Here are tonight's Lucky Charms...
*** Notre Dame's main defensive back target -- and really the only one at this point -- is of course Pleasant Hill (Iowa) Southeast Polk safety Xavier Nwankpa. Unless something has changed since I talked to multiple sources last week, I expect Nwankpa to end up choosing Iowa based on where things are trending. He just visited Ohio State this past weekend, but the feeling has been that the Buckeyes were running third for him. To be clear, Notre Dame is still battling here, and I do not believe Nwankpa has given Iowa the final word that he's choosing the Hawkeyes.
*** If Nwankpa goes elsewhere, I would keep an eye on Benicia (Calif.) High's Croix Stewart, a UCLA commit. He tells me that Notre Dame has been in contact with him, and Irish safeties coach Chris O'Leary visited his high school during the bye week. I hear that Notre Dame is very high on his talents after seeing him in person.
I know exactly what some Notre Dame fans are thinking in reading this update: "We're missing out on a five-star prospect and you want us to get excited about a three-star prospect." Well, one of the four major rankings websites does have him as a four-star prospect. He's been outstanding through nine games of his senior season, posting 46 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, seven QB hurries, two interceptions, five pass deflections and one forced fumble. You can watch his highlights here.
Notre Dame doesn't need to take a fifth defensive back in this class, especially after taking six in the last cycle. But Notre Dame thinks very highly of Stewart as an option if it misses out on Nwankpa. I don't know if Stewart will be an impact player at the next level, but sources I speak with feel like the upside is there.
*** Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean class of 2023 linebacker Drayk Bowen was planning to announce his decision between Auburn, Clemson and Notre Dame Nov. 7 but pushed it up to Nov. 3 so that he could announce it on CBS Sports HQ. His decision ceremony will air at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday. We'll have coverage and reaction of his decision whether he chooses ND or not right here at BlueandGold.com. My FutureCast selection is on Notre Dame.
*** As you can see in the tweet below from his father, Miami Gulliver Prep class of 2023 wide receiver Jalen Brown will be posting a top schools list soon and a commitment does not appear to be far off. In recent updates on Brown, I wrote that he appears to be leaning towards going to the Midwest for college, and Michigan and Notre Dame would be the two schools to keep an eye on. The Irish already have a commitment from his teammate, class of 2023 running back Sedrick Irvin Jr., and landing a pledge from Brown would be a huge haul. He is a silky smooth, dynamic prospect.
*** Notre Dame's main defensive back target -- and really the only one at this point -- is of course Pleasant Hill (Iowa) Southeast Polk safety Xavier Nwankpa. Unless something has changed since I talked to multiple sources last week, I expect Nwankpa to end up choosing Iowa based on where things are trending. He just visited Ohio State this past weekend, but the feeling has been that the Buckeyes were running third for him. To be clear, Notre Dame is still battling here, and I do not believe Nwankpa has given Iowa the final word that he's choosing the Hawkeyes.
*** If Nwankpa goes elsewhere, I would keep an eye on Benicia (Calif.) High's Croix Stewart, a UCLA commit. He tells me that Notre Dame has been in contact with him, and Irish safeties coach Chris O'Leary visited his high school during the bye week. I hear that Notre Dame is very high on his talents after seeing him in person.
I know exactly what some Notre Dame fans are thinking in reading this update: "We're missing out on a five-star prospect and you want us to get excited about a three-star prospect." Well, one of the four major rankings websites does have him as a four-star prospect. He's been outstanding through nine games of his senior season, posting 46 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, seven QB hurries, two interceptions, five pass deflections and one forced fumble. You can watch his highlights here.
Notre Dame doesn't need to take a fifth defensive back in this class, especially after taking six in the last cycle. But Notre Dame thinks very highly of Stewart as an option if it misses out on Nwankpa. I don't know if Stewart will be an impact player at the next level, but sources I speak with feel like the upside is there.
*** Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean class of 2023 linebacker Drayk Bowen was planning to announce his decision between Auburn, Clemson and Notre Dame Nov. 7 but pushed it up to Nov. 3 so that he could announce it on CBS Sports HQ. His decision ceremony will air at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday. We'll have coverage and reaction of his decision whether he chooses ND or not right here at BlueandGold.com. My FutureCast selection is on Notre Dame.
*** As you can see in the tweet below from his father, Miami Gulliver Prep class of 2023 wide receiver Jalen Brown will be posting a top schools list soon and a commitment does not appear to be far off. In recent updates on Brown, I wrote that he appears to be leaning towards going to the Midwest for college, and Michigan and Notre Dame would be the two schools to keep an eye on. The Irish already have a commitment from his teammate, class of 2023 running back Sedrick Irvin Jr., and landing a pledge from Brown would be a huge haul. He is a silky smooth, dynamic prospect.
