35, but I have my buddy introducing and That is in essence an outline. I tend to overtalk, so I tried to keep this shortish. Edit. I also hope for a Q&A.
You could work in that Justin Trudeau is a theatre major. Not sure how or when though since I don’t have any theatrical skills
Hemboldt - Rivals Midwest Guy - just CB'd him to ND...I'd say that's a pretty significant pick since he's neutral
Loy tonight on McGregor: Like I’ve said for a while, I still think Notre Dame leads and Michigan is playing catch-up, but if he can’t pull the trigger and make a decision, something is clearly missing. Elston is still plugging away, but if McGregor feels the need to get back to Notre Dame and Michigan another time, anything can happen.
umm...yes please Spoiler Notre Dame currently has eight prospects committed from the class of 2020 and the group is ranked No. 13 nationally according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Let’s take a look ahead and identify the best bets to end up in Notre Dame’s 2020 class. Not only will I list all five and provide some background, I’ll even rank them with No. 1 being the most likely to end up Irish and No. 5 being the least likely (of the best bets) to land at Notre Dame. No. 5 — Defensive end Braiden McGregor This will probably surprise some people, but I genuinely believe Notre Dame still leads for the Michigan native. I am confident that defensive line coach Mike Elston has done a great job with this elite pass-rusher and his efforts, relationship and honest approach will be the tipping point. McGregor also has a great connection with others that are already in Notre Dame’s class and some that will eventually be Irish. If this works out on both sides here, I still believe Notre Dame lands him. He’s being treated as a need, not just a want. That helps as well. 247Sports Ranking: No. 27 overall, No. 3 strong side defensive end, No. 1 recruit in Michigan 247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 87 overall, No. 5 strong side defensive end, No. 3 recruit in Michigan No. 4 — Running back Chris Tyree I’m kind of surprised that I have him on this list. He was a done deal to Oklahoma after that official visit. That was it. He was not even going to visit Notre Dame for his June official visit. However, after talking more with his parents and his coach, as well as the Notre Dame coaching staff, all bets are off as to where he’s going to land. In fact, the momentum is definitely in favor of the Fighting Irish heading into his official visit on June 21. Oklahoma is always going to be a threat and Alabama, due to running backs coach Charles Huff, is a major player as well, but I like Notre Dame as of today. 247Sports Ranking: No. 51 overall player, No. 1 all-purpose back, No. 1 recruit in Virginia 247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 29 overall player, No. 1 all-purpose back, No. 1 recruit in Virginia No. 3 — Cornerback Landen Bartleson Notre Dame surged ahead in this recruitment when the staff started to turn up the heat. I’m confident in reporting that the Irish lead as of today and could push even further ahead with a good official visit in June. Barring a change of heart or the Irish no longer pushing, it’s hard to see Bartleson ending up anywhere else. The staff loves the young man, believes he is a terrific fit, and thinks he has the speed and length to be a very good defensive back in time. 247Sports Ranking: No. 455 overall player, No. 37 running back (cornerback for Notre Dame), No. 5 recruit in Kentucky 247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 769 overall player, No. 56 running back (cornerback for Notre Dame), No. 9 recruit in Kentucky No. 2 — Defensive tackle Rylie Mills I’d be shocked if Notre Dame didn’t eventually land the big-time talent from Illinois. Ohio State and Wisconsin continue to make it very close, but Notre Dame genuinely hits on all of the boxes that Mills is looking for in a school. He’s looking for a blend of athletics and academics, while majoring in business, and Notre Dame is tough to beat when pairing all three facets. 247Sports Ranking: No. 170 overall player, No. 8 strong-side defensive end, No. 2 recruit in Illinois 247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 122 overall player, No. 8 strong-side defensive end, No. 2 recruit in Illinois No. 1 — Offensive tackle Tosh Baker I feel confident that Notre Dame lands the elite offensive tackle from Arizona is the very near future. I have zero concerns about his eventual landing spot. Offensive line coach Jeff Quinn has done a tremendous job with this prospect. He’ll be at the high school again on Monday and the hope is that by the end of next week, Baker is locked in with the Fighting Irish. 247Sports Ranking: No. 41 overall player, No. 4 offensive tackle, No. 3 prospect in Arizona 247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 57 overall player, No. 7 offensive tackle, No. 3 prospect in Arizona
BGI friday recruiting nuggets Spoiler After spending the week on the road in Central Florida and talking to various sources, I have some detailed recruiting nuggets for subscribers to feast on. *** Obviously, Chris Tyree is at the top of Notre Dame’s running back board. This has been mentioned several times at BGI, but the Irish would like to add a quicker, more dynamic back (like Tyree) and pair him with a bigger, physical back. The top options for the bigger back are Tirek Murphy and DeaMontae Trayanum. Both Tyree and Trayanum will be officially visiting Notre Dame for the weekend of June 21-23. (Smart move, Notre Dame coaches.) Another big back name I continue to hear good things about is Cullen Coleman, who could play DE at a high level in college, but the Irish are willing to give him a shot in the offensive backfield. And then there are still really good options such as Kyle Edwards, Trey Benson, and Marshawn Lloyd (although the latter is probably long shot). In terms of where Notre Dame stands with Tyree and Trayanum, I’m only hearing good things, but a source noted to me what’s obvious yet still very important -- that Notre Dame and running backs coach Lance Taylor have a lot of work to do to seal the deal and close on them. The best case scenario for Notre Dame at running back would be landing Tyree and Trayanum or Murphy. - NATIONAL - STATE - POSITION LOVIE JENKINS RANK 5.6 6'1" | 180 LBS | ATH OCOEE OCOEE, FL CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** I’ve been hearing that Ocoee (Fla.) defensive back Lovie Jenkins is favoring Notre Dame at this point in his recruitment. In fact, a source told me that he’s a “big lean” to the Irish. Safeties coach Terry Joseph is leading the charge in recruiting Jenkins, and he’s done an excellent job here. I’m told that a part of Notre Dame’s pitch to Jenkins is that Joseph doesn’t recruit players to come in and be back ups, that Jenkins is a “special player,” and selling him on the opportunity that Notre Dame provides. Jenkins will officially visit Notre Dame for the huge June 21-23 weekend, and the Irish have a really good chance to land his commitment during/following the visit. I’m going to see Jenkins on Monday, and I will have more information from him and his high school, coach, and be able to evaluate him in person for a second time. The discussion about Jenkins here at BGI has been about him playing cornerback, but Ocoee standout has insisted to me that they see him as a guy who could play corner or safety. - NATIONAL 78 STATE - POSITION JARED IVEY RANK 5.6 6'6" | 215 LBS | WDE NORTH GWINNETT SUWANEE, GA CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** Three weeks ago, Notre Dame offered Jared Ivey from Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett, and they’ve made a big impact on his recruitment. I’m hearing that Ivey and defensive line coach Mike Elston have been working hard to set up an official visit. Elston wanted to get Ivey on campus for the June 21-23 weekend, but Ivey already has family plans that weekend. I’m told Ivey is still considering officially visiting Notre Dame in May or June, but it’s also possible he waits until the fall. And heck, I wouldn’t rule out Ivey changing plans and visiting on June 21. *** Mitchell Melton is a top defensive end target for Notre Dame, and he’s working on setting up visits in June. I’m told that Melton is locked in to officially visit Michigan on June 21, and he’s likely to visit Notre Dame on June 7 for an official as well. Look for a commitment from Melton sometime in July or August. The strong vibe is that Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State are the three favorites for Melton. - NATIONAL - STATE - POSITION ETHAN POUNCEY RANK 5.5 6'2" | 160 LBS | CB WINTER PARK WINTER PARK, FL CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** I spent Monday at Winter Park (Fla.) to visit recently offered CB Ethan Pouncey. You can read my recruiting update on him here, and I will also have an interview with his coach posted in a few days. When I talked to Pouncey, he said that there was absolutely no ill feelings between his older brother Jordan, who was a former ND commit, and the Irish. In talking with three coaches at Winter Park who were involved with Jordan’s and Ethan’s respective recruitment, there is no downside with Notre Dame to Ethan Pouncey due to his brother. If anything, it helps the Irish. Jordan absolutely loved Notre Dame, but it was the coaching changes that led to his decommitment. My gut says that Notre Dame is on the outside looking in for the younger Pouncey, but he if he visits for the June 21-23 weekend, then I may change my stance. Pouncey has visited a bunch of schools in the past couple of months, but the only visit that he’s discussing right now, to my knowledge, is Notre Dame, which is a good thing. 128 NATIONAL 5 STATE 27 POSITION MUHSIN MUHAMMAD RANK 5.9 6'0" | 175 LBS | WR MYERS PARK CHARLOTTE, NC CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** 2021 QB Drake Maye is a prospect who Notre Dame is impressed with. Maye’s high school got a visit from Lance Taylor earlier this week while Taylor was in the Charlotte area. 2020 WR Muhsin Muhammad is teammates with Maye and is someone who Notre Dame could potentially get involved with, but he does not have an offer from the Irish at the moment. Notre Dame has their 2021 quarterback commit in Tyler Buchner, but should things change on the roster and they need a second quarterback, Maye is a name to watch for Notre Dame. QUICK HITTERS *** I’ll have a full story posted on Lovasea Carroll, who is a 2021 ATH and South Carolina commit, on Monday. Notre Dame offered him earlier this week. The vibe here is that staying close to home is very important to him, and I don’t see him leaving the South. *** Notre Dame absolutely loves 2021 RB Will Shipley. He fits the Christian McCaffrey mold that Lance Taylor knows very well. I actually heard that Taylor has been high on Shipley for a while now but wanted to show his face at Shipley’s high school before offering. Shipley wants to get on campus, and I’d say that Shipley is a priority for ND in the 2021 class, although it’s still very early. *** 2021 RB Ricky Parks from Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit is a really good looking running back and I wouldn’t be surprised if Notre Dame offered him. I’m expecting Notre Dame to pay him a visit soon. *** This morning, I posted a recruiting update on elite 2021 DB Tony Grimes. Click here to read that article. After I got off the phone with Grimes, his dad called me and we talked for a couple of minutes. He raved about how much he likes Todd Lyght. Grimes’ father is an important figure in his recruitment, so that’s a good sign. *** Notre Dame DL commit Alexander Ehrensberger previously had mentioned that he was looking at taking an official visit to ND in June. He told me that it will be in October instead. *** Terry Joseph was at Carrollton H.S. in Georgia on Wednesday. A coach from that high school told me that he was in to see: 2020 QB Myles Morris, 2021 LB Chaz Chambliss, 2020 ATH Mecose Todd, as well as five-star Clemson linebacker commit Kevin Swint. I don’t know if there’s a chance that ND can flip Swint, or if they’re even going to try to. But they went to his high school with him in mind.
Red Rover can you or someone with ISD subscription post this? - https://irishsportsdaily.com/s/9462/heat-check-may-edition
Spoiler April was an excellent month to Notre Dame on the recruiting trail as the Irish landed commitments from two ISD Fab 50 prospects in receiver Jordan Johnson and defensive end Jordan Botelho along with the nation’s top long snapper Alex. May has the potential to be just as big and it starts in the trenches. OL Tosh Baker It’s not a secret Notre Dame would love to get an offensive lineman in the boat and the 6-foot-8, 261-pounder is a likely candidate to do just that. Baker has made two trips to South Bend in recent months and I feel the Irish are out in front and by a significant margin despite trips to Michigan, Ohio State, Stanford, UCLA and USC. Baker on Notre Dame: “They know I know where I sit with them and they know where they sit with me. It’s just a great opportunity.” DL Rylie Mills Mike Elston would love to wrap up 2020 defensive line recruiting by the end of June and Mills is set to make his commitment later this month. Mills used April to take official visits to Notre Dame, Ohio State and Wisconsin, so now he’ll use the next couple weeks to let everything soak in. There is a strong pull for Mills to go to Notre Dame as his community is very pro-Notre Dame, including the fun fact of Tommy Rees attending his high school. Mills on Notre Dame: DL coach Mike Elston: “I worked with him at a camp two years ago. It was cool because he was the same guy. I like the way he coaches. He knows when to be cool with the guys, but also when to be serious. There’s a good balance between that and everyone on the team really respects him.” CB Lovie Jenkins For whatever reason, the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder isn’t getting a ton of attention and that’s fine with Notre Dame. The three-star cornerback could be an absolute steal for Notre Dame and he’ll be in South Bend in June for an official visit. Safeties coach Terry Joseph stopped to check on the Florida native earlier this week and continued the positive momentum between the two parties. Jenkins on Notre Dame: “Notre Dame is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. “That’s just a big opportunity that you can’t turn down.” DE Braiden McGregor Yep. I still feel good about where Notre Dame sits with the four-star prospect after his unofficial visit to Michigan last week. I do think McGregor is perfectly fine choosing Michigan or Notre Dame but is having trouble deciding who to tell no. The last visit to each program was focused on members of the current team and both programs knocked it out of the park. If I had to say, I would still give Notre Dame the edge as personality wise. I think McGregor fits in best with the guys at Notre Dame. With that said, the X-factor in this could be the 2020 class. It’s not a secret McGregor has excellent relationships with Aidan Keanaaina and Rylie Mills. If Mills commits to Notre Dame in May, it could be one of the small things that can tip the scale in favor of the Irish. McGregor on Notre Dame: “We asked questions to Kurt (Hinish), Myron (Tagovailola-Amosa) and Hunter (Spears). I learned a lot from them even though it was a short time I was with them. It meant a lot to treat us the way they treated us. Kurt told me to text him anytime I needed anything. He said I could stay with him if I come back. I might take him up on that.” RB Chris Tyree Notre Dame’s top running back target seems to be trending towards….Notre Dame. Oklahoma had all the momentum a few weeks ago following his visit to Norman, but Chip Long and Lance Taylor have made significant strides in the last few weeks. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and even things like gear, but at the end of the day, Notre Dame identified Tyree as a player who would fit into the culture on and off the field in South Bend. Tyree might have just needed a friendly nudge to remind him of that and he stepped back in his process. Notre Dame will host him for a third visit in June for an official visit and the staff will have a chance to wrap it up. Tyree on Notre Dame: “It’s definitely a brotherhood there with everybody,” the Thomas Dale High School star said. “There aren’t really any cliques or anything. If you see one teammate there, you’re bound to see mostly the whole team. That’s what I like to see. It’s a real brotherhood.” Name To Watch DB Landen Bartleson The 6-foot, 185-pounder has been a frequent visitor to Notre Dame over the last few months and has come around on playing defensive back in college. In fact, I think Bartleson would almost prefer it as his recruitment started with most programs wanting him to play running back. Notre Dame hasn’t been in a hurry to take defensive back commitments to this point, but at some point, they will need to make moves. Clark Phillips will always have a spot at Notre Dame, but for Lovie Jenkins and Bartleson, June could be a big month for them. I believe Bartleson and his family are more than pleased with what they’ve heard from Notre Dame and experiencing Junior Day and practice only helped with that. Bartleson on Notre Dame: “I could see myself in the position to play with those players and for that coaching staff.” Intel Spoiler With the Irish staff out on the road, I thought I'd check to see how things are going out there. It seems like the response has been very solid so far for the ND staff. I think ND is in great shape for a lot of kids. It sounds like that June 21st recruiting weekend will be huge. I expect that list to continue to grow from the current number. I don't think ND's initial plan was to have so many early visits, but with so many kids expected to decide soon, ND has to remain in the race and have these official visits, so expect even more names to be added to that weekend or another in June. I think a lot of Irish fans are wondering what ND's plans are at some positions, so I did some digging here. At running back, I think it's clear that ND likes Chris Tyree and he's the guy they're pushing hard for, but make no mistake, Tyree could go anywhere, and ND is recruiting a lot of backs right now and recruiting them hard. I don't think it's a situation where ND would only take Tyree right now. I think if someone else wanted to commit beforehand, they'd have to have a discussion, but it would be hard to turn down a guy at running back. If Tyree does commit, ND might not take another running back, but they may as well. I think it will just depend on how they're shaping up at other positions. So, I think the RB situation is very open right now. ND would love to land Tyree, but they're also recruiting the heck out of a lot of others as well. At wide receiver, I think ND is in good shape with a lot of guys. Jalen McMillan is expected back in June for an official. I think ND is in this race more than some think. Michael Redding is also very much in the mix. I expect Xavier Watts back again for an official in June, and that will be a ND/Nebraska battle most likely. AJ Henning is also very much in the mix here. With O-line, I'm told ND is hardly in panic mode after Christ committed to Virginia. I think ND feels they're in great shape with Tosh Baker, and they're still very much in the race for Zak Zinter and Peter Skoronski. Reece Atteberry is supposed to visit again in June. Some feel he's leaning more to OSU, but we will see. ND is still hopeful they'll get Geirean Hatchett to visit this summer. I'm told that is in the works. I did ask about Jonah Monheim and I've heard there hasn't been as much communication with him as the others, so until that changes, he'd likely be a longshot at this point, but ND hasn't really made it out to the west coast for O-linemen yet, so maybe that changes once Quinn can get out there and impress some people. I think ND would love to get 3, but I think the most important thing is to land a tackle like Baker. After Baker, they'll take at least one more, but they're really happy with their numbers and talent they already have, and 2021 is shaping up to be a good group of O-linemen that they're in o, so they may take a smaller O-line class than we originally thought. At D-line, I think it's fair to say that ND is waiting to see what Braiden McGregor and Rylie Mills do. ND's old nemesis, Greg Mattison, has been doing his best to get both Mills and McGregor interested. I'm told Mills really enjoyed his visit to OSU and now Mattison is trying to get McGregor to come back and visit and to bring Mills in at the same time. It will be interesting to see if that happens. As of now, I think ND is in good shape for both, but Mattison will certainly pull out all the stops. I did hear OLB/pass rusher Ben Yurosek is planning to come back to ND for that June 21st weekend. As I mentioned after his visit. he seemed to like it quite a bit, but as I speculated at the time, his time frame may have made it hard to be added to the class, but he seems to have moved up his timeframe recently and is now visiting in June. ND likes him. He's a good personality fit as well. At linebacker, it's still the same thing. ND is just going to sit back and see how the rest of their class fills up before they decide to look heavily at linebackers. At corner, it's still the same thing. They'd love to land three. I'm told Landen Bartleson will likely be back for an official in June. Lovie Jenkins will be visiting as well and he likes ND quite a bit as well. I'd expect ND to try to bring more corners and safeties in for officials as well. We know Jordan Morant is planning on visiting in June for an official. I expect at least a few more names to be added as official visitors in June who are DBs moving forward. ND is trying to lock down a number, so we will see who they can get on campus. I think ND is pretty content with a smaller class at this point, but always willing to look beyond the numbers they have projected. I think the ND staff wants to get a good nucleus of players and then make decisions on a case-by-case basis as to if they want to add another to the list. So, my guess is ND will try to land another 5-10 commitments before the season and then figure out where to go from there. Key positions are O-line, Defensive end, corner, safety and running back at this point. I think those will be what they focus on for these June visits trying to get a good number locked up and then make decisions based on who wants to come after that. Just wanted to give an overall update on what we should expect moving into these next few months
I like Mills think he can play multiple positions, the German is a complete lottery ticket, the Hawaiian has to sign for me to believe he ends up at ND. If ND ends with no Mcgregor and just gets the kid from Culver than last years class is much better
That’s a bit discouraging, other teams are packing heat again I see. I was thinking Nd would be top3 with the tes, ol and tyree+mcgregor. I guess Nd will never win the recruiting circuit ever again. And I am fine with that, I love when coaches can find talent that not a lot of teams saw
Only thing I don’t like about mcgregor is that prister loves him, and prister is awful at evaluating talent
ND looks like its going to sign a great class but its barely going to crack the top 13 in the end because its only going to be 18-20 guys. Top 5 aint happening anytime soon again, ND has too much depth
Don’t follow recruiting a lot anymore, although this year it’s more interesting but if that’s the issue keeping Nd from signing a top 5 class
I think we are gonna see bigger classes. Nd has finally come around to processing kids we graduate in 2.5 years
When you are riding the 85 man limit right to the max every year like Kelly has for the past two seasons it’s going to take kids going pro early and a lot of processing to see 25 man classes
certainly, 25 man classses are not likely given how many 5th year guys ND usually have. We are scheduled to lose just 12 guys and thats even including jamir jones who might be redshirted.
So the 5th years to consider next year are Book, Tony Jones, McKinley, Eichenberg, Kraemer, Ogundeji, Jonathan Jones, Alohi Gilman & John Shannon. Obviously McKinley and Jona Jones are gone, but beyond that Tony Jons and Shannon are really the only ones even worth considering right? Obviously Gilman will leave and Eichenberg could leave with a really good season but thats a different story. Dont think there is that much fat to trim off the roster at this point
This is why I think this is going to be a small class and def not in the top ten ND needs to hit home runs with these cruits because it’s such a small class Baker and Mills this week would be a good step
I think a best case scenario class can be good enough to still be top 10, but yes, its gonna be tough. Just a crazy dream class (rankingswise) but I calculated a class with McGregor, Baker, Mills, Tyree, Carmody, Zinter, Henning, Phillips, Simon & Redding added, thats an 18 player class that wouldve ranked 7th last year. Obviously we wont end up with that class but all of the guys I mentioned feel possible
How many transfers have we had this offseason. How many career ending injuries. We sometimes have guys get kicked out of school. You build for a class of 22-24 and let things sort themselves out
6 transfers but really only 4 as MDT and wimbush would not have been invited back so they are in the same category as jonathan jones for instance
I'll sign up right now for whoever emerges from the three young guys on campus and any incoming freshmen over 5th year Tony Jones all day long. In fact I'll just make a blanket statement that there is never a need to have a 5th year RB outside of very unusual circumstances.
For all the hype that there was when he was a freshman and sophomore, I don't really think he's developed or is capable of anything outstanding at this point honestly.
If we treated RBs like every other school does, sure. Unfortunately, Kelly puts such an emphasis on pass pro for RBs that I don’t see us letting Tony Jones go.
Right. If he has even an ok 2019 he should go pro, and if he doesn’t we wouldn’t want him back anyways. The only scenario I can come up with where it makes logical sense for him to be on the roster in 2020 is if he misses this whole season because of academics or something. And even then you’d need some unexpected attrition at RB to really need him back anyways.
Yeah he needs to cut that shit out. RB should be the easiest position to get freshman on the field. I imagine someone in Norman is making Chris Tyree think about why the hell it took 4 years for Dexter Williams to make an impact.
Loy recruiting scoop Spoiler Notre Dame Recruiting Scoop — May 6 VIP ByTOM LOY 37 minutes ago 5 Notre Dame is working hard to land one of the nation’s top classes in 2020 and so far, the staff has done a tremendous job of making that a possibility. Here’s the latest on Fighting Irish recruiting. Four-star defensive lineman Rylie Mills commits Monday night at 7 pm ET. I fully expect the Fighting Irish to land him. I’ve had Notre Dame has the team to beat since early in 2018 and haven’t wavered on that one. Expect good news on that front tonight. Defensive line coach Mike Elston did tremendous work on that front, but quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees deserves some credit as well. Who is next? I’m watching four-star offensive tackle Tosh Baker. I have said for a while that Notre Dame is the team sitting at the top of his recruitment and that remains the case today. In all honesty, I believe he could pull the trigger for the Fighting Irish by week’s end. This would be a huge get for offensive line coach Jeff Quinn. How about after that? Well, the one to watch is four-star running back Chris Tyree. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was committed to Notre Dame by the end of May. I believe the Fighting Irish are his top choice as of today. Major credit goes to offensive coordinator Chip Long, who has been the lead on this one for a very long time. Running backs coach Lance Taylor stepped in and showed exactly how a Notre Dame running backs coach should be recruiting. Tyree was set to commit to Oklahoma, but people put a stop to that. Now it’s time to close and I feel confident that Notre Dame does exactly that in the coming weeks. Also, of note, don’t be surprised if he is the only running back in this class. The current group on campus has left a positive impression, better than expected, so they may just take one. Four-star cornerback Clark Phillips III is a guy Notre Dame fans should be watching. As I’ve stated before, he was high on the Irish early, but wasn’t cleared academically. Notre Dame put him on a path to potentially gain admission if that is truly what he wanted and he took on the challenge and made incredible strides in the classroom. That’s surely a positive sign for he Fighting Irish. However, this is far from a done deal. Notre Dame is in his top two, but the staff has to beat Ohio State (and a couple others) down the stretch. If Notre Dame wants three-star offensive guard/center Reece Atteberry, I do believe the staff can land him. Ohio State decided not to take his commitment really early in the process and now doesn’t look to be pushing all that hard. Notre Dame has kept things warm with him, but never gave him a green light to pull the trigger. Jeff Quinn will visit him on Wednesday, so we’ll surely know much more after that. Multiple sources told me Sunday night that if Notre Dame wants four-star offensive tackle Michael Carmody, that’s exactly where he’ll end up. The Irish have always been the most coveted offer and will be tough to beat here. Nobody is in a hurry here and Notre Dame will be out to see him again soon. If that continues to progress well, he could lock in an official visit to check out Notre Dame in June. He’ll also be back soon when his family takes his brother Robby Carmody, a Notre Dame basketball player, back to school after break. That unofficial visit will be worth watching as well. Notre Dame will get its shot with four-star safety Lathan Ransom. He’ll visit on June 8 for an official visit and the staff couldn’t be more fired up. They know it’ll be tough to beat Oklahoma, Ohio State and a few others, but all you want is a chance at that is what they have. This is a special talent and he’d be a huge addition to the class. Notre Dame, whether you want to believe it or not, is starting to feel really good about four-star wide receiver Jalen McMillan. I’m not close to putting in a 247Sports Crystal Ball for the Irish, but man, they seem to have plenty of optimism. The staff wants him back on campus in June and then again in the fall, but financially, that’s a lot to ask. We’ll see what happens, but McMillan will definitely return at least for one visit,w which is a plus. He still plans on committing in December, so we won’t know too much for a while. Notre Dame believes it’s the favorite for four-star wide receiver A.J. Henning. That hasn’t always been the case, but dialogue has been really strong. As I said a while ago, the staff wants him to make a silent commitment if he wants in this class. If he goes into the fall without a pledge, the staff may push for another slot guy. Notre Dame absolutely wants Henning and believes he has elite upside, but knows that they can’t wait forever. The recruitment of four-star wide receiver Michael Redding III has taken some strange twists. His latest play is telling us in the media that he has an official visit set, but he doesn’t want to go public with that destination yet. That said, my sources believe he’s visiting Notre Dame again in June and a commitment could take place on that trip. We’ll have to see how things play out, but it’s clear that DelVaughn Alexander and Chip Long like what they see with him and would welcome his commitment. I still like Notre Dame for four-star defensive end Braiden McGregor. He’s struggling with this process, as it’s kind of a big deal, but dialogue has been great between him and the Fighting Irish staff. He is considering return trips to both Michigan and Notre Dame, but nothing is set on that front. As I’ve said before, I can’t share everything on this front quite yet, but I do like Notre Dame to land him as of today. If things aren’t going to work out there, keep an eye on Ben Yurosek and Mitchell Melton. Notre Dame definitely likes both a great deal. If Notre Dame wants a linebacker in this class and pushes for him, I can’t see four-star recruit Cody Simon ending up anywhere else. The staff isn’t going crazy with linebacker recruiting this cycle and is even considering not taking one. I think Simon is a very good player and worth adding to the class. As long as the staff feels that way, I like the Irish for him. I mentioned a little about running back recruiting with Tyree, but to add, they could technically add a second running back in Cullen Coleman, although the defensive staff wants him on that side of the ball. I could see him coming in as an athlete, giving running back a look, and then settling along the defensive line. I’m starting to like Notre Dame a lot more here and the Fighting Irish are doing a great job with him and those in his family. June’s visit will be a big one. The offensive staff really wants to land three-star wide receiver Xavier Watts. I was told that by multiple sources. They love his upside at the next level and believe he’s severely underrated. Beating Nebraska for an in-state recruit is never easy, but the Irish will get an opportunity in June to separate themselves. Another guy Notre Dame likes a lot more than most is William Nixon. He prefers wide receiver, but the staff sees a really good cornerback down the road. His size, speed and short area quickness could make for a terrific defensive back. Look for him to lock in a trip in the near future, as long as he’s open to potentially playing defense. He is similar to Henning, so that recruitment could definitely impact this one. 5COMMENTS Defensive back recruiting is going to be interesting to watch. Notre Dame is the leader for three-star cornerback Lovie Jenkins. Notre Dame is also the team to beat for three-star cornerback Landen Bartleson. The Irish believe they can be a player for recently-offered three-star cornerback Clarence Lewis, who is expected to visit this summer. Three-star safety Christian Gonzales is probably leaning toward Colorado right now, but continues to state that he wants to lock in an official visit to Notre Dame. That just hasn’t happened yet. Three-star athlete Cameron Martinez was just offered and he’ll visit again soon. The Irish really liked him during his workout last week. If Notre Dame can make headway with four-star cornerback Jahari Rogers, that would be ideal. He’s a terrific prospect. Four-star safety Kristian Story will visit in June and the Irish definitely believe they have a shot. Michigan is the favorite to land four-star safety Jordan Morant. Notre Dame doesn’t believe it can truly pull four-star safety Chris Thompson Jr. from the Lone Star State. In a perfect world for the staff, they can get Phillips, Bartleson and Jenkins at cornerback, then add Story and Ransom at safety. However, that may be wishful thinking.
Gold Standard Spoiler The Gold Standard: Latest Intel On Notre Dame Recruiting EJ Holland and Mike Singer Recruiting Insiders Save 50% off an annual subscription by signing up today! Offer includes a FREE Notre Dame t-shirt! Tirek Murphy is looking to make a summer decision. (EJ Holland) 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 first piece. Scoop From The Northeast *** There have been a lot of question marks surrounding the recruitment of Tirek Murphy . The four-star running back from Christ The King (NY) almost committed to Notre Dame then backed away from that stance and ultimately released a Top 16 last week. So what’s really going on? This cut was Murphy having fun with the process. He will release his five schools soon and is looking to commit before the end of the summer. *** If I had to make a pick right now, it would be Notre Dame with the contingency that the Irish make a strong push for him. A source close to the Murphy situation told me that his mother prefers Notre Dame over all of his options and is a big reason he is making a decision before the season — Murphy wanted to wait even longer. He added that she is really into academics and believes Notre Dame would be the best fit for Murphy and the family. However, the source said Murphy himself isn’t completely sold as he is very intrigued by schools down south like LSU, Miami and South Carolina. *** Then comes Oregon, which is kind of a wildcard. On the surface, Oregon is right up there with Notre Dame for Murphy. But the source said he would not expect Murphy to side with the Ducks. I also checked in with a source close to the Oregon program that told me the Ducks are feeling better about Trey Benson , who holds a Notre Dame offer, than they are Murphy. I wouldn’t dismiss Oregon, but I think his interest there isn't as high as previously thought. *** Murphy and fellow running back target Chris Tyree have been in communication about playing together at Notre Dame. The two have been mentioning each other on social media and are quickly becoming friends. Murphy believes he would be the perfect compliment to Tyree as he is a bigger power back, while Tyree is more of a speedy, electric ball carrier. - NATIONAL 4 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;"> 20 POSITION TIREK MURPHY RANK 5.8 6'0" | 220 LBS | RB CHRIST THE KING MIDDLE VILLAGE, NY CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** Speaking of Tyree, Notre Dame quarterback commit Drew Pyne spent a ton of time recruiting him at the Under Armour Baltimore camp last week. When I asked Pyne about it, he said he felt he made a lot of progress with Tyree as he pitched Notre Dame both from an academic and athletic standpoint. Our Mike Singer has reported that it is possible that Tyree makes an official visit on June 21, and Pyne said he’s working to get to South Bend for an unofficial visit that same weekend. Both Mike and I are very close to putting in FutureCast picks for Tyree, while football analyst Bryan Driskell has already done so.. *** Obviously, I did make a FutureCast pick for Notre Dame and four-star St. Peter’s Prep (N.J.) linebacker Cody Simon . Pyne spent some time with Simon at the New Jersey Rivals Challenge this weekend, and he has ties to the program as his brother, Shayne, is on the Notre Dame roster. By the way, Pyne had a lot of dialogue with Shayne on his Notre Dame visit. Penn State is making a quiet run in this recruitment, but he is definitely Notre Dame’s to lose. I mentioned a few days ago, a prominent New Jersey source told me Notre Dame should land him. - NATIONAL 10 STATE 9 POSITION CODY SIMON RANK 5.8 6'2" | 215 LBS | ILB ST. PETER'S PREP JERSEY CITY, NJ CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** Bergen Catholic is one of the true powerhouse programs in the Northeast. And that means it's imperative that Notre Dame has strong relationships there. I mentioned a few days ago that defensive coordinator Clark Lea made an impression on Bergen Catholic head coach Vito Campanile. Yes, his brother, Anthony, is a coach at Michigan. But Campanile really respects Lea and Notre Dame overall. He also doesn’t seem like the type of guy that would push a kid to his brother’s program. *** Here is what Campanile had to say about Notre Dame: “Between Mike (Elston) and Clark (Lea), I think they are tremendous guys. I think we try to send a very common message. I told Clark Lea when he came through here that to me, I appreciate the fact that he’s always sending a positive message about the holistic side of things — not just being a good football player but doing everything the right way. Their value system is what you want for your players. That makes it a special place. Anytime Notre Dame walks into your school, it speaks volumes. It’s a life changer for education, and it’s just a life changer place. I’m very high on Notre Dame.” *** Bergen Catholic is obviously home to four-star 2020 defensive back Jordan Morant . Again, I still feel like Michigan is the team to beat right now, and he is set to make his official visit to Ann Arbor on June 21. If Morant does not pull the trigger that weekend, it definitely opens the door. Notre Dame made a huge impression on Morant and is slowly gaining steam in his recruitment. Morant plans to officially visit Notre Dame in the fall and make a decision in January. Notre Dame needs him to stick to that timeline. *** Here is what Campanile had to say about Morant: “I think Jordan is a Swiss Army knife defensive back. He definitely has the cover skills to play corner. He definitely has the tackling ability to play strong safety. He can cover half the field. His physicality is what can be a program changer.” - 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;"> 9 STATE 17 POSITION JORDAN MORANT RANK 5.8 6'0" | 190 LBS | S BERGEN CATHOLIC ORADELL, NJ CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** Campanile also spoke about 2021 defensive tackle offer Tywone Malone : “That kid has never had a bad day in his life. He always smiles and has a great demeanor. What you see is what you get. That’s who he is. On the other side, he’s about as impressive of a guy as I’ve seen in high school football. He’s every bit of 6-foot-4, 295 pounds in the 10th grade. As far as I know, there aren’t too many of those guys walking around. “ *** Notre Dame has already offered 2022 defensive back Jaeden Gould . Campanile shared his thoughts on him as well: “Jaeden is similar to Jordan in the sense that he can do a lot. He has the size and athletic ability. For Notre Dame to offer at that age, it’s uncommon. It’s really uncommon. Jaeden also has great work ethic and is very humble.” *** Notre Dame has put an offer on the table for Massachusetts athlete Cam Large , but it remains to be seen if the Irish are going to go all out for him. Right now, he is an intriguing target that is looking to make an official visit. Notre Dame is the only school recruiting him as a defensive lineman as others want him at tight end. Large doesn’t have a position preference, but he did mention that the opportunity is unique. He loves Notre Dame and is also high on Duke, Ohio State, Penn State and a few others. *** Notre Dame may eventually put an offer on the table for three-star Massachusetts wide receiver Jay Brunelle . He visited for junior day and will be back on campus for Irish Invasion next month. Brunelle has remained in contact with the staff and showed a lot of candor during our interview. He knows he needs to blow the staff away at the camp to earn a scholarship. If Notre Dame offers, it would instantly become the favorite for Brunelle. And by the way, he is really developing a nice rapport with the aforementioned Pyne. (Holland) Notre Dame Ready To Close With Baker? *** Four-star Pinnacle (Ariz.) offensive tackle Tosh Baker has been a huge priority for Notre Dame this cycle. I did put in a FutureCast pick in favor of the Irish last week and Driskell put one in for him in March, and I feel even more confident in my pick based off some buzz I picked up over the weekend. Baker wanted to wait until a little later in the process to make a decision, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he pulls the trigger very, very soon. Again, nothing is a guarantee in recruiting, but I love where the Irish stand. 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 UNDECIDED *** Notre Dame offensive line coach Jeff Quinn will look to close the deal with Baker when he makes a stop at Pinnacle today. That’s right, Quinn is making his way to Phoenix as you are reading this. Quinn has developed a strong relationship with Baker over the course of his recruitment, and I’m told Baker really sees himself growing as an offensive lineman under Quinn. Coffee is for closers, so get your Starbucks cards ready. *** Arizona has become an important state for Notre Dame this recruiting cycle. The Irish are obviously in a great spot with Baker and are continuing to work hard on four-star safety Lathan Ransom . Notre Dame led for Ransom earlier this cycle, but now, I believe the Irish have dropped a bit. Ransom has become enamored with schools like LSU and Ohio State due to recent visits. It is imperative that Notre Dame gets him back on campus. Notre Dame is also in the mix for elite running back Bijan Robinson , but there is a lot of work to do there. (Holland) The 4-1-1 On Four Key Targets *** Rivals100 wide receiver Michael Redding told me that he wants to officially visit just one school this summer and then make a commitment soon after that. Obviously, the school that he takes the official visit to is in a very good spot for him. He wouldn't say much else about it, but I do think he knows the school he's visiting but is trying to keep it very quiet. While Redding informed me that he's looking to take just the one official visit this summer, he's told others in the Rivals network that he wants to take multiple visits, so we'll see which he decides on. With all of that being said, the vibe here is that it's a Notre Dame-Florida State battle for Redding. I give the Irish the slight edge right now. *** I posted an article on top defensive end target Braiden McGregor on Saturday morning, and make sure to click here if you missed it. We all know that Michigan and Notre Dame are the perceived top schools on his board, and I'm doubling down on that. He'll visit Florida on May 18 and he may visit a couple of other schools this summer before making a commitment, but a source told me that he's in pretty advanced talks with Notre Dame and Michigan in terms of him enrolling early and the logistics of him playing in all-star games. If you were worried about SEC schools overtaking Notre Dame, I don't see that happening. - NATIONAL 13 STATE 27 POSITION BRAIDEN MCGREGOR RANK 5.7 6'6" | 250 LBS | OLB NORTHERN PORT HURON, MI CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** With Jimmy Christ and Peter Skoronski committing elsewhere, Moorpark (Calif.) offensive lineman Jonah Monheim is a name to keep an eye on. He visited Notre Dame earlier this spring, and I'm told he's continued to stay in touch with offensive line coach Jeff Quinn. They're working on an official date, and it's possible he comes to South Bend for the monstrous June 21 official visit weekend, but again, nothing is set at the moment. Schools are mainly looking at Monheim as an interior offensive lineman, but he could develop into a tackle. *** Cane Berrong is arguably the nation's top 2021 tight end. I caught up with him over the weekend, and he is still set to visit Notre Dame for Irish Invasion in June. He locked in that visit several months ago, as he wanted to put on a good show for the coaching staff and land an offer, but he notched that scholarship from Note Dame back in February. He still wanted to see Notre Dame, so he kept those plans. Offensive coordinator Chip Long paid him a visit last week. (Singer)