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This board needs a new verbal

Pennick44

Fighting Irish Fanatic
Feb 1, 2008
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Who is next? Austin? Jamion Franklin? Give me a name.
How many days till the guys report for the summer?
 
Ja'mion Franklin is my best guess, or possibly DJ Johnson and Cam McGrone at Invasion. I think ND comes out of Irish Invasion weekend with at least 1 verbal and another at the Opening.

I'd say that there is a at least a 50% chance (in each individual case) that the following players could be Irish by August...

WR: Kevin Austin Jr
TE: George Takacs
DE: Thomas Booker
DT: Ja'mion Franklin
LB: Cameron McGrone
CB: DJ Johnson
CB: Houston Griffth

I've been saying for a while now that ND will have no fewer than 16 verbal heading into the season and I'm sticking to that prediction. The finals 6-7 spots will be filled during official visit season / on the final stretch towards national signing day.

My updated class prediction as of today is as follows...

QB: Phil Jurkovec
RB: Markese Stepp
WR: Kevin Austin Jr
WR: Micah Jones
WR: Braden Lenzy
TE: George Tackacs
OT: Cole Mabry
OT: Nick Petit-Frere
OG: John Dirksen
SDE: Thomas Booker
SDE: Justin Ademilola
NG: Ja'mion Franklin
DT: Jayson Ademilola
Drop: Bo Calvert
Buck: Cameron McGrone
Buck: Ovie Oghoufo
Mike: Bo Bauer
Rover: Shayne Simon
CB: DJ Johnson
CB: Kalon Gervin (ND is still fighting for him)
CB/S: Houston Griffith
S: Derrick Allen

By time rankings are adjusted, etc, etc, I think that is a top 7 class. Gotta win at least 9 games, IMO, to keep the momentum going and show recruits that this thing is heading back in the right direction. The Georgia and USC games are going to be big recruiting weekends.
 
Franklin and Austin have been on the watch list for some time now, and hope both commit at The June Invasion, assuming both are attending. The guy I hope surprises us with a commitment that weekend is Tyreke Smith. As usual, IIO has great info and perspective, and his final projections would make us all happy, and Guys like Booker and Griffith would be great gets, and either could be in the discussion of our next commit. The lack of any recent recruitment momentum is bothersome after getting off to a great start, but On campus events matter, and I expect some good news coming out of The Invasion.
 
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Franklin and Austin have been on the watch list for some time now, and hope both commit at The June Invasion, assuming both are attending. The guy I hope surprises us with a commitment that weekend is Tyreke Smith. As usual, IIO has great info and perspective, and his final projections would make us all happy, and Guys like Booker and Griffith would be great gets, and either could be in the discussion of our next commit. The lack of any recent recruitment momentum is bothersome after getting off to a great start, but On campus events matter, and I expect some good news coming out of The Invasion.

Telx1,

While it may seem like ND's recruiting momentum has dried up, I think that's actually far from the case. Their commitment momentum has certainly slowed, but that is part for the course at this time of the year. Recruits tend not to commit all that often during the May evaluation period because it's an opportunity for them to be evaluated by staffs from across the country and land new offers. At the conclusion of May, they have a better idea of what their long term off sheet is going to loom like and they can begin to narrow their focus regarding potential suitors heading into the June / July camp period.

While Notre Dave's commitment pipeline may have come to a halt, ND's coaches have been working harder than I've ever seen of a staff led by Brian Kelly, to hit the road and recruit the heck of their offered players and evaluate new prospects throughout May. I think you're going to start seeing major dividends soon. In the next 40'ish days we have the Rivals 5 star challenge, Irish Invasion and The Opening. By maybe a week following the opening, I expect ND's recruiting class to be at least 25% bigger than it is today.... Realistically, 40'ish days is a short period of time to pick up 4-5 commitments. I'm confident we'll see that many and a couple of them will be top of the board guys for ND.
 
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IIO, couldn't agree more about the recruiting work being put in by this staff. First time in recent memory that we've had a DC hitting the recruiting trail this hard, in concert with everyone else, and I agree this will pay huge dividends. Frankly, it's damn hard keeping up with all the guys they've offered, something that has never been a problem before. As you say, we are sitting pretty with the commits onboard, and we know many high rated recruits like to go public with their commitments during or shortly after a major on campus event. I'll take the OVER on two commits coming out of The Invasion!
Off topic, I know we celebrate Memorial Day here in the States to honor the sacrifices of those who have served in our military; and since Canada has been by our side nearly every step of the way, wanted to say thanks for your service and to honor Canadian sacrifices as well.
 
well, as predicatable as Bodi's annual 12-0, Wiltfong has his annual article about 'ND poised for a Top 5' recruiting class! What is that saying about the 'blind squirrel".

Since Bama, Clemson, USC, tOSU,FSU, are heavy probs for the 1st five spots...?
Realistical expectations would be 10-14.
 
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To Irish in Ontario.

I don't see Mustipher's brother on the list . Why ?
 
^ recent reports are saying he is PSU bound. But it is still only end of May. There will be changes to targets, commits (+-)

Bo Calvert was on the list; reading the SC forum, it is hard to guage the 'Hard Commit' there.
He is taking visits; and SC will end up up with a phenominal LB group which may or may not include him. SC has 3 top LBers commited (with Bo) and 2-3 more 'elite' as heavy leans.
So maybe Bo is seen as an OLB/DE prospect.
 
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Two weeks ago Mustipher was an Ohio St lean, and now a PSU lean. Seems he is looking to forge his own path and not follow his brother to ND. He's intimately familiar with ND, so not sure there is anything the coaches can do at this point beyond keeping in touch to let him know he is wanted.
 
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To Irish in Ontario.

I don't see Mustipher's brother on the list . Why ?

Staff likes Franklin more and are pushing for him rather than for Mustipher. PJ is best suited for a 3-4 defense or a 4-3 that asks DL to stalemate. He is not a penetraror, which is what the defensive staff likes in Franklin. Realistically, PJ would be a borderline 5 star talent if he wanted to play guard at the next level, but as a DT / NG he has nowhere near the athleticism or the quick twitch that a Jayson Ademilola has, not is he just a dominant force as an anchor like Darnell Ewell is... Good player. PJ would be a take for me, but Elko knows what he's looking for better than I do. He wants the speed, power and penetration of Ja'mion Franklin, who should soar up the recruiting g boards post Opening, FWIW.
 
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Two weeks ago Mustipher was an Ohio St lean, and now a PSU lean. Seems he is looking to forge his own path and not follow his brother to ND. He's intimately familiar with ND, so not sure there is anything the coaches can do at this point beyond keeping in touch to let him know he is wanted.
I don't think Mustipher is a priority at this point but they are maintaining contact in case they miss out.
 
I don't think Mustipher is a priority at this point but they are maintaining contact in case they miss out.
Agree. Everything I've read supports IIO's assessment that they like Franklin a lot more for Elko's defensive scheme. I really like Mustipher's skill set from football and wrestling, and his measurables, but like even better that we have a DC totally involved in recruiting with a clear vision of what type of players he wants.
 
Just read where Franklin has moved his commitment date to June 6th.
 
I think so. It means he has arrived at a decision, no other campus visits will take place, and I think the ND coaches feel very good about where they stand with him. I believe he is attending the Irish Invasion, which would be a few days after the announcement.
 
another interesting Loy CB

he CB'd a Ca. LB from a USC feeder H.S. to tOSU. Of 12 CB's this is the only non SC CB.
(there was a recent thread, playfully mocking Loy's recruiting reliability)

Loy is not the fav over on the SC board and unless this proves to be of some great insight into this kids recruiting, then this would seem to be some sort of playful (?) 'agitation' to SC fans; however, if it does not prove accurate, then it may also hint that Loy may use the CB for other than prognostication; rendering his CB's 'tainted'.
 
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