Rivals 2023

[tneun89 978]

ND Commits

Keon Keeley (WDE): 5-star, #14 overall (up 12 spots)

Brenan Vernon (SDE): 4-star, #17 overall (down 3 spots) *highest 4-star

Drayk Bowen (OLD): 4-star, #34 overall (down 2 spots)

Justyn Rhett (CB): 4-star, #53 overall (down 4 spots)

Peyton Bowen (S): 4-star, #83 overall (down 7 spots)

Adon Shuler (S): 4-star, #206 overall (down 8 spots)

Preston Zinter (OLB): 4-star, #221 overall (down 7 spots)

Cooper Flanagan (TE): 4-star, #225 overall (new to Top 250)

Sedrick Irvin (RB): 4-star, #236 overall (down 10 spots)

 

[tneun89 978]

ND Targets

Dante Moore (QB): 5-star, #6 overall

Samuel M'Pemba (ATH): 5-star, #7 overall (being recruited at Rover)

Carnell Tate (WR): 5-star, #13 overall

Javien Toviano (CB): 4-star, #25 overall

Chase Bisontis (OG): 4-star, #42 overall

Jason Moore (DT): 4-star, #44 overall

Christopher Vizzina (QB): 4-star, #54 overall

Samson Okunlola (OT): 4-star, #64 overall

Ryan Yaites (CB): 4-star, #73 overall

Kyle Kasper (WR): 4-star, #73 overall

Braylon James (WR): 4-star, #79 overall

Christian Gray (CB): 4-star, #102 overall

Rodney Gallagher (WR): 4-star, #107 overall

Monroe Freeling (OT): 4-star, #115 overall

Charles Jagusah (OT): 4-star, #118 overall

Ta'mere Robinson (OLB): 4-star, #146 overall

Rico Flores (WR): 4-star, #156 overall

Kaden Feagin (ATH): 4-star, #168 overall (being recruited at RB)

Malik Elzy (WR): 4-star, #199 overall

Phil Picciotti (ILB): 4-star, #215 overall

Micah Tease (ATH): 4-star, #216 overall (being recruited at DB)

Avery Johnson (QB): 4-star, #235 overall

Jayden Limar (RB): 4-star, #243 overall

Daeh McCullough (CB): 4-star, #247 overall

[tneun89 978]

ND is off to a great start in 2023 with all nine commits in the Top 250 and five in the Top 100 (already more than last year). No real issues with the rankings, although I think Adon Shuler is really underrated nationally. It's interesting to look at a few guys - Vernon, Bowen, and Rhett - and see how they are ranked across all sites. Rivals is by far the highest on Vernon, as he is outside the Top 100 on 247 and On3. Bowen is a Top 100 player everywhere but On3. Rivals is also the highest on Rhett, with On3 and 247 ranking him outside the Top 200. The newest commit, Zinter, is only a 4-star on Rivals. So, Rivals seems to be a lot higher on some guys compared to others. 

In terms of targets, ND is in on some highly rated guys - multiple 5-stars and almost a dozen Top 100 guys. I left off a lot of players who ND is recruiting but likely outside of the top group as of today (i.e., Nyckoles Harbor, Justice Haynes, Caleb Downs, Jalen Brown, etc.). 

Of the players listed, I like ND to land Jason Moore, Gray, Jagusah, and Elzy. I think ND is leading or co-leading for Dante Moore, M'Pemba, Tate, Vizzina, Yaites, Freeling, Feagin, and Piccioti. Of that group, if I had to pick today, I would say ND lands Moore, Tate, and Freeling. ND probably leads for Feagin and Piccioti, but they are likely not takes right now. I've heard the same for Ryan Yaites, who goes to the same high school as commit Peyton Bowen. On M'Pemba, it's hard to get a read. Apparently, he was close to committing at one point, but now appears to be taking his time. I have no real opinion on where he ends up, but it seems like ND, Miami, and Alabama are the leaders. On Vizzina, I think Clemson leads. But if ND lands Moore, then Rees got his #1 target and a consensus 5-star.

On some other guys. Toviano is a new name that I would not have included a couple of weeks ago, but apparently ND is doing well there (although, definitely not a leader or co-leader at this point). Bisontis is a priority target, but I like PSU right now. I think ND can land Braylon James because Chansi Stuckey was recruiting him while he was at Baylor - but I don't really know where ND stands with him. Okunlola is a massive OT recruit that ND is recruiting, but I don't have any info on where ND stands. I like Rodney Gallagher and Rico Flores at WR, but I think ND is chasing PSU for Gallagher and not sure who Flores has at the top. Avery Johnson is the other QB recruit, but he doesn't have the green light to commit. ND was on top but it seems like Arkansas may now be leading. I only put McCullough on there because of his dad - no info on him.

[ndomer4 532]

ND is lacking elite offensive talent. The blame has to go on Rees. The offence is not exciting and recruits can see that. 

[golson5 176]

55 minutes ago, ndomer4 said:

ND is lacking elite offensive talent. The blame has to go on Rees. The offence is not exciting and recruits can see that. 

Or on Kelly...

[Pregame 291]

2 hours ago, ndomer4 said:

ND is lacking elite offensive talent. The blame has to go on Rees. The offence is not exciting and recruits can see that. 

What would you like to see changed? 

[ndomer4 532]

1 hour ago, Pregame said:

What would you like to see changed? 

More tempo, more screens, more sweeps, more motion, more varied runs, etc…

I watch a TON of college ball and it’s rare I see an offence that looks as vanilla as the ND offence. We run the same 4 or 5 runs and have been doing so since Kelly has been here. 

[Jburkdd12 39]

1 hour ago, ndomer4 said:

More tempo, more screens, more sweeps, more motion, more varied runs, etc…

I watch a TON of college ball and it’s rare I see an offence that looks as vanilla as the ND offence. We run the same 4 or 5 runs and have been doing so since Kelly has been here. 

Pretty sure Kelly left so let’s see how the season goes 

[NDhoosier 1,229]

9 hours ago, ndomer4 said:

ND is lacking elite offensive talent. The blame has to go on Rees. The offence is not exciting and recruits can see that. 

I disagree there is no elite offensive talent on the roster currently. If you are talking about the 2023 class, then be patient bro. It is still early. Notre Dame has the #1 class in the country. Literally no school is doing better than ND right now.

[ndomer4 532]

On 2/15/2022 at 11:06 PM, NDhoosier said:

I disagree there is no elite offensive talent on the roster currently. If you are talking about the 2023 class, then be patient bro. It is still early. Notre Dame has the #1 class in the country. Literally no school is doing better than ND right now.

I didn’t say no elite talent I said lacking, especially at wide receiver. Hoping some of the younger guys (Styles, Colzie and Merriweather) breakout. 

[golson5 176]

24 minutes ago, ndomer4 said:

I didn’t say no elite talent I said lacking, especially at wide receiver. Hoping some of the younger guys (Styles, Colzie and Merriweather) breakout. 

Styles already has.  He's going to be a stud

[tneun89 978]

It's hard to look at ND's roster and see a real national title contender when you compare it to Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, etc. I'm of the opinion that ND will not be able to duplicate those programs for various reasons (i.e., geography, academics, social life, etc.), but I think ND can model Clemson. In the last four cycles, Clemson has finished in the Top 10 each time and the Top 5 twice. That is very do-able. The way ND is trending, 2023 SHOULD BE a Top 5 class. As Big said in another thread, look at the target list - it is littered with 5-stars and 4-stars, including a ton of Top 100 recruits. 

ND's recruiting at certain positions has been lacking the last few cycles: QB, WR, CB, S. Those positions can all be addressed in 2023. Land Moore (#6) or Vizzina (#54) at QB - ND is leading or co-leading for both. At WR, land Carnell Tate (#13) - landing an elite QB would definitely help, along with Braylon James (#79) and/or Rodney Gallagher (#107). At CB, ND already landed Justyn Rhett (#53) and leads for Christian Gray (#102). ND can swing for the fences with Javien Toviano (#25). At S, ND landed Peyton Bowen (#83), but will need to hold on, and Adon Shuler (#206). Again, they can swing for the fences with Caleb Downs (#24) and Braxton Meyers (#138).

ND has elite talent at many positions, but they don't have elite depth. Our WR room is a joke compared to the elite schools. I think our QB room leaves a lot to be desired as well. The secondary is just not talented enough to battle WRs from Alabama or Ohio State right now. UGA was an outlier this year in terms of winning with an all-time elite defense and a solid offense that relied on great RBs. ND will need to have an elite offense to have a real shot at winning a title. Get a QB like Moore and a few dynamic WRs, and ND is looking a lot more like Clemson with Deshaun Watson and his surrounding talent.

 

[Pregame 291]

3 hours ago, tneun89 said:

It's hard to look at ND's roster and see a real national title contender when you compare it to Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, etc. I'm of the opinion that ND will not be able to duplicate those programs for various reasons (i.e., geography, academics, social life, etc.), but I think ND can model Clemson. In the last four cycles, Clemson has finished in the Top 10 each time and the Top 5 twice. That is very do-able. The way ND is trending, 2023 SHOULD BE a Top 5 class. As Big said in another thread, look at the target list - it is littered with 5-stars and 4-stars, including a ton of Top 100 recruits. 

ND's recruiting at certain positions has been lacking the last few cycles: QB, WR, CB, S. Those positions can all be addressed in 2023. Land Moore (#6) or Vizzina (#54) at QB - ND is leading or co-leading for both. At WR, land Carnell Tate (#13) - landing an elite QB would definitely help, along with Braylon James (#79) and/or Rodney Gallagher (#107). At CB, ND already landed Justyn Rhett (#53) and leads for Christian Gray (#102). ND can swing for the fences with Javien Toviano (#25). At S, ND landed Peyton Bowen (#83), but will need to hold on, and Adon Shuler (#206). Again, they can swing for the fences with Caleb Downs (#24) and Braxton Meyers (#138).

ND has elite talent at many positions, but they don't have elite depth. Our WR room is a joke compared to the elite schools. I think our QB room leaves a lot to be desired as well. The secondary is just not talented enough to battle WRs from Alabama or Ohio State right now. UGA was an outlier this year in terms of winning with an all-time elite defense and a solid offense that relied on great RBs. ND will need to have an elite offense to have a real shot at winning a title. Get a QB like Moore and a few dynamic WRs, and ND is looking a lot more like Clemson with Deshaun Watson and his surrounding talent.

 

Totally agree, especially re: depth of talent. You also mentioned some guys were still going after without mentioning Malik Muhammad or Micah Tease, both guys were in good position with and would normally be our best CB recruit. The level of recruiting is crazy right now and grabbing so many top line guys early will only help as a) we have momentum, b) recruits want to play w other great players, and c) it gives coaches more time to focus in on the biggest targets (and missing them won’t sink our class).