Notre Dame Freshman Class Will Have A Chance To Make A Big Offensive Impact
The Notre Dame 2023 recruiting class was one of the program's best groups in years, so it should come as no surprise that several players from the class will have a chance to make an early impact. That's especially true on offense, as several rookies head into fall camp with a great chance to work their way onto the field immediately.
Wide Receiver Class - Notre Dame signed a four-man receiver class, and three of them showed up in the spring and made their presence felt. Jaden Greathouse was one of the stars of the Blue-Gold Game, and Rico Flores Jr. was on the verge of beating out Lorenzo Styles even before the veteran transferred. You don't consider moving Styles to cornerback if the rookies weren't showing out.
Greathouse will have a chance to earn major snaps in the slot, and Flores is poised to be part of the X receiver rotation if he can continue his strong performance in fall camp. I'll be surprised if both Greathouse and Flores aren't getting early playing time for the Irish, and if they get on the field both have the advanced feel for the game that should allow them to make an impact.
Greathouse is a strong young athlete with a great feel for the game. His 11-catch performance in the spring game was an example of how quickly he was able to adapt to the Notre Dame offense. Greathouse will also have a chance to compete for the starting role as the team's punt returner. Flores is also a strong young route runner, and his physique was better than expected when he arrived. He was a standout throughout spring practice thanks to his combination of route running prowess, speed and exceptional ball skills.
Classmate Braylon James also showed flashes this spring thanks to his home run speed. James is still evolving as a route runner, and he missed some time in the spring with a concussion, but he brings a speed element that Notre Dame doesn't have much of on the current roster, which could give him a chance to force his way onto the field as well, assuming he can get the offense down and improve his route running.
The fourth member of the freshman receive class is Kaleb Smith, a fast and shifty pass catcher that I'm not discounting as a first-year contributor. Smith brings a unique skillset to the table that could help in the slot or as a return man.
Jeremiyah Love, Running Back - Love was my highest ranked and highest graded skill player in the 2023 offensive class. Notre Dame got on him early, and when he committed Love was an outstanding athlete that was still developing as a running back. His senior year changed things in a big way, as Love showed off a much better feel for the nuances of running back play, and his ranking skyrocketed.
Love is a dynamic athlete with big play talent, and that alone gives him a chance to make an early impact. The 2023 class added a lot of athleticism and speed to the roster, and Love is part of that. His vision is impressive, he shows the ability to make defenders miss in space, and he ran with a good authority as a senior. All those traits make me believe he has a chance to one day be a lead back for the Irish, but as a freshman it will be his big time speed and pass catching ability that give him the best chance to get on the field.
Simply put, Love is too dynamic of an athlete to sit the bench as a rookie. The Notre Dame staff has to find a way to get him involved in some fashion. Fortunately, like Greathouse and Smith, Love also adds big time return game potential, and that is an area where he could be used as a rookie.
Charles Jagusah - Sam Pendleton, Offensive Line - It's not often that a freshman offensive lineman works his way onto the field, but it's not completely unheard of, especially at Notre Dame. Current starting tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher both started games as true freshmen, as did Robert Hainsey (2017) and Steve Elmer (2013).
Notre Dame's five-man class of 2023 will have a tough time getting on the field due to the depth and talent of the returning classes, but both Charles Jagusah and Sam Pendleton could surprise us all and force their way onto the field.
Jagusah was Notre Dame's highest ranked player in the 2023 class, and he earned a 5.0-star grade on the Irish Breakdown board and also from On3. He's massive, athletic, powerful and extremely talented. Recruited as a tackle, Jagusah could quickly push his way into the two-deep, but if the returning guards battling for a starting role don't play well this spring it wouldn't be a surprise to see Jagusah get a look.
Pendleton reshaped his body during the spring, and the 15 extra practices could allow him to be ready to get onto the field if any injuries or poor play shakes up the guard depth chart.
Kenny Minchey, Quarterback - Minchey will go into fall camp battling sophomore Steve Angeli for the backup quarterback role. If the smooth, gunslinging quarterback with the reputation for being incredibly smart can quickly adapt I won't be surprised if he does just that. If Minchey is the backup quarterback he'll obviously get some late game action, but he's now an injury away from being "the guy" in the Irish offense.
Cooper Flanagan, Tight End - With all the injuries at tight end I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Flanagan is able to make an early impact. He was an outstanding blocker in high school, and that's a trait that much of the current tight end depth chart is lacking, at least to the level that Flanagan shows. With Eli Raridon likely out for part of the season, I could see Flanagan stepping into that void and proving himself too good to not get on the field.
The offense he played in masked his pass game skills, so I'm not saying Flanagan is a blocking only player. I think blocking is what could allow him to force his way onto the field, but once he does there's little doubt that Flanagan will show he's a legit weapon in the pass game as well. Will that happen in 2023? We'll find out, but don't be surprised if Flanagan makes his presence felt immediately.
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Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers
2024 Commit Rankings - Offense
2024 Commit Rankings - Defense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense
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