously over. Then you have to figure out what the next move will be for 2024.
If that reclassification doesn’t happen, there continues to be two quarterbacks talked about most on the board. Those are Avery Johnson and Kenny Minchey, who are both committed to Kansas State and Pittsburgh respectively.
I believe that the staff would be pretty happy to flip either player but they both seem very solid in their present commitments. That’s why this is a process. That could change down the road but you are obviously starting from behind in both of their recruitments. They have serious ground to cover.
It’s also possible that the board expands at some point. That’s what this evaluation period is for.
@irish65: What’s the absolute highest number of 2023 recruits Notre Dame would take?
I have been pretty consistent that I think the number will be 26 or 27 when it is all said and done. Right now the class is at 22 and I could see a quarterback, running back, wide receiver and Vyper all being a part of the equation in the end.
That isn’t counting offensive tackle, which remains to be seen if the staff has a preference in getting back to five commits with the recent decommitment of Elijah Paige. If they do find a replacement then that would push them to 27 and I wouldn’t expect them to go any further than that.
Technically the staff probably could take it another recruit or two further if they wanted but there’s no need for it. That would just be making getting back down to 85 before next season even more of a headache.
@fishnd: Can you rank all the remaining (uncommitted) targets on the board from most critical to least? (2023 cycle only)
This is a great question, especially with the board being so small at this point. Here is how I see the remaining priorities of the class.
RB Jeremiyah Love
Love is the top player left on the offensive board for Notre Dame and arguably the top recruit overall. He is a dynamic weapon in the run and pass game, bringing exciting potential to Notre Dame. He is a must get.
WR Taeshaun Lyons
Lyons is the other dynamic playmaker that Notre Dame absolutely wants to be a part of the 2023 recruiting class. He’s a long limbed pass catcher with a ton of upside. He would make the 2023 wide receiver group even more special.
Quarterback
Whether it is a CJ Carr reclassification, Avery Johnson, Kenny Minchey or someone else, getting a quarterback in 2023 is still a massive priority. It’s just a bit cloudy on who it may end up being.
Vyper
Similar to quarterback, getting a Vyper recruit is still very important but who it ends up being is still a major question. The board has been expanding steadily and they should have it figured out this fall.
Offensive tackle (maybe)
It remains uncertain if Notre Dame will want to fill the spot vacated by Elijah Paige. This is one to monitor right now but there is no telling what the probability is.
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Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
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