Notre Dame Recruiting: Available Scholarships and High School All-Star Games

You can stay on top of the remaining targets and all other Notre Dame recruiting updates via our Recruiting Central hub.

You all are familiar with our eligibility chart so I will get right to it. Players in Blue are in the 2 deep or at least get regular reps. Players in Red are currently injured.

As you know we treat this as a living document and will continue to update it throughout the year. If you have any questions about that or anything else don't hesitate to bring them up in the comments.

2012 ND Roster Breakdown (2 January)

The math is below.

17 Freshmen

22 Sophomores

18 Juniors

9 Seniors that will be eligible to apply for a 5th year

21 Verbal Commitments

87 Total

19 Total scholarships available for new recruits if all 9 of the 5th year options are utilized.

With 21 verbal commitments 2 of those 5th year options are already gone.

That leaves a maximum of 7 additional spots available as a 1 for 1 replacement for 5th year options.

The prevailing opinion seems to be that ND will take 3 additional commitments and potentially a 4th if an elite prospect wants to come on board at the last minute. That means that only 3-4 current players will be able to exercise their 5th year option.

Let's take a quick look the 9 players with a 5th year option.

Players that we know are returning for a 5th year

Zack Martin

Chris Watt

Players on the bubble

Carlo Calabrese

Dan Fox

Cierre Wood- NFL draft evaluation pending

Nick Tausch

Players that I expect to be gone

Tyler Eifert- NFL Draft

Tyler Stockton

Jake Golic

So here is how I see this playing out.

I am assuming that Tyler Stockton and Jake Golic have already been replaced by current commits. So if we get the additional 3-4 commitments then the first one will take Tyler Eifert's spot leaving those players on the bubble to return for a 5th year as the remaining 1 for 1 options for new commitments.

I expect Cierre Wood to declare for the draft and remove himself from the mix. I have seen rumors of a preferred walk on being offered to a kicker which would lead me to believe that Tausch is likely gone as well. That would make room for commitments #2 and 3. So that potential 4th verbal would mean that the staff would have to choose between keeping Carlo Calabrese and Dan Fox for that final available scholarship.

*Any other attrition like transfers and/ or medical hardships would obviously create additional spots for those players on the bubble for a 5th year.

It appears likely that Notre Dame will get an additional 2 to 3 commitments out of the Under Armour and U.S. Army All-American games this weekend. If that happens this class will just about be wrapped up. You are all familiar with our Big Board now let's take a quick look at the current Notre Dame commits and potential verbals that are participating in these All-Star Games.

Under Armour All-American Game

Friday 4 Jan 5pm ESPN

Black Team

#34 Alex Anzalone LB (ND verbal)

#70 Hunter Bivin OL (ND verbal)

#60 Colin McGovern OL (ND verbal, *not playing)

#10 Tarean Folston RB (Expected to announce between Notre Dame, Oregon and Florida State)

White Team

#1 Max Redfield S (Expected to announce between Notre Dame and USC)

Semper Fidelis All-AmericanBowl

Friday 4 Jan 9pm NFL Network

U.S. Army All-AmericanBowl

Saturday 5 Jan 1pm NBC

East

#1 Greg Bryant RB (ND verbal)

#74 John Montelus OL (ND verbal)

#26 Doug Randolph OLB (ND verbal)

#8 Al-Quadin Muhammad DE (Could potentially announce for ND)

West

#72 Steve Elmer OL (ND verbal)

#84 Torii Hunter Jr WR (ND verbal, *injured)

#88 Corey Robinson WR (ND verbal)

#9 Jaylon Smith OLB (ND verbal)

#47 Eddie Vanderdoes DT (ND target)

How do you see this playing out down the stretch?