Notre Dame Recruiting Mailbag - January 31 Edition
Welcome back to our new recruiting feature at Irish Breakdown! Every Monday we will release a Notre Dame Recruiting Mailbag. In it we'll take the best questions that Irish Breakdown subscribers ask us on the message board.
In week two of the mailbag we’re taking everything from running backs, recruiting strategies, defensive line fits and some common misconceptions. With a lot of news on the horizon, a quick shoutout to all the fantastic questions submitted this week. The recruiting world can be a chaotic and volatile one. The range of these questions solidity that opinion.
frdavidpenny: Two questions: Outside of quarterback, what would be the position of greatest need in the 2023 class? In your time covering recruiting what is the assumption that fans make that is most incorrect about recruiting? Is it what really moves the needle with high level recruits? Not having realistic expectations? How can the average fan think more intelligently about recruiting and how it really works?
From a numbers perspective, it’s wide receiver. There is serious talent on Notre Dame’s roster but they need to add depth to the room from a pure numbers standpoint. Aside from the low numbers, Braden Lenzy, Joe Wilkins Jr., and Avery Davis won’t be on the roster after the 2022 season. It should be a huge emphasis this cycle.
Aside from wide receiver, continuing to add talent in the secondary is paramount. There is a reality where cornerback Cam Hart and safety Brandon Joseph might be entering their final seasons for the team. Add in safeties like Houston Griffith and DJ Brown, and you are losing some depth on top of potentially your two best players on the back end.
The biggest assumption now is just that the NIL layer is all that matters. Is there going to be some recruits who are overly concerned with the “early handout”? Of course. With better education on NIL and maximizing on opportunities, I think recruits do understand that the long term in that regard matters more than the short term.
I think we need to give recruits more credit. There are a lot of layers to the decision in general. Understanding the NIL landscape to a deeper level is something that these student athletes want/need. In reality also, it’s a landscape that people are still trying to fully understand from a long term perspective.
Dash X: Is Notre Dame completely out of it now with Andrew Paul? Follow up: Which running backs do you think are most likely for Notre Dame in the 2023 class in addition to Irvin? (I’m assuming ND tries to add another for ‘23).
It doesn’t look great on the Andrew Paul front. He never actually made it to campus for a visit. I’d be surprised if Notre Dame adds a running back in the 2022 cycle, or any position for that matter.
The biggest name high on the board for 2023 is Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity Catholic running back Justice Haynes. He is a top 100 recruit nationally according to every major recruiting platform, and Notre Dame is making him a clear priority.
Arthur (Ill.) Senior two-way star Kaden Feagin is an interesting player to keep an eye on if they can’t secure Haynes. At 6-3 and 221 pounds, Feagin brings an interesting physical profile to the running back room that they currently don’t have. Notre Dame is also pushing hard for Lake Stevens (Wash.) High School standout Jayden Limar.
ZWMartin: I liked your Kaden Feagin piece. Did he ever say what his positional preference is?
From Feagin, it’s whatever position gives him the best chance to compete. Obviously Notre Dame is in on him at running back as it currently stands - and he is more than receptive to that. It doesn’t seem like he really has a preference. He has been getting targeted on both sides of the ball from various programs.
FLewis-0330: Should we bring in an extra linebacker for the 23 class as insurance just in case (Drayk) Bowen gets drafted and decides to go all in on baseball?
No, I don’t think that is necessary. Notre Dame secured a dynamic four-man class in the 2022 cycle so the numbers won’t be in trouble. Also, I wouldn’t worry much about the baseball layer as it stands. Being able to play both was a big factor in Bowen’s recruitment. Him and Notre Dame are on the same page in regards to the dual sport element, and right now he doesn't project to be drafted high enough in the MLB Draft to be a guy that walks away from football.
Right now, the only top Notre Dame target to commit to another school is quarterback Jackson Arnold. The plan for now is to keep recruiting him and our sources indicate he does plan on making another visit to Notre Dame.
Ozark Irish: We know that other schools continue to recruit Notre Dame 2023 commits, Keon Keeley, Brenan Vernon, Peyton Bowen to name just three. Does Notre Dame do the same and try to sway players who have committed elsewhere?
Absolutely! You shouldn’t stop recruiting until players ask you to stop calling. As long as the recruits are receptive, keep the effort on the process. Notre Dame has flipped players before. No reason to stop recruiting the players you value.
Dude Domer: In addition to hitting the road harder, what are important events to do or add to the schedule for recruiting (weekends bbqs banquets, Irish invasion etc). Is there a need to add or change things up? What would you add or drop based on other schools?
I think collaborative recruiting efforts are something that needs to be implemented even more. Bryan (Driskell) and I talked about how every coach should call and/or visit Detroit (Mich.) Martin Luther King Jr. quarterback Dante Moore to make him understand what type of priority he is.
When you are targeting the elite of the elite, full court presses are a huge opportunity. Be on the same page - and go get your guys.
ChansiStuckeysHoodie: Do you think there is a position that is strong enough now (including incoming 2022) that if we missed in ‘23 we would still be okay?
That’s a tough question. I do think that from a roster construction perspective, tight end (already does have a commitment from Cooper Flanagan) and the offensive line would be fine in the immediate future if the 2023 cycle didn’t work out in their favor. However, I never want to leave a cycle without adding talented offensive lineman.
The easy answer is linebacker. After adding Jaylen Sneed, Nolan Ziegler, Joshua Burnham and Niuafe Tuihalamaka in the 2022 cycle, the linebacker position had a huge upgrade in length and athleticism. If they missed on numbers in this class at linebacker, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. With the mission of Marcus Freeman, however, I don’t see that happening.
Bplence1189: Who are 2-3 realistic defensive line targets that you think would pair best with Keeley and Vernon in the 2023 class?
I love the potential fit of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic defensive lineman Jason Moore to pair with Keeley and Vernon. Moore plays on the edge for DeMatha but at 6-6 and 270 pounds, Moore has the type of physical upside to develop into a Stephon Tuitt style of defensive lineman, giving the Irish flexibility to work from a three technique out to a five, with some upside to even work as a nose in DIME situations down the road.
In a similar vein, Hagerstown (Md.) St. James School defender Devan Houstan plays a ton on the edge for his high school. He, unlike Moore, has had some reps working more as a 4-4i at times. Houstan is listed at 6-5 and 270 pounds. He has the type of length and raw power that could be a troubling matchup on the interior, working between the nose and three techniques in a pinch. Houstan brings a variety of possibilities up front.
A more traditional fit inside, recent offer Keith “KJ” Sampson works a majority of time from a three technique for New Bern (N.C.) High School. At 6-3 and 285 pounds, Sampson is a dense interior player who could fit potentially into the nose long term. If the Irish land just one of Moore or Houstan, the fit would make sense from a fit perspective with Sampson as they continue to develop.
BrentOByers812: You think it’s possible for Notre Dame to land Dante Moore and Julian Sayin in one summer? Or do you think one scares the other off? Or?
Well to start, the timelines definitely match up for this scenario. Sayin has told me directly that he plans on committing before his junior season begins. Moore, conversely, seems to be on a similar timeline (this summer).
Notre Dame is clearly in on both of them. So the simple answer, yea I think it is possible. I think creating that pipeline helps recruiting a lot more than it hurts, especially if Moore and Sayin are the competitors I believe they are.
The evaluation or quarterback recruiting and development will only help to continue to grab other talented signal callers in future classes.
Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions Lounge
Irish Breakdown Content
Notre Dame 2021 Roster
Notre Dame 2021 Schedule
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense
Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board
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