247 Composite

 

Blake Fisher (OT): 4-star, #52 overall

Rocco Spindler (OG): 4-star, #57 overall

Tyler Buchner (QB): 4-star, #66 overall

Deion Colzie (WR): 4-star, #100 overall

Lorenzo Styles (WR): 4-star, #115 overall

Gabriel Rubio (DT): 4-star, #117 overall

Prince Kollie (OLB): 4-star, #154 overall

Cane Berrong (TE): 4-star, #226 overall

Audric Estime (RB): 4-star, #240 overall

Philip Riley (CB): 4-star, #306 overall

Jayden Thomas (WR): 4-star, #309 overall

Caleb Johnson (OT): 4-star, #324 overall

Khari Gee (S): 3-star, #396 overall

Joe Alt (OT): 3-star, #400 overall

Mitchell Evans (TE): 3-star, #495 overall

Logan Diggs (RB): 3-star, #497 overall

Ryan Barnes (CB): 3-star, #561 overall

Chance Tucker (CB): 3-star, #567 overall

Justin Walters (S): 3-star, #568 overall

Devin Aupiu (OLB): 3-star, 582

Will Schweitzer (OLB): 3-star, #583 overall

Kahuna Kia (OLB): 3-star, #592

Pat Coogan (OG): 3-star, #608 overall

Jason Onye (WDE): 3-star, #623

Jojo Johnson (ATH): 3-star, #703 overall

Josh Bryan (K): 3-star, NR

Ron Powlus III (QB): 3-star, NR

247 Rankings

 

Blake Fisher (OT): 4-star, #86 overall

Tyler Buchner (QB): 4-star, #90 overall

Prince Kollie (OLB): 4-star, #92 overall

Rocco Spindler (OG): 4-star, #94 overall

Deion Colzie (WR): 4-star, #116 overall

Lorenzo Styles (WR): 4-star, #132 overall

Gabriel Rubio (DT): 4-star, #152 overall

Joe Alt (OT): 4-star, #179 overall

Audric Estime (RB): 4-star, #241 overall

Defensive recruiting is abysmal.

 

Hoping Freeman can help recruit that side of the ball. ND should be landing more than two top 300 defensive players in a year they went to the playoffs.

Defensive recruiting is abysmal.

 

Hoping Freeman can help recruit that side of the ball. ND should be landing more than two top 300 defensive players in a year they went to the playoffs.

 

Really like Rubio and Kollie, but need more impact guys along the DL. Tyson Ford in 2022 helps - need another guy like Cyrus Moss. ND is in good shape to get some really elite LBs in 2022 as well.

 

Secondary recruiting needs a huge upgrade. I do think Chance Tucker and Ryan Barnes are underrated and likely 4-star players (Barnes had a committable offer from Clemson - no way he should be rated so low). But ND needs to do much better at CB and Safety going forward. Freeman and Mickens should get that done in 2022.

Really like Rubio and Kollie, but need more impact guys along the DL. Tyson Ford in 2022 helps - need another guy like Cyrus Moss. ND is in good shape to get some really elite LBs in 2022 as well.

 

Secondary recruiting needs a huge upgrade. I do think Chance Tucker and Ryan Barnes are underrated and likely 4-star players (Barnes had a committable offer from Clemson - no way he should be rated so low). But ND needs to do much better at CB and Safety going forward. Freeman and Mickens should get that done in 2022.

 

Why did ND need to wait for someone like Freeman to improve defensive recruiting?

Why did ND need to wait for someone like Freeman to improve defensive recruiting?

 

Actual on the field defense has been pretty damn good since 2017

ND should be landing more than two top 300 defensive players in a year they went to the playoffs.

 

That is an interesting way to look at it. I just looked back at all 2021 offers to see names I recognized as maybe ND had a realistic shot with. I thought of maybe Jakailin Johnson or Ceyair Wright?

 

I thought maybe Abiara would be on that list but he was inside the top 400, not top 300

Defensive recruiting is abysmal.

 

Hoping Freeman can help recruit that side of the ball. ND should be landing more than two top 300 defensive players in a year they went to the playoffs.

 

I think traditional wisdom states that successful years on the field are more impactful on the following recruiting year.

 

That said, recruiting is way more about relationships and the ability to get kids drafted high than on-the-field success. Most kids don’t view ND as the be-all end-all. At the end of the day, these kids want to be paid to play football (rightfully so), so whichever schools are the best at getting them there are the most appealing.

Actual on the field defense has been pretty damn good since 2017

 

Just imagine how good it would have been with even better talent...