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Not sure if posted here yet nor how credible ND Weekly is but here is a copy:

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Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Recruiting Will Go Down To The Wire

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By Brian Smith

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Recruits are not relegated to not changing their minds each month, each week, or even each day. Recruits can literally change opinions about their favorite school like one changes the channel with his remote.

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Ah, recruiting, there is nothing quite like it. Recruiting can drive a man insane if he allows it to. But with sanity (do recruiting fans have much sanity, let alone dignity?) comes the prospect of having fun at the expense of recruiting.

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Placing predictions about recruits is about as close to worthless as trying to buy a new car with no credit; but hey, this is for fun. Like the recruits, one is likely to change opinions where a recruit will land from time to time. Events change, injuries take place, Notre Dame plays well, and then Notre Dame plays poorly. It is the ebb and flow of college football recruiting. Take the following with a grain of salt. Remember, these are just guesses, nothing more. Players that are already committed to Notre Dame are not included.

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Tailback

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Armondo Allen โ€“ The ability to enroll early will be too much for Allen to pass up. Florida.

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Jahvid Best โ€“ It does not bode well for Notre Dame that Best is a premiere sprinter, an area the Notre Dame track program is not well known for. California reportedly has a better program for sprinters than Notre Dame. Being close to home does not hurt the Bears either. California.

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Robert Hughes โ€“ Hughes has long since been considered a good bet for Notre Dame. Notre Dame.

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Wide Receiver

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Is there anyone left that is a pure wide receiver?

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Offensive Line

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Chris Little โ€“ Florida State is Littleโ€™s childhood favorite, but the Seminoles are plummeting into a downward spiral. Florida is the main competition. Notre Dame.

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Matt Romine โ€“ Too many unofficial visits to Notre Dame to ignore. Notre Dame.

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Matt Summers-Gavin โ€“ Perhaps the best bet left on the board. Notre Dame.

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Defensive End

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Ben Martin โ€“ Ohio State has too many advantages on its side. Ohio State

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Everson Griffin โ€“ Offer was too late, and Griffin has borderline grades for Notre Dame at best. Southern California.

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Defensive Tackle

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Will Blackwell โ€“ Grew up a Notre Dame fan and brought the family for his official visit to Notre Dame. Notre Dame.

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Jason Peters โ€“ The Irish have a shot, but offering a recruit late generally spells doom for any school. Louisiana State.

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Ian Williams โ€“ If the Gators have room, Williams signs with Florida. Florida.

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Chris Perry โ€“ Perry is likely to renege on his commitment to Miami. Will he have the grades for Notre Dame and take an official visit? Oklahoma.

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Linebacker

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Chris Donald โ€“ Tennessee was the easy choice. It has taken too long for Donald to pull the trigger for the Volunteers. Notre Dame.

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Malcolm Smith โ€“ Will the Trojans make a concerted effort to land Steve Smithโ€™s younger brother? Southern California.

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Cornerback

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Michael Williams โ€“ Michigan or Notre Dame, Williams has a tough choice ahead. Mr. Williams is reportedly hedging towards Notre Dame, while Michael likes Michigan. Recruits from good structured homes often compromise with their parents' or guardians' wishes. Notre Dame.

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Safety

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Lorenzo Edwards โ€“ Will Edwards finally give the Irish the thumper in the secondary with the instincts to play against top passing offenses? Notre Dame.

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Harrison Smith โ€“ Much like Donald, Smith has waited too long to commit to his childhood favorite. Notre Dame.

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Athlete

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Gerald Jones โ€“ Jones could end up playing tailback, wide receiver or cornerback at the college level. Notre Dame has ground to make up, but Jones was quick to respond when Notre Dame intensified its recruitment of him. Jones will be the surprise of the class. Notre Dame.

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Joe McKnight โ€“ Landing McKnight would be a huge coup. Do not count on it happening. Louisiana State.

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Golden Tate โ€“ If makes a high enough test score hello South Bend. Have faith. Notre Dame.

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Martez Wilson โ€“ Wilson is looking for a good social fit. Social fit equals State U. Illinois.

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There are other recruits that Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis and his coaching staff are taking a closer look at. Additional names could emerge between now and National Signing Day.

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So, if you add it up, 11 now and add C Little, Hughes, Romine, MSG, Blackwell, Donald, Williams, Edwards, Smith, Jones, Tate. Thats 22. Need a few unexpected to reach 25. Thoughts??

Featured Replies

Wow I should would like this to be accurate. Donald, Gerald Jones, Lorenzo and Chris Little.....not too shabby.

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Hell, if we get Donald I'll be very excited about this class. Him and Blackwell are the two guys we HAVE TO HAVE.

Great update. I'm not as confident as I was on Edwards, seems to have had a great visit, hopefully it wears off. Throw Oregon in as competition for Best. I really think Martin will be Irish, too much going for ND w/ lack of depth. Agree w/ everything else, which is unfortuante w/ Tez especially....we need that Chicago pipeline!

scotty, word is oregon thing was just a made up rumor for best, cal is the team to beat

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i really like that guys calls, im with him on those, i think tez could end up being a suprise, but that 22 im with

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i also think you will see 1 come from left field

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taylor denver may get an offer and he should be considered a good bet for ND, would make for a very nice line class, my expectation now is for emeka to play DT

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i think there will be another DT

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but his 22 is about dead on, with Best maybe ending up at ND making 23, add to that Denver and a DT suprise and theres your class boys, IMO

Nice job NEIrish. I sure would like to see the recruits fall into place as listed...especially along the lines of the defensive?

I think ND will take more OL and then some may slide to DT (Nwanko, Nuss) to make up for recruiting failures.

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Also, I heard Be$t is looking for a hand-out. Take it FWIW.

I'd be very happy with that class. I'd like to think we have a shot at Ben Martin too, but that's a darn good class. Donald is the centerpiece, and I'm surprised that he thinks we get Gerald Jones.

TD, you agree with Williams and Edwards?

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I thought Williams was pretty much sealed and delivered to UM and Edwards to UF.

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I would say we get the 20 but not these two and that we will get Ben Martin. I have no idea who fills out the rest of the class.

I wouldn't throw in the towel on AA quite yet

Jason, I myself have been giving this matter some thought and would like others imput.

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Now at the begining of this current cycle Coach Weis stated he was taking a full boatload. 25

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Now if anyone can deny we sure got slamned around by negative recruiting this year, I sure haven't heard from them. We have seen sure things melt away. It would seem shortly after JC we became a recruiting threat to all the schools and 'anything and everything was game Vs ND.'

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Now we are going to get this resulting negative media no matter what. The need a slight horse laugh so be it. ND can't fill out, say a full boat 2006. None of us really know what's on the radar recruit wise and yet still possibly hold some spots for walk on's with any leftovers.

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About all it will do is cost ND some 'haha your not the great recruiters you thought.' and the lord knows they don't like us anway so who cares? Be happy with what we can get.

still a bunch of great talent that can pick ND :D

wasnt Robert Hughes short on grades?

jason i can tell you this, neither williams nor edwards gave verbals on their trips even though they both had good ones

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i think the writer hits the nail on the head with williams, i think when he sits down and thinks about it with his parents ND will likely become the choice

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i have been told edwards didnt verb to florida as the rumors were saying, if thats the case then i think we are still in a good position

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also look I look at it this way, i think we will land either Wright or Edwards, so if we don't get edwards insert wright, either way i would be happy, we are in good position with both, and while alot like wright to OSU, im not so sure looking at who they already brought on board, Charlie has proven he can recruit that school, we will see but i think we will land one of the two

So, if you add it up, 11 now and add C Little, Hughes, Romine, MSG, Blackwell, Donald, Williams, Edwards, Smith, Jones, Tate. Thats 22. Need a few unexpected to reach 25. Thoughts??

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Truthfully, I'd be happy if we ended up with those 22 right there alone. Why take a full class, especially when theres a few seniors that are eligible for 5th years.

Jason, I'm with you on those 20, plus Martin. I could see us getting M. Williams possibly. Who knows on Edwards. I think Wright goes to OSU.

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Then certainly we still have an outside shot with Armando Allen, Tez, and Ian Williams, and any of the three would be amazing additions.

So, if you add it up, 11 now and add C Little, Hughes, Romine, MSG, Blackwell, Donald, Williams, Edwards, Smith, Jones, Tate. Thats 22. Need a few unexpected to reach 25. Thoughts??

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Truthfully, I'd be happy if we ended up with those 22 right there alone. Why take a full class, especially when theres a few seniors that are eligible for 5th years.

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You got it irishdread.Having those 22 in our back pocket and getting 3 surprise recruits would be awesome.Bring it on CW.Recruit you a$$ off man. :lol:

I forgot to mention from the list: I don't think we'll get Gerald Jones in the end. But I certainly hope we do. I think are chances are increasing. His visit is huge.

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