He should be coming to ND as well. He’ll be brought in as an athlete but almost assuredly will play the drop DE position
RCDS is an ok program. It's in the town next to mine. Looks like a RB offer though. Don't see him finding room on D no? Appears to have just popped up on the radar. Was wondering why his CB ND.
He is the definition of an athlete. We may let him get some burn at rb for a week but then he is headed for defense
2021 OL class is absolutely stacked for ND Spoiler Notre Dame's 2020 recruiting class is really starting to come together. It's firmly entrenched in the Top 10 following the latest addition of elite offensive tackle Tosh Baker to the class. With one offensive lineman on board, the staff will look to add potentially one or two more before all is said and done. Irish Illustrated and 247Sports bring you the latest pulse on every prospect on Notre Dame's offensive line board, in addition to some notes on class of 2021 recruiting. SLIDE 1 of 15 1.jpg (Photo: 247Sports) My 247Sports Crystal Ball is currently on Notre Dame for four-star offensive tackle Michael Carmody, which I hinted was coming as soon as the Fighting Irish offered. The 6-6, 295-pounder has Ohio State and Penn State pushing hard to land him, but I like Notre Dame to win this battle. With Jeff Quinn and Chip Long having no doubts and pushing hard for him, I expect him to end up in South Bend. Unless the staff is simply out-recruited by the Buckeyes or in-state Nittany Lions, Notre Dame should be able to get this done. SLIDE 2 of 15 2.jpg (Photo: 247Sports) BYU remains the favorite to land four-star offensive tackle Andrew Gentry, a Colorado native. Notre Dame hasn’t given up yet and would still like to land the 6-8, 310-pounder, but he may more comfortable elsewhere. Virginia is a dark horse, but the Cougars have done well with recruits that are taking mission trips before starting their collegiate careers. That could be the case here for Gentry as well. SLIDE 3 of 15 (Photo: 247Sports) Notre Dame visited Ferndale (Wash.) high school four-star offensive lineman Geirean Hatchett recently and continues to try and get the 6-5, 275-pounder from the 2020 class back on campus. He was in South Bend once, enjoyed it, but never made it back. The staff hasn't given up completely yet and is hoping one more push results in an official visit. Washington is the perceived favorite per the 247Sports Crystal Ball. All eight predictions have him ending up with the Huskies, which makes sense as proximity is definitely in their favor. SLIDE 4 of 15 3.jpg (Photo: 247Sports) Notre Dame was set to land four-star offensive guard Zak Zinter during his last visit, but the staff is slowing things down with interior linemen recruiting and continues to focus its current attention on tackles. Zinter, a 6-6, 300-pounder, could play tackle at some places, but Notre Dame sees him as a guard and a very good one at that. He’ll take his official visit on June 21 and that likely will be the point where he either commits and is a take or the staff decides to hold off. If they decide to keep things slow, that likely will result in him heading elsewhere. We’ll see how things play out. It’s definitely an intriguing recruitment to keep an eye on. SLIDE 5 of 15 4.jpg (Photo: 247Sports) Notre Dame likes four-star offensive guard / center Reece Atteberry a ton. The 6-5, 280-pounder has been on the board for a long time and the staff never stopped heavily recruiting him, which has the Irish in the mix at the top. They see him as a center or guard at the next level. This is clearly a Notre Dame-Ohio State battle. The Buckeyes were concerned about him slipping away, so they moved up his official visit to June 14. Following his visit to Florida on June 7, he’ll head to Columbus the next weekend and then Notre Dame after that. I’m starting to like this one for the Irish with each passing day. In all reality, a class of Tosh Baker, Michael Carmody and Atteberry, when you look at what the staff did in 2019 and could do in 2021, is truly an embarrassment of riches. SLIDE 6 of 15 5.JPG (Photo: 247Sports) Four-star offensive guard Jonah Monheim hasn’t locked anything in with Notre Dame. He’s being targeted, the staff continues to have dialogue with him, but others are clearly higher on the board as of today. In all reality, I’m not sure the staff will eventually host him before wrapping up this 2020 class. If the staff does, he’d surely be a great consolation prize. However, most expect him to remain out west, especial now that Stanford is on his offer list. SLIDE 7 of 15 6.JPG (Photo: 247Sports) Four-star offensive tackle Tosh Baker committed to Notre Dame and is completely locked in. Getting the 6-8, 275-pounder locked in before the start of his senior season is huge news for the Fighting Irish. The staff couldn’t be higher on this young man and believes he has day one potential down the road when looking at his longterm projection. Despite the heavy-hitters coming after him, offensive line coach Jeff Quinn got this one done. Huge get. SLIDE 8 of 15 7.jpg (Photo: 247Sports) With those being the only ones with offers that are currently being targeted and the belief that this class can and will be wrapped up with that members of that group, let’s take a quick, early look at a couple of offensive linemen to know from the class of 2021. Fort Worth (Texas) All Saints Episcopal five-star offensive tackle Tommy Brockermeyer is the top ranked class of 2020 recruit with a Notre Dame offer. He checks in as the No. 3 overall player next cycle. He’s a Texas legacy so watch out for the Longhorns here, but Notre Dame will get a shot. He’s expected to visit this summer, likely in June. SLIDE 9 of 15 8.jpg (Photo: 247Sports) Clarkston (Mich.) high school four-star offensive tackle Garrett Dellinger is one of the most talented recruits in the 2021 class. Notre Dame has been on him for a long time. The Irish believe they have a definite shot to land him and have done a great job with his recruitment. This could be shaping up to be a Notre Dame-Michigan battle. He’s expected on campus this summer. SLIDE 10 of 15 9.png (Photo: 247Sports) Clarkston (Mich.) high school is also home to four-star offensive tackle Rocco Spindler, who is arguably the top target on the board for the Fighting Irish. The staff believes he has potentially more upside than any prospect in the country. His two-way talent is second to none, but the staff is likely leaning toward trying to add him along the offensive line at this point. Like with his best friend and teammate Dellinger, this recruitment could come down to Notre Dame and Michigan. Spindler will be back in town this summer. SLIDE 11 of 15 (Photo: Landon Tengwall, 247Sports) Notre Dame is definitely the team to beat for Olney (Md.) Good Counsel four-star offensive tackle Landon Tengwall. The 6-6, 300-pounder visited this spring, fell in love with the school and program, thought about committing, then slowed things down. Penn State, Alabama and others will surely have a say in this recruitment before all is said and done, but it's hard to see him not eventually popping for the Fighting Irish. He really, really likes Quinn as a person and coach. SLIDE 12 of 15 10.jpg (Photo: 247Sports) One player that Notre Dame is in better shape for than some believe is Lititz (Pa.) Warwick four-star offensive tackle Nolan Rucci. While some believe Penn State is the team to beat because his parents went there and others see Wisconsin as the favorite because his brother goes there, keep an eye on the Fighting Irish. The 2021 target badly wanted this offer, loved the visit, has a great relationship with Quinn, and has high interest in the Irish. He’ll return this summer and then likely again in the fall. SLIDE 13 of 15 11.JPG (Photo: 247Sports) Notre Dame has a great shot to land the top in-state talent in Avon (Ind.) high school four-star offensive tackle Blake Fisher. He’s been to campus multiple times, knows how coveted he truly is by this coaching staff, and has already developed a good connection with some Notre Dame commits. Irish are going to be tough to beat here. SLIDE 14 of 15 12.jpg (Photo: 247Sports) Notre Dame just offered Fort Collins (Colo.) Fossil Ridge three-star offensive tackle Trey Zuhn and I’m told to keep an eye on him as a major riser in the rankings in the coming year. I’m told he’s a great talent and one that just lives in a smaller, less recognized area, which keeps him from having the offer list he should. This 2021 recruit is a target I’m told that should already have a couple of 247Sports Crystal Ball picks in favor of Notre Dame. Mine could come in soon. SLIDE 15 of 15 13.jpg (Photo: 247Sports) 10 COMMENTS Notre Dame already landed a commitment from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy offensive guard / center Greg Crippen. Ranked in the Top247, he wasted little time jumping on an early offer from the Fighting Irish. Crippen is a strong start to what is expected to be a great 2021 offensive line class for Notre Dame. that being said, i'd still rather have Tosh than any of those guys, including Brockenmeyer
Coach D's updated commit rankings Spoiler BGI Big Board: 2020 Commits Bryan Driskell • BlueAndGold.com @BGI_CoachD Get a FREE 30-day trial using promo code BGI30 Notre Dame has put together back-to-back strong recruiting classes, and now it is looking to take things to the next level with the 2020 class. Filling up so early with the 2019 class put the Irish staff in position to get off to a fast start, and it certainly did so, landing five commitments by February. How effectively the staff can build on the strong early foundation will determine if Notre Dame can put together a truly elite class. Notre Dame goes into this class not facing many needs from a numbers standpoint. Rather, the roster is strong from a depth standpoint, and now the staff must focus on adding more impact talent to the roster, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The list above comes from the grades each player received based on his projection from junior film plus his upside grade. Each player is graded out on eight different position specific categories plus an upside grade. POS - Refers to the position the player was recruited to play at Notre Dame. BGI - Refers to the current ranking based on skills and production up to this point. UPSIDE - Refers to the potential the player possesses if he taps into his full potential. RANGE - Refers to the approximate range I believe each player would rank if my grade for him was projected onto a national ranking. Below is a breakdown of each player. 1. JORDAN JOHNSON, WR 59 NATIONAL 1 STATE 13 POSITION JORDAN JOHNSON RANK 5.9 6'2" | 182 LBS | WR DESMET ST. LOUIS, MO CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 4/6/2019 NOTRE DAME BGI Grade: 4.5 (Top 50 caliber prospect) Upside Grade: 5.0 The Fighting Irish coaches are looking to add more impact players on offense, and Johnson is absolutely that kind of player. The Spartans star finished the 2018 season with 28 receptions for 721 yards and nine touchdowns. His 25.8 yards per catch average as a junior showed a player with big-play ability, and the film backs that up. Johnson doesn’t have elite size, but he has more than enough length to play any receiver position in the Irish offense. Despite being listed just above 180 pounds, Johnson is a physical football player when he wants to be, and his potential to be a strong run blocker and physical player in the pass game is high. Athletically there is a lot to like about Johnson’s game. Johnson shows a strong burst off the line, and his second gear is outstanding. Johnson has impressive foot quickness and agility, which combines nicely with his balance and body control to give him a borderline elite athletic grade. He flashes top-level suddenness, which plays into his upside grade. Johnson has the trifecta of talent needed for an impact wide receiver. He has good size, he’s a top-notch athlete and his pass catching skills are impressive. Johnson has strong hands, which allows him to make difficult catches, especially down the field. Johnson attacks the football well once he gets out of routes and he extends his hands well to the football. Johnson is a vertical threat due to his speed and athletic skills, but just as important he tracks the deep ball extremely well, which allows him to maximize his speed when the ball is in the air. Everything he does when he attacks the football is efficient and fast, which makes it extremely hard for defenders to play his eyes, hands or body when he has a step on them. These are very important traits for an elite pass catcher. Johnson has good body control and balance, traits that are also important for being an effective one-on-one pass catcher. 2018 Junior Season Highlights 2. MICHAEL MAYER, TE 126 NATIONAL 2 STATE 3 POSITION MICHAEL MAYER RANK 5.9 6'5" | 215 LBS | TE COVINGTON CATHOLIC ALEXANDRIA, KY CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 7/1/2018 NOTRE DAME BGI Grade: 4.0 (Top 100 caliber prospect) Upside Grade: 5.0 Offers: Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas, LSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, Nebraska, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Purdue, Minnesota, Vanderbilt Mayer is a unique athlete with tremendous upside. In his last two seasons at Covington Catholic, Mayer has been named an all-state wide receiver, defensive end and linebacker. Mayer has excellent size and already knows how to use it as a weapon as both an offensive and defensive player. He could easily be a Power 5 caliber defensive end if he wanted to play defense, but his upside as a tight end is truly special. Despite his size (he's closer to 240 pounds than 215 pounds), Mayer is a nimble athlete with top-notch long speed. That long speed makes him a deep threat at the prep level, and if he can make some technical adjustments and improve his initial start his ability to work down the field will take off. Mayer thrives against the zone, showing the ability to work himself free and find spots spots. He has the athleticism to become a top-notch route runner in time, and the better his routes improve the harder he'll be to defend. Although his size and athleticism are impressive, it is his pass catching ability that makes him such a dynamic player and top prospect. Mayer's length, balance and flexibility give him a tremendous catching radius. His ability to easily flip his hips and snatch poorly thrown balls out of the air is elite. Mayer attacks the ball effectively on the intermediate throws and tracks the deep ball well. Mayer is a competitive blocker that gets after it in the run game, and he's just now starting to fill out his frame. He plays with good pad level and keeps a good base when engaged. He literally has everything you want in an elite tight end. He has size, length, strength, athleticism, blocking skills and top pass catching ability. The scary thing is he's not even close to tapping into his full potential. Junior Season Highlights 3. TOSH BAKER, OT 51 NATIONAL 2 STATE 0" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 10px; width: 7px; background: url("https://cdn.rivals.com/production/a...bfb264f545034d3f8a342e9632778ca65a3af8278.svg") left center no-repeat; margin-bottom: 3px;"> 9 POSITION TOSH BAKER RANK 6.0 6'8" | 275 LBS | OT PINNACLE PHOENIX, AZ CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 5/8/2019 NOTRE DAME BGI Grade: 4.0 (Top 100 caliber prospect) Upside Grade: 5.0 Offers: Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, USC, Washington, Texas A&M, Auburn, Stanford, Michigan, Miami (Fla.), Utah, Nebraska, UCLA, Oregon, Oklahoma State, Washington State, Northwestern, Duke, North Carolina, Purdue, Arizona, Arizona State, Kansas State, California, Colorado, Vanderbilt, Indiana, Oregon State Offensive line coach Jeff Quinn got on Baker before the Pinnacle blocker became a national recruit, and it paid off in a big way for the Irish. Right now Baker is far from a finished product, but from an upside standpoint he has as much ability as any offensive tackle to sign with Notre Dame during the Brian Kelly era. At 6-8 and 275 pounds, Baker has truly elite size potential. He’s still on the thin side, and with him playing basketball that will continue to be the case while he’s in high school, and I think that’s a good thing. Baker must make sure he doesn’t put on too much weight too soon, which would likely result in him slowing down. If he lets it happen naturally he’s going to blow up and be well over 310 pounds and still be athletic. You can see Baker’s athleticism when he pass blocks, and you can see it on the basketball court, where he is the starting center for the Pinnacle state championship squad. He’s a nimble big man with good lateral quickness, good change of direction skills and he’s quicker than he looks. His length allows him to dominate in pass pro at the prep level, which we saw last year when he completely shut down four-star defensive end Bralen Trice, who signed with Washington. Baker won’t ever be a dominant run blocker like Mike McGlinchey was, but with increased strength, better pad level and more maturity as a player he could certainly be every bit as good as Ronnie Stanley was in this regard. But Baker also has Stanley’s elite pass blocking potential. If he can tap into that at the next level, Baker could end up as the best player in this class, which is saying something. Junior Season Highlights 4. RYLIE MILLS, DE 155 NATIONAL 0" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 10px; width: 7px; background: url("https://cdn.rivals.com/production/a...bfb264f545034d3f8a342e9632778ca65a3af8278.svg") left center no-repeat; margin-bottom: 3px;"> 3 STATE 10 POSITION RYLIE MILLS RANK 5.8 6'5" | 270 LBS | SDE LAKE FOREST LAKE FOREST, IL CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 5/6/2019 NOTRE DAME BGI Grade: 4.0 Upside Grade: 4.5 Offers: Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Florida, Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Tennessee, Iowa, West Virginia, Northwestern, Iowa State, Purdue, Virginia, Minnesota, Boston College, Duke, Vanderbilt, Indiana, Illinois, Rutgers Mills has been high on the board for Notre Dame for over a year, and defensive line coach Mike Elstonhas worked hard to add Mills to the class. A versatile defender that could thrive in a number of alignments, Mills brings the size/strength/athleticism combination that Notre Dame wants to add more of to its defense. Beating out Ohio State and Wisconsin for his commitment was significant for the Irish staff. Mills plays outside and inside for Lake Forest, and he could get his start at end for Notre Dame. Mills projects as a more athletic version of Jay Hayes as a strongside end, where he has the power and length to set the edge at a high level, and he's athletic enough to be a factor off the edge against the pass. Notre Dame could easily keep Mills around the 270-pound range he currently checks in at, streamline his body and allow him to develop into a potentially dominant edge run defender. Should Mills be allowed to keep filling out his frame he could easily slide inside, where he projects to have a game similar to former Notre Dame All-American Jerry Tillery. While his game projects best as a run defender at end, Mills could be a potential difference maker as a pass rusher inside while still having the disruptive potential against the run. At the very least, Mills could become an inside pass rusher in nickel packages should Notre Dame choose to keep him on the edge on base downs. That kind of versatility only adds to Mills' recruiting profile. It's not easy to find a player that has the skills to be an impact player both outside and inside of a four-down defense. It also makes it easier for him to find a home much faster than he would if he was pigeon-holed into one position. Picking up the Lake Forest defender was a major boost to the 2020 class along the line and as a whole. Junior Season Highlights 5. JORDAN BOTELHO, DE (Drop) - NATIONAL 1 STATE 24 POSITION JORDAN BOTELHO RANK 5.8 6'3" | 230 LBS | OLB ST. LOUIS HONOLULU, HI CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 4/18/2019 NOTRE DAME BGI Grade: 4.0 Upside Grade: 4.5 Offers: Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, LSU, USC, Washington, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Oregon, Utah, UCLA, Washington State, Ole Miss, Arizona State, Colorado, California, Kansas State and Oregon State. The St. Louis standout is a dominant pass rusher at the prep level, and he also has experience dropping into coverage, two very important traits for a drop. The 230-pound standout is a physical defender that plays with an excellent motor. He shows a good burst off the line and top-notch agility and balance, traits that should allow him to develop a strong pass rush repertoire in college. Right now he mostly gets by on speed, strength and a nice rip move, but his game will really explode once he expands his bag of tricks. He’ll need to add some weight, but Botelho has the frame for the position and won’t need to get too big, as we saw with Julian Okwara the last couple of seasons. The reason is he’s already a powerful defender that plays with good pad level, a strong base and shows the ability to take on blocks. He can anchor when setting the edge and he shows a knack for quick block destruction. Botelho is a rangy athlete that ran a 4.2 in the pro shuttle as a sophomore, which is outstanding for a player his size. You can see that quickness on film, which combines with good speed and above-average length to make him a rangy defender. Once he moves exclusively to the boundary (he plays a lot to the field in high school) his athleticism will play up even more. While he doesn’t have an extensive coverage background, he isn’t foreign to it either. He picked off two passes last season and shows the ability to quickly get into drops, to read the quarterback and to jump quick routes. His size, foot quickness, loose hips, balance and ability to quickly close on the football also project well to the Mike linebacker position. From an athletic standpoint I could absolutely see Botelho inside as well, and his physicality would play up quite well at the position as well. That positional flexibility only adds to his value as a recruit. Junior Season Highlights 6. DREW PYNE, QB 72 NATIONAL 1 STATE 5 POSITION DREW PYNE RANK 5.9 6'1" | 175 LBS | PRO QB NEW CANAAN NEW CANAAN, CT CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 4/16/2018 NOTRE DAME BGI Grade: 4.0 Upside Grade: 4.5 Offers: Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida State, LSU, Auburn, Michigan, Texas A&M, Penn State, Tennessee, Miami (Fla.), Virginia Tech, Boston College, Missouri, South Carolina, Baylor, Arizona, Maryland, Ole Miss, North Carolina Pyne is an experienced and highly productive quarterback that fits what offensive coordinator Chip Long wants in a quarterback. During his three-year starting career, Pyne has passed for 7,304 yards and 81 touchdowns while adding 923 rushing yards and 12 more scores on the ground. Lacking ideal size, Pyne has the other tools that allow him to thrive as a passer. The New Canaan standout has an extremely quick, compact release that is easily repeatable. Pyne shows a good feel for the pass game, making good reads for such a young player and a strong feel for ball placement. All of these skills make him an accurate quarterback, and there is still room for him to enhance this part of his game. At times he doesn't always show the timing I'd like and his anticipation on routes working over the middle could use work, but these are expected for a young player. Pyne doesn't have the big-time power arm that you usually see from top-ranked quarterbacks. The ball doesn't explode out of his hand, and right now he can't make the far-field throws as easily as some of the bigger, stronger-armed quarterbacks in his class. But his body is still developing and he has a lot more room for growth and added strength than the players with stronger arms. There is room for his arm to continue to get stronger, especially as he develops his lower body more. Getting the ball out so quickly helps Pyne overcome some of that lack of power. The more his timing improves the better this becomes. Combine that with expected gains in size and strength, and I anticipate arm strength not being an issue for Pyne by the time he is ready to compete for the starting spot at Notre Dame. Junior Season Highlights 7. KEVIN BAUMAN, TE 111 NATIONAL 0" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 10px; width: 7px; background: url("https://cdn.rivals.com/production/a...bfb264f545034d3f8a342e9632778ca65a3af8278.svg") left center no-repeat; margin-bottom: 3px;"> 2 STATE 2 POSITION KEVIN BAUMAN RANK 5.9 6'5" | 225 LBS | TE RED BANK CATHOLIC RED BANK, NJ CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 6/13/2018 NOTRE DAME BGI Grade: 4.0 Upside Grade: 4.5 Offers: Michigan, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Boston College, Northwestern, Syracuse, UCF, West Virginia, North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Rutgers There is a lot to like about Bauman's game, and he's not even close to being as good as he's capable of becoming. The first thing that stands out about Bauman is his size. He has throwback size, possessing top-level length and a thick frame. He should be an easy 250-plus pounds when it's all said and done. Bauman has long arms and uses his length in the pass game to give his quarterback a big catch radius. Bauman gets off the line really well and shows good downfield speed. He gets to top speed in a hurry and accelerates well, which allows him to separate when working vertical routes and across the field. Bauman is a good route runner that shows the foot quickness and hip flexibility to accelerate out of his breaks, and his ability to accelerate into open areas is impressive. Bauman really shows a natural feel for working open as both a route runner vs. man coverage and to find open spots against the zone. Bauman has excellent hands and ball skills. He catches the ball cleanly, shows good extension and he tracks the deep ball well. The Red Bank Catholic standout attacks the ball well and shows top-notch concentration when having to catch the ball in traffic. Bauman has good strength for a young player, especially with his upper body, but he doesn't use it as effectively as he needs to in the run game. You see his strength on defense, but on offense he has to become a more physical blocker. Bauman has to improve his pad level and strike more effectively in the run game. He doesn't grade out very well in the run game now, but the tools are there for him to excellent down the road if he's willing to work and become more forceful as a blocker. If his run blocking improves as a senior he should climb up the board. Junior Season Highlights 8. AIDAN KEANAAINA, DT - NATIONAL 2 STATE 19 POSITION AIDAN KEANAAINA RANK 5.8 6'3" | 305 LBS | DT MULLEN BRIGHTON, CO CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 2/13/2019 NOTRE DAME BGI Grade: 4.0 Upside Grade: 4.5 Offers: Ohio State, Florida, Michigan, USC, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Iowa, Utah, Purdue, UCLA, Virginia, Arizona State, Kansas State, California, Vanderbilt Keanaaina fills a major need for Notre Dame in the 2020 class. The Irish have done quite well recruiting defensive tackles in recent seasons, but landing a big, thick, run-stopping nose tackle was something the depth chart needed to pair with 2019 signee Jacob Lacey . Keanaaina is that kind of player. Listed at just 285 pounds, Keanaaina is likely closer to 300-plus pounds, and his body has been completely reshaped the last year, with him working off some bad upper body weight. The Mullen standout is a power player first and foremost. He has a thick, squatty build with a powerful lower body. When he keeps his base and anchors, Keanaaina is hard to move, and he is able to take on double teams and hold his ground. When he gets moving forward he's a bull, possessing the power to push his way into the backfield. Keanaaina has strong hands, and his ability to lock blockers out and keep them off his body is quite impressive for such a young player. Obviously Keanaaina needs more technical work, as all young players do, but he's advanced for his age. He understands the important aspects of playing high-level line play no defense: hand play, base, leverage, moving his feet. With even more work in the weight room and continued development of his hand speed and technique, Keanaaina is going to become an even more disruptive player. At this point he's a run defender first and foremost, and that's what Notre Dame needs, but Keanaaina doesn't grade out this well just because he can hold his ground and eat up double teams. He projects to be a more disruptive nose tackle than what Notre Dame had in 2018. His ability to disengage and close on the ball is impressive, and he shows a nice burst off the line, which combines with his good pad level to allow Keanaaina to push his way into the backfield. It also allows him to collapse the middle of the pocket as a pass rusher. Junior Season Highlights 9. ALEXANDER EHRENSBERGER, DE - NATIONAL - STATE - POSITION ALEXANDER EHRENSBERGER RANK 5.6 6'7" | 235 LBS | SDE FRYEBURG ACADEMY DUSSELDORF (GER), CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 1/31/2019 NOTRE DAME BGI Grade: 3.5 Upside Grade: 4.5 Offers: Buffalo, Old Dominion, Florida International Ehrensberger's body and game exploded over the last year. He is listed at 6-7 and 225 pounds, but there is still a significant amount of growth potential left in his body, which is why Ehrensberger projects as a strongside end in the Notre Dame defense. The German end has a lot to learn in regards to technique and fundamentals, but you can see on his highlight clip that he knows how important hand play and pad level are to his game. With time in a college strength program and with Elston's tutelage from a fundamentals standpoint he should become a powerful all-around player on the strongside. Ehrenberger shows an impressive burst off the edge. He comes off low, quickly gets into the backfield and is disruptive as a pass rusher and run blocker. The motor he plays with on the backside is impressive, and his fast/strong hands allow him to dominate his club league in Germany. He shows a natural feel on the edge against the pass, which includes the ability to rush the quarterback and read quick throws, which allow him to use his length to be disruptive. At this point Ehrenberger is still on the raw side both physically and from a technique standpoint, 2018 Season Highlights NR. ALEX PEITSCH, LS - NATIONAL - STATE - POSITION ALEX PEITSCH RANK N/A 6'2" | 220 LBS | ATH ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE HIGH WASHINGTON, DC CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 4/24/2019 NOTRE DAME Peitsch has impressive film, but I would prefer to allow Kohl's Kicking - the foremost authority on special teams - to break down his game. "Peitsch has put himself in a league of his own and is truly one of the most impressive snappers we have ever seen. He snaps a consistent ball that is unmatched by anyone else in the country. Peitsch recently competed against the best 2020 snappers at our Underclassman Challenge and was unbeaten. Through all of the Kohl's National Ranking Camps, Peitsch has finished with the top overall charting score for all ages. He has a great frame and has shown the ability to cover down field. Peitsch is one of the best high school snappers Kohl's has ever seen and will be a day one starter for any program in America." - Kohl's Kicking ---- he also added this note: My ranking system is a little different. I don't look at NFL upside and projection, and Baker's raw traits are why he has a 5-star upside and why he's No. 1 on the upside board, but the "current grade" has him a little lower. He'd likely be No. 1 or No. 2 on the board if the upside grade was factored in, which I don't do until the very end.
Lol Henning is probably going to Michigan and coach d is losing it “hope he enjoys getting curb stomped by OSU for four years and winning the same number of conference championsips he would win at Nd”. Take a lap bro.
A guy people thought Nd could not lose but he never showed too much interest and when these things drag it usually means he is going elsewhere https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/aj-henning-204927
It’s not great if Nd loses him but I am not too bummed about it. Tyree is way more important. And I bet Nd gets another shot with a good season Same with jimmy Christ
If coachd is losing his shit it’s because he knows something. The guy is a nut job, he is way too sensitive to keep a secret
They are currently Bo Pelini Nebraska stick in purgatory Michigan really needs to break through this year with Shea in year 2
rick mirer's son (mo) scored 4 goals today (had 4 on the season coming in) as ND dominated Johns Hopkins to advance in the lax tournament. face Duke next Saturday at 230 EDT
and the story of the day was this kid ryder garnsey. was out top scorer last year, but missed the whole season after he didn't make grades in the fall. because they finished finals on friday and he did well enough in the classroom this semester, he was able to play. ended with 3 goals and an assist, including this one
Lacrosse has gone in, love it. Bringing a kid from the rafters after having grade issues is not the ND I knew.
Bill Connelly has his Notre Dame preview up: https://www.sbnation.com/college-fo...re-dame-football-2019-preview-schedule-roster
Loy with CBs for Atteberry and Cullen Coleman I watched Cullen's film for the first time, it seriously looks like Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl the way he runs away from kids and destroys them Loy also posted the following on Henning: Dialogue remains positive between Notre Dame and the elite receiver from Illinois. No question the Irish staff is still pushing hard for him. Chip Long, Del Alexander and even Tommy Rees are working hard for the Irish here. Long will be in to see him early next week. The belief remains that he will end up in the Midwest at either Notre Dame or Michigan. Illinois is a clear dark horse here and has done a great job getting him to consider the home school. I’m not changing my pick from ND yet. I don’t see a reason to at this point. I will say that ND is in a much better spot for Xavier Watts than most believe and a potential commitment from him could make things very interesting on the Henning front. I also believe landing Chris Tyree would make ND even more appealing for a player like Henning. Just needs to let things play out a little more.
Watched Coleman's tape and he reminds me so much of T.J. Duckett I watched him murder fools in HS. My idiot cousin's claim to fame is he was basically the one guy who could tackle him from our HS. But he just destroyed people and it looked so much like that.
Isn’t Coleman playing against prep school kids in upstate NY? He’s clearly the biggest and fastest kid on the field at all times.
Watched that kids tape. I liked how they put a circle around him before every play, like I wouldn't have figured out who I was supposed to be looking at.
forgot to post the Gold Standard yesterday Spoiler The Gold Standard is Blue & Gold's all new recruiting piece, which will run every Monday morning. Expect significant Notre Dame recruiting scoop in every edition from insiders EJ Holland and Mike Singer. Here is the second edition. Npeuu6vtjo5lnwfiazxd Insider Nuggets From Arizona *** Notre Dame was the early leader for four-star Salpointe Catholic (Ariz.) defensive back Lathan Ransom. However, the dynamics of his recruitment have changed over the last several months as he’s started to garner even more attention and make other visits. From talking to several sources, I’m told Ransom has been a bit overwhelmed by the process and recently had some trouble mapping things out. However, Ransom is a smart kid, and it looks like he’s getting his visits in line and knows what he wants in a program. Ransom is looking at a late decision, but the six schools I feel he is focused on are LSU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Texas, Florida and Ohio State. *** Ransom has already made official visits to Oklahoma and LSU. While Oklahoma should be feeling pretty decent, I feel like LSU should be considered the leader for Ransom at this point in the process. I’m told the Tigers made a huge impression during that April official visit and that Ransom was blown away by the idea of playing down south in the SEC for a program known as DBU. The trip couldn’t have gone better for LSU. Notre Dame and Ohio State will both receive official visits next month, while Florida will likely be his final visit. Texas is hosting Ransom for a multi-day unofficial visit at the end of this month. *** As we first reported, Ransom will be making his official visit to Notre Dame the weekend of June 7. This is going to be a huge opportunity for the Irish to move back up in his recruitment. Right now, I would say Notre Dame is running around third. Again, it is imperative for Notre Dame to leave a lasting impact on Ransom and his family. It should be noted that Ransom’s mother, Linda, has not been to South Bend. The OV will be her first time on campus. 63 NATIONAL 5 STATE 5 POSITION LATHAN RANSOM RANK 5.9 6'1" | 185 LBS | S SALPOINTE TUCSON, AZ CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** Speaking of Linda, I caught up with her while in Phoenix, and this is what she had to say about Notre Dame, and the recruiting process: “Football will only last for so long, and his body will only hold up for so long, so he knows it’s about academics and going to a place where he feels comfortable. It’s mainly academics because he has to think bigger picture. I haven’t personally visited Notre Dame, but I’m looking forward to going out there as a family for his official visit. I’m just interested to see what they have to offer and what his reaction is. It’s a good school, but I’ll know, as a mom, if he likes it after the visit. It’s mainly about him.” *** Salponte Catholic (Ariz.) head coach Dennis Bene had this to say about Ransom: “He’s a person of the highest character. He has tremendous work ethic. He’s the type of kid that makes us successful. He’s really quality on and off the field, and I couldn’t be more proud of him as a person and as a player.” I recently spoke to a Power Five coach that told me he believes Ransom could be a playmaker as a true freshman wherever he lands. Needless to say, Ransom is a must-get. *** Ransom is now the big focus in Arizona as the Irish landed a verbal commitment from elite Pinnacle (Ariz.) offensive lineman Tosh Baker. As we reported, both Jeff Quinn and Del Alexander visited Baker at his school on Monday. Baker actually gave Notre Dame a silent commitment soon after and made his decision public a couple of days later. Baker had been leaning towards Notre Dame for a couple of months and knew it was the right place for him. He has already established contact with Ransom and is going to recruit him hard throughout the process. 51 NATIONAL 2 STATE 9 POSITION TOSH BAKER RANK 6.0 6'8" | 275 LBS | OT PINNACLE PHOENIX, AZ CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 5/8/2019 NOTRE DAME *** For Baker, the decision to pick Notre Dame was a family one. I caught up with Baker’s father, Danny, who had this to say about the Irish: “As a parent, you’re just blessed to be considered by a school like Notre Dame. It’s a phenomenal school. The coaches at Notre Dame are solid. We have a great relationship with them. Coach Quinn is your prototypical offensive line guy, and he’s put together a great program there with the Joe Moore Award winners over the last couple of years. You have to respect a guy that’s done it at such a high level for a long time.” *** Notre Dame quarterback commit Drew Pyne made Baker a top priority and did his part to help land the premier tackle. Needless to say, Pyne was thrilled about Baker’s verbal pledge: “I went on a visit with him, and we talked a lot. He’s a really athletic guy. He plays center for a really good basketball team. He’s a big guy. He’s 6-foot-8. I’m really excited for him and his future at Notre Dame.” (Holland) Latest On Defensive Back Recruiting *** We all know that Ransom is a priority in the secondary, but defensive back recruiting continues to be one of the more intriguing storylines of the recruiting cycle. Of course, the Irish will continue to push for four-star La Habra (Calif.) cornerback Clark Phillips. He recently named Notre Dame in his final five and is in the process of setting up his official visit. Anything can happen in that recruitment. *** Notre Dame came down to Texas and put an offer on the table for Lufkin defensive back Jerrin Thompson. A versatile prospect, Thompson can play multiple positions in the secondary and immediately caught Notre Dame’s attention during Todd Lyght’s stop last week. Arkansas and LSU are considered leaders, but Thompson is already set to make an official visit next month — June 21 is likely. *** There are several other options in the Lone Star State and as we first reported, Terry Joseph will be in Texas to see them. Duncanville safety Chris Thompson is making his way to Notre Dame for an official visit on June 21, but that recruitment will be extremely tough to win. Texas should still be considered the leader. *** Arlington cornerback Jahari Rogers is intrigued by Notre Dame, but the Irish will have to fight to get an OV. Notre Dame is also looking to get The Colony safety Christian Gonzalez in for an OV. Gonzalez is still weighing all of his options and doesn’t really have a clear leader. Argyle Liberty Christian cornerback Collin Gamble remains an offer candidate and if a scholarship is extended, he will OV to South Bend. - NATIONAL 86 STATE - POSITION CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ RANK 5.5 6'1" | 180 LBS | CB THE COLONY THE COLONY, TX CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** Just across the Texas state border is Calvary Baptist (La.) safety Eric Reed. Lyght stopped by to see him last week, and I’m told the visit went well. Reed is considering Notre Dame for an official visit, and he has a good relationship with the coaching staff. Reed is quiet and doesn’t do many interviews, so his recruitment is hard to gauge. Still, Notre Dame is squarely in the mix here. Madison Prep (La.) cornerback Major Burns has Notre Dame in his Top 7, but the Irish are on the outside looking in for an OV at this time. *** Florida is home to two cornerback targets in Lovie Jenkins and Ethan Pouncey. Notre Dame is trending in the right direction for Jenkins and is set to host him for an official visit the weekend of June 21. The Irish are in a great position heading into his August decision timeframe. There is still work to do with Pouncey, but I’m told Notre Dame has made some progress since recently offering. Remember, Joseph was by to see both prospects last week. - NATIONAL - STATE - POSITION ETHAN POUNCEY RANK 5.5 6'2" | 160 LBS | CB WINTER PARK WINTER PARK, FL CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** In the Northeast, Bergen Catholic (N.J.) product Jordan Morant remains a top priority. Buzz around his recruitment favors Michigan. However, Michigan will get the first OV on June 21 and if Notre Dame can weather the storm, it may have a decent chance of turning the tide. After all, Morant is looking at a fall official visit for Notre Dame and isn’t making a decision until January. Notre Dame has been making some headway since hosting him for an unofficial visit last month. Recently offered cornerback Clarence Lewis is another New Jersey prospect on the board. Look for him to visit this summer. *** Rivals100 athlete Kristian Story out of Lanett (Ala.) and Landen Bartleson out of Boyle County (Ky.) are both slated to officially visit Notre Dame on June 21. Notre Dame is definitely in the mix with both, but it will be interesting to see just where the Irish stand following their trips. Recent offer Cameron Martinez from Muskegon (MI) is also looking to make a trip to South Bend this summer and is one we are going to continue to monitor closely. *** And don’t forget about West Bloomfield (MI) safety Makari Paige. He is keeping in contact with the Notre Dame staff and is considering the Irish for an official visit. I will have more from him in coming days. (Holland) Singer's Quick Hitters *** Following Chester Thomas Dale (Va.) running back Chris Tyree's visit to Oklahoma, our own Bryan Driskell still felt strongly that Notre Dame still led for Tyree, while other outlets felt that the Sooners became the team to beat, and many predictions for Oklahoma soon followed. After conversations with sources in the past week, the consensus is that Notre Dame is out in front. *** I talked with a source on the Oklahoma side of things, and what I was told is the Sooners fired their best shot with Tyree during his visit, so much so that he was on the verge of committing. When Tyree went home without committing, it gave Notre Dame its shot to get back on track, and now a month later, sources on both the Notre Dame and Oklahoma side feel that the Fighting Irish hold the lead, and it continues to grow. Alabama is still in the mix due to his relationship with RB coach Charles Huff, but I don't peg them as much of a threat for Notre Dame unless he sets up an official visit. 60 NATIONAL 2 STATE 1 POSITION CHRIS TYREE RANK 5.9 5'10" | 185 LBS | APB THOMAS DALE CHESTER, VA CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** Lake Forest (Ill.) High School defensive lineman Rylie Mills committed to the Notre Dame staff several days before announcing the news on social media. I was told that as soon as he committed, Mills started recruiting his good friend Braiden McGregor. Mills wants McGregor to be Notre Dame's next commitment, but I don't see McGregor making a pledge to a school until after his Florida visit on May 18. This is still very much a Notre Dame-Michigan battle, but multiple BGI sources are more confident in Notre Dame’s chances today than they were a couple of weeks ago. *** News came out recently from the Penn State Rivals site that Akron (Ohio) Hoban running back DeaMonte Trayanum had official visits planned to Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin and Arizona State. Notre Dame had been in strong position with Trayanum just a month prior, so that news initially came as a bit of a surprise. Trayanum even told me that he’s not looking to take a fifth official visit. Talking to sources about why the Irish faded, and it seems like Notre Dame has narrowed down its running back board, and Trayanum did not make the cut. (Singer) West Coast Note *** We are told that Notre Dame is making 2021 California wide receivers Beaux Collins and Cristian Dixon top priorities for next cycle and that the Irish are already strong contenders. BGI's EJ Holland will be out in California to see both this week as well as targets like Clark Phillips, Jalen McMillan and Ben Yurosek.
just out of curiousity - which trio would you prefer along the oline #1 - Baker, Carmody, and Atteberry #2 - Christ, Skoronski, Carmody I would vote for #1 w/o a doubt since Baker was the clear need and best talent
Some interesting comments on the II podcast yesterday about Christ and Baker. Apparently ND thought Christ was the better prospect, and the II guys weren't super high on Baker. Not saying he was overrated or anything, but didn't talk about him in the 5-star context like I would have expected them to.
Outside of ND recruiting but does anyone know about Julian Fleming. Looks to be Ohio State over PSU at this point. I thought the kid would be a lock to go to PSU being so close and I thought I read his GF goes there. Pelican
Think it came down to OSU and Clemson but he is basically BFFs with our WR coach so that's why he's going to OSU.
I heard that today too. I'm not sure if the II guys are the ones I would go to for world class film evaluation, but did catch me off guard a little bit too.