2017 football recruiting?

[Nocalirish]

If there are any recruiting experts left on this site who are the Irish targets for 2017? The top 100 for 2017 is now out and who should the Irish be targeting? It seems like DL and OL are needs along with RB and LB. Who are the top targets at these positions?

 

[1Redrum]

Below is copied from another site...link attached...courtesy of Big23Head http://www.domerdomain.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49221

The target number is ~?? recruits for this year (4 Verbals, 0 EEs):

Overall 247 Composite Rankings: Total Points - #? Overall and Player Avg. - #? Overall

QB (1)

TX QB Avery Davis (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.91
NC QB Hendon Hooker (Offer): 247 Composite 3* 0.88

RB (1-2)

CA RB Najee Harris (Offer, Bama Verbal): 247 Composite 5* 1.00
GA RB Trey Sermon (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.96
AL RB Alaric Williams (Offer, Auburn Verbal): 247 Composite 4* 0.95
TN RB Ty Chandler (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.95

WR (2-3)

MI WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (Offer): 247 Composite 5* 0.99
CA WR Joseph Lewis (Offer): 247 Composite 5* 0.99
CA WR Osiris St. Brown (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.96
CT WR Tarik Black (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.96
TX WR Charleston Rambo (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.93
CA WR Taariq Johnson (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.91
GA WR Trey Blount (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.89

TE (2)

TX TE Brock Wright (ND Verbal): 247 Composite 4* 0.98
IL TE Cole Kmet (ND Verbal): 247 Composite 4* 0.92

OL (4-5)

PA OL Joshua Lugg (ND Verbal): 247 Composite 4* 0.94
FL OL Dillan Gibbons (ND Verbal): 247 Composite 3* 0.88
CA OL Wyatt Davis (Offer): 247 Composite 5* 0.98
KY OL Jedrick Wills (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.97
TN OL Trey Smith (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.97
MI OL Phillip Paea (Offer): 247 Composite NR

DL (3-4)

FL DL Joshua Kaindoh (Offer): 247 Composite 5* 0.99
GA DL Robert Beal (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.98
NV DL Haskell Garrett (Offer, OSU Verbal): 247 Composite 4* 0.96
VA DL Eric Crosby (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.95
FL DL Vandarius Cowan (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.95
MI DL Corey Malone-Hatcher (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.93
OH DL Jerron Cage (Offer, OSU Verbal): 247 Composite 4* 0.92
CA DL Jaelan Phillips (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.91
NJ DL Dalyn Wade-Perry (Offer): 247 Composite 3* 0.88

LB (2-3)

PA LB David Adams (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.96
MI LB Josh Ross (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.94
MD LB Nathan Proctor (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.93
IN LB Pete Werner (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.90
MI LB Antjuan Simmons (Offer): 247 Composite 3* 0.88
TN LB Jacob Phillips (Offer): 247 Composite 3* 0.88
SC LB Logan Rudolph (Offer): 247 Composite 3* 0.88

CB (2)

GA CB Deangelo Gibbs (Offer): 247 Composite 5* 0.99
CA CB Thomas Graham (Offer, USC Verbal): 247 Composite 4* 0.98
GA CB Jamyest Williams (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.97
TX CB Chevin Calloway (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.96
MI CB Ambry Thomas (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.94
OH CB Amir Riep (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.91

S (2)

TX S Jeffrey Okudah (Offer): 247 Composite 5* 0.99
GA S Isaiah Pryor (Offer, OSU Verbal): 247 Composite 4* 0.98
PA S Paris Ford (Offer, Pitt Verbal): 247 Composite 4* 0.96
IN S RJ Potts (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.91
MI S Jaylen Kelly-Powell (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.90
WV S Derrek Pitts: 247 Composite 4* 0.92

ATH (?)

OH ATH Tyrell Ajian (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.93
MA ATH AJ Dillon (Offer): 247 Composite 4* 0.91

 

[88ND]

Two staples that I would go after yearly are hard hitting safeties, d line high motor players.

Until our defense can start recruiting based on some reputation...we must recruit hard for the above.

BK's offense on the other hand only needs a semi mobile QB to have pretty decent success.

 

[Nocalirish]

Looks like RB is a thin area. Hopefully ND can find some diamonds in the rough.

 

[Tru2Irish]

Looks like RB is a thin area. Hopefully ND can find some diamonds in the rough.

Major areas seem to be d line,linebacker depth and safety quality and depth. D seems more in need than offense. A really good running back and wideout will help. O line will get depth and ND is ok at TE. A fullback woud be nice but Kelly has never embraced one as an option. Maybe Tony Jones will fill the short yardage area.

 

[greengael]

Looks like RB is a thin area. Hopefully ND can find some diamonds in the rough.

Dillon is a running back in prep school, Tom Gatewoods' grandson I believe. He garnered four stars at that position at Laurence Academy in Ma..He is listed as an athlete on this chart above but I suppose he could play another position.

 

[Duo]

Here is an update for the top 10 schools 2017 recruiting in the nation. A familiar cast....

Note: The early grabs are QB's and BIG linemen. Also, last year tOSU and FSU went after BIG D-linemen. And this year early on they are going after...............more BIG D-linemen. Guess you can never have too many! For details click on the totals.
1

• 
  <img alt="Ohio State" src="http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/College/40/1_104639.gif" title="Ohio State" />
  Ohio State Total: 11 (Avg: 94.14)
  Total: 11 5: 2 4: 8 3: 1 Avg: 94.14

• 225.60▼

• • 2
  • 
    <img alt="Alabama" src="http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/College/90/1_19587.gif" title="Alabama" />
    Alabama Total: 8 (Avg: 94.88)
    Total: 8 5: 1 4: 6 3: 1 Avg: 94.88
  • 182.47▼

• • 3
  • 
    <img alt="Miami" src="http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/College/7/1_27555.gif" title="Miami" />
    Miami Total: 10 (Avg: 88.25)
    Total: 10 5: 0 4: 3 3: 7 Avg: 88.25
  • 158.53▼

• • 4
  • 
    <img alt="Clemson" src="http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/College/2/1_20743.gif" title="Clemson" />
    Clemson Total: 8 (Avg: 90.70)
    Total: 8 5: 1 4: 4 3: 3 Avg: 90.70
  • 151.70▼

• • 5
  • 
    <img alt="Oklahoma" src="http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/College/20/1_89247.gif" title="Oklahoma" />
    Oklahoma Total: 6 (Avg: 92.54)
    Total: 6 5: 0 4: 6 3: 0 Avg: 92.54
  • 128.68▼

• • 6
  • 
    <img alt="Florida State" src="http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/College/4/1_20764.gif" title="Florida State" />
    Florida State Total: 6 (Avg: 91.98)
    Total: 6 5: 0 4: 5 3: 1 Avg: 91.98
  • 126.18▼

• • 7
  • 
    <img alt="Baylor" src="http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/College/13/1_4581.gif" title="Baylor" />
    Baylor Total: 6 (Avg: 91.10)
    Total: 6 5: 0 4: 4 3: 2 Avg: 91.10
  • 121.19▼

• • 8
  • 
    <img alt="North Carolina" src="http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/College/8/1_111621.gif" title="North Carolina" />
    North Carolina Total: 6 (Avg: 91.04)
    Total: 6 5: 0 4: 5 3: 1 Avg: 91.04
  • 120.16▼

• • 9
  • 
    <img alt="Kentucky" src="http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/College/95/1_34206.gif" title="Kentucky" />
    Kentucky Total: 7 (Avg: 85.90)
    Total: 7 5: 0 4: 0 3: 7 Avg: 85.90
  • 104.03▼

• • 10
  • 
    <img alt="Georgia" src="http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/College/94/1_48272.gif" title="Georgia" />
    Georgia Total: 5 (Avg: 90.80)
    Total: 5 5: 1 4: 2 3: 2 Avg: 90.80
  • 101.15
  • 14
  • 
    <img alt="Notre Dame" src="http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/Assets/117/530/1_3530117.png" title="Notre Dame" />
    Notre Dame Total: 4 (Avg: 92.94)
    Total: 4 5: 0 4: 3 3: 1 Avg: 92.94
  • 90.10

 

[IrishInOntario]

Losing Beal hurt, he is a potential game changer at DE. The news that Kaindoh probably doesn't have ND as high on his list as many initially thought is also discouraging.

Look for the 2016 class to be much like ND's other classes. Loaded with offensive talent that will be able to compete with anybody in the nation. I expect that ND will land no fewer than two stud running backs from the list that they are interested in. They'll land another capable 4 star quarterback to add to their already impressive stable. Wide receiver will never be a concern under Mike Denbrock. ND will likely only take 2 in 2016, but both with will be exceptional athletes that will enter the gluttonous talent pool that Denbrock has assembled. Harry Hiestand will take 1-2 more offensive lineman to add to Lugg and Gibbons. Whether it's Trey Smith, Wyatt Davis or Jedrick Wills, the third guy will be a stud and ND's offensive line will be in exceptional hands moving forward. We all know that #10 is going to be a star at tight end, it's simply a matter of time. ND already has two of the top TE's committed in 2017 as well. Brock Wright is going to be a damn good player.

In short, the offense will be fine and in good hands. ND should be highly successful for the foreseeable future when you consider the athletes on that side of the ball...

Then there is the defense... With the decommitment of Beal, there currently isn't a single impact defensive player in the country at this point that openly has ND at the top of his list. None that I've seen anything about yet. It very much appears that recruits want to take the wait-and-see approach regarding astro-physics 101 at ND, AKA the BVG defense. It's early, so hopefully ND can make up a lot of ground, but this isn't likely going to be an impressive defensive class.

Overall, I'm expecting this to be a small class at ND. Unless we see a bunch of transfers, I expect ND to take less than 20 recruits. I'll be shocked if they wind up in the top 10 recruiting classes given the numbers, and what I expect to be a heavy imbalance of talent between the offense and the defense... ND really has to hope that the 2016 class winds up being better than a lot of people think on defense. They took a lot of bodies in that class (including 7 defensive backs).

My best guess right now is that ND takes...

1 QB
1 RB
1 APB
2 WR
3-4 OL
2 TE
2 DT
2 DE
1 OLB
2 ILB
1-2 CB
2 S

 

[Duo]

IO................

Just curious.............do you think ND will end up well under the 85 scolly limit?

 

[McIlhennyIrish]

Losing Beal hurt, he is a potential game changer at DE. The news that Kaindoh probably doesn't have ND as high on his list as many initially thought is also discouraging.

Look for the 2016 class to be much like ND's other classes. Loaded with offensive talent that will be able to compete with anybody in the nation. I expect that ND will land no fewer than two stud running backs from the list that they are interested in. They'll land another capable 4 star quarterback to add to their already impressive stable. Wide receiver will never be a concern under Mike Denbrock. ND will likely only take 2 in 2016, but both with will be exceptional athletes that will enter the gluttonous talent pool that Denbrock has assembled. Harry Hiestand will take 1-2 more offensive lineman to add to Lugg and Gibbons. Whether it's Trey Smith, Wyatt Davis or Jedrick Wills, the third guy will be a stud and ND's offensive line will be in exceptional hands moving forward. We all know that #10 is going to be a star at tight end, it's simply a matter of time. ND already has two of the top TE's committed in 2017 as well. Brock Wright is going to be a damn good player.

In short, the offense will be fine and in good hands. ND should be highly successful for the foreseeable future when you consider the athletes on that side of the ball...

Then there is the defense... With the decommitment of Beal, there currently isn't a single impact defensive player in the country at this point that openly has ND at the top of his list. None that I've seen anything about yet. It very much appears that recruits want to take the wait-and-see approach regarding astro-physics 101 at ND, AKA the BVG defense. It's early, so hopefully ND can make up a lot of ground, but this isn't likely going to be an impressive defensive class.

Overall, I'm expecting this to be a small class at ND. Unless we see a bunch of transfers, I expect ND to take less than 20 recruits. I'll be shocked if they wind up in the top 10 recruiting classes given the numbers, and what I expect to be a heavy imbalance of talent between the offense and the defense... ND really has to hope that the 2016 class winds up being better than a lot of people think on defense. They took a lot of bodies in that class (including 7 defensive backs).

My best guess right now is that ND takes...

1 QB
1 RB
1 APB
2 WR
3-4 OL
2 TE
2 DT
2 DE
1 OLB
2 ILB
1-2 CB
2 S

Wow. So we will be in the same boat.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Defensive recruiting at ND has been underwhelming and despite a lot of early talk about the 2017 class being "loaded", it appears that a lot of the top defensive prospects that that people were encouraged about are now heading in different directions. ND isn't likely going to land a 5 star player on defense, and the class should again be comprised of a group of middle tier 4 star and quality 3 star defensive players. Interestingly, people don't think that stars matter but consider this... ND's last 5 star recruits on defense.

1. Manti Te'o: Arguably the most productive linebacker and leader at ND in a generation. Willed his team to the national championship game in 2012. Starting in the NFL.

2. Stephon Tuitt: ND's best pass rusher and overall defensive lineman since Justin Tuck or Bryant Young. Key player on the 2012 defense and, unfortunately, was hurt as a junior. Starting in the NFL.

3. Aaron Lynch: Had a highly successful freshman year at ND and was going to be a star, but problems in his personal life led him to transfer. Starting in the NFL.

4. Ishaq Williams: Never met expectations and had academic issues. NFL future to be determined.

5. Jaylon Smith: The backbone of ND's defense during his time at ND. Possibly the most athletic defensive player to ever play for the Irish. Surefire future NFL starter.

It's no secret that ND is lacking some serious firepower on defense. They have some quality players, but a couple studs would go a long way.

 

[BGI User 1596]

Nice empirical analysis IIO - can't get around the factual evidence. Kelly's insouciant behavior towards BVG will keep the 5 stars away.

 

[IrishInOntario]

The thing about talent is that it can supersede scheme at times. I think we saw more routine pressure on the QB from Diaco's passive, "slow" bend-but-don't-break defense than we do from BVG's pressure-oriented, fast, 4-3 defense.