Notre Dame's number one ranked recruiting class is holding pretty solid heading into the final stretch run of recruiting with no fewer than 16 Notre Dame commitments heading to All-Star games this week.
The recruiting focus has turned to wide out with most of the speculation around five star wide receiver Deion Walker and four star wide receiver/quarterback Gerrell Robinson. Both wide receivers have big bodies with very good athleticism. The 6'4" Robinson has the more physically imposing frame of the two and has already won the admiration of incoming Notre Dame quarterback recruit Dayne Crist. Crist obviously sees a great player in Robinson who's also considering Oregon and Arizona State. But Walker looks like he can be the down field threat Notre Dame has been missing. Listed between 6'3" and 6'4" he's a very fluid player with surprisingly quick feet, awareness and sure hands. If his speed is legitimate, there's no doubt Walker has the tools to be an NFL player down the road. At this point, he’s only lacking in weight room time and technique – those things can be fixed quickly. Either would be a steal to match up with Floyd (whom I call a plug and play talent) and Goodman. Still, the Notre Dame wide receiver position is lacking in talent, depth and experience and given where Weis is headed with Crist and Clausen – we need as many wide receivers as we can get. I’m expecting air-Weis in the next four years, but we need wide receivers to make that happen.
Thinking about a more wide-open offense, one kid I would love to see ND nail down is r
unning back Cyrus Gray out of Texas. Like Walker, Gray brings the breakaway threat that Notre Dame’s been lacking for years at the running back position. A Cyrus Gray opens up the field, because you just can’t let him break the first lines of defense. I don’t see any running back on Notre Dame’s roster now that’s capable of doing that. Allen’s top end speed is questionable, Hughes obviously doesn’t have that extra gear and Aldridge hasn’t fully recovered from his High School knee injury. IMO, what ND needs is a back who can play in space (a Reggie Bush type) and exploit the more wide open game that Weis is moving to. Gray is the only one we’re recruiting who fits that profile. He’s a game changer.
Regardless, Notre Dame is poised to pull in its best back to back classes since the late 80s and has secured the talent to play with anyone in the country by 2009.
Next week I’m going to break down the recruits by position and also look at the obstacles Notre Dame faces to becoming a contender in 2008.
8 comments:
Mr. Hunter,
We need you at Notre Dame!! You will be a Star and on TV each and every week. In the end N.D. will make you that 1st round draft choice!!
My hope is that Hunter is the smarter of the two and walk away from Meyer.
In the 12 years I have been with my wife, one thing she has always said is "What is obvious to you is obvious to everyone, yet no one every talks about it until it comes out." I have been continually amazed at the trueness of these words over the years...those like Urban Meyer that lie and manipulate eventually end up getting what is coming to them, but it rarely happens at first. Be patient, if his M.O. is reallly as such he will eventually be outed.
Fantastic job guys. One can only hope that the right people get this to the right people- if you know what I mean.
Fantastic post! Loved reading it! Thanks! I am going to breathe such a sigh of relief once this class is finally signed on paper. The talent is filtering in! :)
Jason
jrmblogging.blogspot.com
Someone in the AP needs to write a story about Meyer's recruiting tactics. I understand that recruiting is a sleezy world, and ND isn't above pitching to other school's verbals (obviously), but to tell a kid to outright LIE to the school he's supposedly committed to? I don't get it, is he purposely trying to hurt ND? What a lowlife.
nyteal, I hope someone who knows Omar will get a copy of The Rock Report to that gifted athlete. In that process, I hope he reads your post.
suave_andrew, now we know for certain what a lowlife Urban really is. Let us hope that Notre Dame never considers him for the position of Head Football Coach.
I agree that the AP and other media should be exposed to this story. Whether anyone would publish it is another story.
You say, "it appears the Irish are treating Hunter as a decommitment and are pursuing OTHER options."
I would say "it appears the Irish are treating Hunter as a decommitment and are pursuing MULTIPLE options at this time.
I don't think the Irish would stop recruiting Omar as much as recruit him and other options at the same time.
Post a Comment