Notre Dame Needs Ronan Hanafin To Truly Close The Gap At Wide Receiver
Notre Dame is off to a great start recruiting the wide receiver position in the 2023 class, but the Irish aren't quite done yet, and the finish is just as important as the start. That finish is all about landing Ronan Hanafin, who is the key to Notre Dame truly closing the gap at wide receiver in this class.
Notre Dame has already landed a pair of Top 100 wide receivers from Texas in Braylon James and Jaden Greathouse. That duo is complemented by California standout Rico Flores Jr. It's an extremely talented trio, and right now only Ohio State has a better haul of receivers in the 2023 class.
THE NEED
For Notre Dame, it's not about landing a group of highly ranked players, it's about meeting the program's needs. With just four scholarship receivers set to return in 2023, Notre Dame needs four wideouts in this class. Beyond that, the class needs to be filled with impact players, it needs to be filled with players that fit together and it needs multiple players that can get on the field early in their careers.
The three already committed are a great start, but without Hanafin this group is incomplete. Finishing the class off by beating out Clemson for his commitment is what will determine if this is a strong step in the right direction, or whether Notre Dame lands a wide receiver class that truly closes the gap and gives the Irish the playmakers it needs to compete for championships.
THE PLAYER
Hanafin is still quite raw as a wide receiver, but he brings a number of very important traits to the table. To begin, at 6-3 and 205 pounds he already has outstanding size. Hanafin catches the ball naturally and like the rest of the 2023 receiver class he has a natural feel for the game. The technical part can be taught, you want the feel to be natural.
On top of top-notch size and pass catching traits, Hanafin is an outstanding athlete. Greathouse and Flores are advanced players technically, while James is an elite athlete. Hanafin would add another much-needed explosive athlete to the mix. He has the speed to stretch the field, the explosiveness to make plays after the catch and Hanafin's ceiling is extremely high, which is why he earned a five-star upside grade on the IB board.
Hanafin's instincts and athleticism could allow him to make an early impact, especially if he's an early enrollee. The technical parts can be learned early, but you simply cannot teach his combination of size and explosiveness, and Notre Dame needs a lot more of that on offense.
When you consider where Hanafin is from, his background and how high he held Notre Dame for so long, this is a player Notre Dame must get in this class. When you add in his special talent and the need for him in the class, you get why I say this is an absolute must-get for Notre Dame. This class just won't be the same without Hanafin joining the other wideouts.
THE FIT
What I like about the three commits so far is their ability to play together, and Hanafin only adds to that.
James can play both outside receiver positions thanks to his length and speed.
Flores is a precise route runner and strong pass catcher that can play the slot (Z) and field spot (X).
Greathouse can play all three positions, but I like him best in the slot (Z) and in the boundary (W).
Hanafin can also play all three positions, and I'd argue his athletic skills fit best at all three even better than Greathouse. But if I had to project him best to two spots I'd say it's the two outside positions (X, W).
Hanafin's skillset is also more designed for a pro-style pass attack, especially one that is vertically oriented, which is what the Irish offense is all about. He's a much better fit in the Notre Dame offense than Clemson's college spread offense, but the Irish staff need to convince Hanafin of that. Since he remains uncommitted it seems like they haven't been able to do that.
In today's game you have to be able to play multiple receivers in a game and throughout the season. With just one wideout in last year's class (Tobias Merriweather), the Irish landing Hanafin to go with the three commits in 2023 gives the Irish a group of five receivers that can fill out the rotation with great size, impact receiver skill and loads of athleticism.
Land Hanafin and the gap is as closed as the 2023 class could make it. As I said .... must get.
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