What's Next: Notre Dame Wide Receiver Recruiting
Notre Dame has got on the board at wide receiver in the 2022 recruiting class, landing Ponchatoula (La.) High School receiver Amorion Walker. It won't be the last wide receiver in the class, so let's take a look at what's next for Notre Dame at the position.
CLASS NEEDS
Notre Dame doesn't have much need for numbers in the 2022 class, assuming the current depth chart doesn't see any unexpected departures between now and signing day. The focus at wide receiver in this class needs to high-upside talent, adding playmakers to the depth chart and focusing on specific skills.
Landing Walker gives the Irish a raw player with unique tools and a high ceiling, but he also has a lower floor than most receivers the Irish tend to sign. If he pans out and makes the staff look good he gives the class a tall, rangy, outside receiver with impressive one-on-one skills. I could see him playing both outside positions in the offense if he does pan out, although his game right now projects more as a boundary player.
Notre Dame needs a slot player that can be either dynamic after the catch, or dynamic down the field. Of course, being able to do both would be ideal. Adding another impact player on the outside is also a must. Whether that's a physical one-on-one player or a guy that can stretch the field, Notre Dame needs more of an impact talent on the outside to go with Walker.
STANDOUT SLOT IS A MUST
Notre Dame needs a dynamic slot player, one that can stretch the field with his speed, win as a route runner and one that can do damage after the catch. Recently I wrote about two players that fit that mold, but there's another less heralded player that would provide the same impact.
Chicago (Ill.) St. Rita star Kaleb Brown is the top-ranked player on the slot board, of that there is no doubt. Brown is part running back and part wide receiver, and he's exactly the kind of dynamic playmaker the Irish need more of on the roster. The problem, however, is the Irish are way behind other programs in his recruitment, and if they don't figure things out quickly they will have no chance, which should never be the case with a Chicago league star.
Westerville (Ohio) South standout Kaden Saunders is committed to Penn State, but the Irish are still in the mix with him. Saunders is more of a pure wide receiver, one that uses his speed and quickness to win down the field and to get separation as a route runner. Saunders isn't the biggest player, but he's a legit home run threat with his speed.
A player I did not break down in the slot article is Bluefield (Va.) Graham athlete Xayvion Bradshaw. 247Sports is the only service that has even attempted to grade and evaluate Bradshaw, and they rank him as a three-star recruit. The 6-0, 185-pound prospect doesn't have an overly impressive offer list either, but his film is quite impressive.
Bradshaw has legit speed and playmaking skills. When I break down his film I keep thinking about former Florida State receiver Peter Warrick due to his ability to run routes, make plays after the catch and his skills as a return man. Bradshaw is a dynamic playmaker, and once he plays his junior season I fully expect his offer list to explode and his recruiting profile will be enhanced.
Notre Dame getting on him early could help, but he doesn't seem to be in a rush with his recruitment.
TOP OUTSIDE TARGETS
Adding another outside receiver is needed in the class, and there are some very talented players on the board. If Notre Dame can add one of the slots mentioned above and one of the outside players I'm about to break down this will go down as a wide receiver class that can give the Irish depth chart a huge boost in skill and playmaking ability.
Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei wideout CJ Williams is a well-known prospect, and he's extremely talented. Ranked as the No. 27 player in the country according to Rivals, Williams has the combination of size, ball skills, athleticism and instincts to be a dominant player at the next level, and he can do it very early in his career.
Once considered a top contender for Williams, Notre Dame has fallen way down the pack. It's not too late for the Notre Dame staff to turn the heat back up, and he's the kind of talent you do that with. Notre Dame cannot continue to complain about a lack of playmakers and then not put the full court press on an elite West Coast player from a Catholic school with good grades.
Another West Coast player I absolutely love on film is Vancouver (Wash.) Union big man Tobias Merriweather. He'll be another tough player to land, but he has early interest in the program. Notre Dame will need to put the full court press on Merriweather, and be willing to do it over a long period of time, but his talent is worth it.
Merriweather is a long strider, and although he's not a burner he shows an impressive second gear. His game reminds me a great deal of former Clemson star Tee Higgins thanks to his length, playing speed that is better than his testing speed, and his exceptional ball skills.
An underrated outside receiver in this class is Richmond (Va.) St. Christopher standout Andre Green Jr. Green is ranked as the No. 138 player nationally by ESPN, but 247Sports and Rivals both have him outside of the Top 200. I really like Greene's game. He isn't the speed game breaker on the outside, but his game is advanced and he has a lot of tools.
Greene is fast enough with his size and skills to be a difference maker. He's an impressive route runner for such a young player, and there's another gear that I believe he'll tap into as he continues to physically mature. His hands are strong and he's pretty good after the catch for a big guy.
Considering where he goes to high school I would imagine academics are going to be very important for him. You don't go to St. Christopher's for sports first, you go there for academics first.
MORRIS IS UNIQUE
A player that doesn't fit naturally into either category is Bolingbrook (Ill.) Nazareth Academy wideout Tyler Morris. There are parts of his game that fit into the slot and part of his game that fit as an outside receiver. Morris is a smooth, fluid wide receiver with top-notch body control and ball skills. He has potential to be an exceptional route runner due to his foot quickness, balance, body control and ability to quickly get into and out of cuts.
Morris's combination of size, athleticism and overall game reminds me a great deal of former Notre Dame receiver TJ Jones.
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