Here’s a quick breakdown of the recruits by position.
Quarterback
Four-star dual-threat quarterback DeShone Kizer will join
the Irish this summer and has a ton of upside. The 6-foot-4, 205 pound QB will
likely be slotted third on the depth chart behind Everett Golson and Malik
Zaire, meaning a redshirt season is all but a guarantee. Kizer was the
ninth-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the nation, continuing the recruiting
trend by Brian Kelly. With Golson, Zaire, and Kizer all being dual-threat
quarterbacks, it is apparent that Brian Kelly is trying to solidify that
position with the type of skills desired to run his offense. Despite Kizer’s
potential, don’t expect him to compete for playing time until 2016 at the
earliest.
Wide Receiver
The Irish added a pair of four-star receivers in Corey
Holmes and Justin Brent, improving the depth they already have at the position.
Brent, who is an early-enrollee, is a 6-foot-1, 196 pound receiver that runs a
4.5 40-yard dash. Brian Kelly has already stated that Brent is one of the most
physically developed players he has ever recruited. Considering his early-enrollee
status, Brent could have a chance to make a major impact next season. Holmes is
another big receiver at 6-foot-2 and also runs a 4.5 40-yard dash, but his
slight frame (174 pounds) makes me think a redshirt season is a distinct
possibility. Either way, Brent and Holmes give the Irish a pair of playmakers
for the future.
Tight EndNotre Dame has adopted the moniker of “Tight End U” over the past decade, and two newcomers will be looking to join the list of successful players at the position. Four-star Nic Weishar and three-star Tyler Luatua give the Irish two tight ends in the top 12 of this year’s class. Both players have good height with Weishar listed at 6-foot-5 and Luatua at 6-foot-4, but both check-in at an under-sized weight of 230 pounds. Obviously both players will have a chance to put on the weight during the summer, but they both have some work to do in order to play immediately. Although Troy Niklas is gone, Ben Koyack, Durham Smythe, and Mike Heuerman will all be ahead of them on the depth chart. Given that, it wouldn’t surprise me to see both Weishar and Luatua redshirted.
Offensive Line
Addressing offensive line depth has been a calling card for
Brian Kelly the past few seasons, and this year’s class in no different. Notre
Dame added four top-30 linemen to join their already stacked depth chart.
Five-star beast Quenton Nelson and four-star recruits Sam Mustipher, Jimmy
Byrne, and Alex Bars will join the Irish this summer. Out of the group, Nelson
probably has the best chance of seeing the field next season. He has been
described as a lineman that carries a “mean-streak” and is considered a “nasty”
player. Probably the most impressive stat amongst this group is their size. As seniors
in high school, this group averages a height of 6-foot-5 and nearly 300 pounds.
With the talent that is already on the roster, most of these guys will redshirt
which gives the Irish a bright future up front.
Defensive Line
In addition to offensive line, Brian Kelly has also focused heavily
on adding depth to his defensive front-seven over the past few years. This
class was a perfect example, as the Irish added seven players to their depth
chart. Defensive tackles Jay Hayes, Pete Mokwuah and Daniel Cage will join
defensive ends Jhonathon Williams, Andrew Trumbetti, Jonthan Bonner and Grant
Blankenship in what Notre Dame believes is a talent bunch. However, Hayes is
the only four-star player, with the other six being three-star recruits. Obviously
star rankings don’t determine the success of a player, but it does mean that
they will have to be developed into better players. Since Brian Kelly arrived
at South Bend, he has preached player development, so this group will be a good
bar to judge Notre Dame’s player development program in the next two or three
years. Outside of Hayes and Trumbetti who enrolled-early, the other linemen will
likely be redshirted.
Linebackers
The Irish lost three starters at linebacker, so adding depth
at the position was a major goal of the recruiting class. Four linebackers will
be new members of the Fighting Irish this summer, with four-star stud Nyles
Morgan leading the pack. Morgan is listed as an inside linebacker and will
likely compete for a starting spot. The other three recruits are all three-star
players, and will have to impress to see the field this season. Despite needing
three new starters next fall, Niles Sykes, Greer Martini, and Kolin Hill will
be hard pressed to see the field early in the season.
Defensive Backs
The defensive backfield has been an area of concern for the
Irish the past few seasons, but the future looks bright after a solid
recruiting class last season. To add to that talent, Brian Kelly picked up two additions
in four-star cornerback Nick Watkins and three-star safety Drue Tranquill.
Watkins will have a chance to crack the corner rotation with a unique
combination of size and speed. Watkins is listed a 6-foot-1, 189 pounds and was
clocked at a 4.5 40-yard dash. Unlike Watkins, Tranquill might be more of a
project. The 6-foot-2, 205 pound safety has decent size, but he has a slew of
talent safeties ahead of him on the depth chart. I would be shocked to see him
on the field this season.
Special Teams
The 2014 class ends with the addition of three-star kicker
Tyler Newsome. Newsome is rated as the 6th best kicker in the
country, and his three-star ranking speaks volumes to his leg as most kickers
are two-star recruits. With Kyle Brindza securely entrenched as kicker and
punter, Newsome will have to greatly impress the coaching staff to bump Brindza
from one of his jobs.
-Eric Tichelbaut
Follow me on Twitter @etichel07
2 comments:
Everyone is really excited about the 2014 class as Coach Kelly is starting to demonstrate his recruiting abilities and display his high powered offense. in reference to the WR's that were recruited, no disrespect to Justin Brent but the caliber of competition he played against in Indiana would not allow him on the field at a School like St. Thomas Aquinas. Fans and Sports writers don't have a clue as to what you're getting in Corey Holmes. If you talk privately with any of the Offensive Coaches they'll reveal to you that his skill set is unmatched by any other recruited WR this year. Don't look at the numbers because they don't tell the truth because he only played more that two quarters in 7 games due to blowouts and when he did play he only averaged three passes a game due to the talent level and style of offense. When he gets on campus and Wows everyone only then will many learn what they have. I wish the program nothing but the best as its the classiest program in the nation with the best fan base in the nation. Go Irish!!!
Very valid point with the talent each player played against. I was just stating that Brian Kelly was impressed with Brent's size and physical maturity for a freshman. As an early-enrollee, Brent will have a leg-up on Holmes, but Holmes can play if he wows the coaches in camp. Actually, it might be tough for either player to get playing time next year. The Irish have a bunch of talented receivers on the depth chart. We saw a glimpse of what they can all do last season. Both players certainly have bright futures. However, in the end, it is anyone's guess how a recruit will turn out.
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