Its been a long ride watching this class come together . I have posted several class updates over the month on here. Now looking over the class, I know there's some big fish out there still, I give my unprofessional opinion. 1st, this is a very solid core group of guys to build the future with. BUT I think its a class that unless there are several sleepers (think Will Fuller) that arise out of the group, that is only good enough to keep us a "tier 2" team in college football. Now there's nothing wrong w/ being a tier 2 team, but at ND that's not going to satisfy the masses. If D. Robertson commits at some point then ND could have 1 of the best WR corps in the nation in this class. Claypool and McKinley scream high ceiling potential. I think both RBs will be solid contributors in the future. I love what Heistand is putting together on the Oline with these 3 kids adding to an impressive depth chart. So on offense, if we get Robertson, I grade it a solid A, without Robertson, A-/B+.
Defense, its hard to gauge, so many possible sleepers or developmental guys. I love Daelin Hayes' potential, but can he stay healthy. I really like Kareem's potential as well. I think he's a possible star by his senior year. I like the commitment we got today in Jones, I think if he was taller he'd be a solid 4* player, seems like he's got a lot of leadership and intangible qualities about him as well. Give him a few yrs and he could be really solid too. I think Troy Pride could be 1 of the biggest sleepers in this class for ND, there's a reason he shot up the rankings once he got out there and competed in that all star game. A lot of sites think Studsill will see time early, don't know much about him but I do know BK was all over him and really wanted him so i'll defer to his talent evaluation. Julian Love is another kid that will make an impact somewhere, I just don't know where at this point. But watching his tape and listening to how writers talk about him, you can tell he's the type of kid that will find his way on to the field somehow. The rest of the guys there's a lot of potential, but I've listed the guys that I think have the best chance of rising up and becoming household names. Defensively I don't hate the class, I don't see any glaring holes in the class like I used to see w/ weis classes. But I don't love the class either. If Caleb Kelly were to surprise and chose ND, that would go a long way in changing my mind, but for now I'll give the defensive class a B-.
Thoughts?
Defense, its hard to gauge, so many possible sleepers or developmental guys. I love Daelin Hayes' potential, but can he stay healthy. I really like Kareem's potential as well. I think he's a possible star by his senior year. I like the commitment we got today in Jones, I think if he was taller he'd be a solid 4* player, seems like he's got a lot of leadership and intangible qualities about him as well. Give him a few yrs and he could be really solid too. I think Troy Pride could be 1 of the biggest sleepers in this class for ND, there's a reason he shot up the rankings once he got out there and competed in that all star game. A lot of sites think Studsill will see time early, don't know much about him but I do know BK was all over him and really wanted him so i'll defer to his talent evaluation. Julian Love is another kid that will make an impact somewhere, I just don't know where at this point. But watching his tape and listening to how writers talk about him, you can tell he's the type of kid that will find his way on to the field somehow. The rest of the guys there's a lot of potential, but I've listed the guys that I think have the best chance of rising up and becoming household names. Defensively I don't hate the class, I don't see any glaring holes in the class like I used to see w/ weis classes. But I don't love the class either. If Caleb Kelly were to surprise and chose ND, that would go a long way in changing my mind, but for now I'll give the defensive class a B-.
Thoughts?
