Notre Dame Must Get In 2022: Super Slot Needed
Notre Dame is off to a typically solid start in the 2022 class, ranking No. 7 on the 247Sports composite ranking. It's not quite as good as the No. 1 ranking we saw from Notre Dame early in the 2021 class, but its a good start nonetheless.
While it is a typically good Notre Dame start, there is a lot more needed if the Irish staff is going to close the gap on the top programs. That will require an outstanding finish.
To make that happen there are five must gets for Notre Dame in the class. Instead of focusing on five individual players, there are five types of players that Notre Dame must land on offense, and if they make it happen this offensive haul could be truly outstanding.
Over the next week we'll break down those five positions and the players that fit the mold. To kick things off lets talk about Notre Dame's need to add more explosive playmakers to the class.
SUPER SLOT NEEDED
For at least three years Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has complained over and over again about a lack of explosive playmakers on offense.
There are two players on the board that could give the offense another boost, and both are ideal slots players. Those two prospects are Chicago (Ill.) St. Rita athlete Kaleb Brown and Westerville (Ohio) South wideout Kaden Saunders.
Brown is an elite prospect that is dynamic with the ball in his hands. He's still developing as a wide receiver, but he's the prototype modern-day slot receiver in that he's part running back and part wide receiver.
Brown would be a program changing type of recruit for Notre Dame.
Brown is a Catholic Catholic League star and a game-changing talent. That's exactly the kind of player that Notre Dame needs to always get. The issue, however, is that Notre Dame hasn't done a good job of recruiting him up to this point.
While OC Tommy Rees has made a good impression, the Irish haven't made Brown the priority he needs to be. It's not too late, and there's time for the staff - and I mean the whole staff - to put the full court press on him and get back in the game with Brown.
Saunders is more of a natural wide receiver, possessing top-notch vertical speed and potential to be an elite route runner from the slot. Saunders lacks the size, power and skills with the ball in his hands that Brown shows, but he's an outstanding slot prospect that would certainly give the class a boost.
The Ohio native is currently committed to Penn State, but he's still talking to Notre Dame and other programs, and while it will be a challenge, the Irish are at least still in the game despite his commitment to the Nittany Lions.
While Brown is the kind of slot player that could help the Irish usher in a more modern offense, a case could be made that Saunders is an even better fit for the current Notre Dame offense due to him being a more natural route runner and receiver.
Landing either one of these two players would certainly give the 2022 offensive class a significant boost, and would give the Irish offense a dynamic playmaker.
If you have a 2022-23 wide receiver corps that has Xavier Watts, Lorenzo Styles Jr. and either Brown or Saunders you absolutely have a group of explosive playmakers to build an explosive offense around.
On the other hand, should Notre Dame strike out with both Brown and Saunders it would be a crushing blow to the staff, especially position coach Del Alexander, whose recruitment of both players is questionable at best. Both are Midwestern standouts that live in states that border Indiana. Landing at least one is a must for Notre Dame.
To read my full analysis of Kaleb Brown click HERE.
To read my full analysis of Kaden Saunders click HERE.
To comment below be sure to sign up for a FREE Disqus account, which you can get HERE.
———————
Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content, our premium message board and gets you a FREE subscription to Sports Illustrated! Click on the link below for more
Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!
Join the Irish Breakdown community!
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel
Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook