clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

2016 National Signing Day Primer for Notre Dame Football

The faxes start coming in on Wednesday!

By Eric Murtaugh

Recruiting

It's that time of year once again where the recruiting class is about to wrap up and a new haul of players will be inking their names with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. We're here today to get everyone ready for National Signing Day on Wednesday.

MINI-BIG BOARD UPDATE

Here's a quick update on all the players holding a scholarship offer from Notre Dame who are in the news or remain uncommitted. This section will not include the handful of prospects the Irish are looking to sign on Wednesday--those are down below.

Quarterback Xavier Gaines .870 once had Notre Dame in his top two but his recruitment has taken a major dive since the fall. He was visiting Marshall this past weekend and looks like he's unlikely to sign with a Power 5 school.

Running back Robert Washington .853 was once committed to Syracuse and has visited Pittsburgh, TCU, and Alabama in recent weeks.

Notre Dame at one point was really in the running for all-purpose back Damian Alloway .928 but things cooled considerably and he finally committed to UCLA.

Top receiver WR Nate Craig-Myers .976 will be selecting between Auburn or North Carolina on Wednesday.

Recently, wide receiver Tre Nixon .922 committed to Ole Miss. Sometimes you've gotta play the recruiting game until the end and that includes receiver Sam Bruce .957 who announced he has stayed committed to Miami. Not too long ago Urban Meyer went into Florida and snatched up WR Binjimen Victor .949 who committed to Ohio State.

One of the top athletes in Devin Asiasi .962 is still on the board with USC, Michigan, Washington, and Alabama heavily in the mix.

After years of being committed to Michigan, offensive tackle Erik Swenson .891 was kicked to the curb by Jim Harbaugh. The Illinois product recently committed to Oklahoma instead.

One of the country's best lineman in E.J. Price .956 is still available and most expect him to sign with in-state Georgia Bulldogs. Les Miles is trying to go from almost fired to the top recruiting class in the country as OT Willie Allen .924 committed to LSU. Massive guard prospect Stewart Reese .866 is still out there and has visited Syracuse and Mississippi State this month.

A couple of top defensive ends have not committed yet in Brian Burns .973 and Terrell Hall .966. The former looks to be staying in-state with either the Seminoles or Gators while the latter has visited Maryland, Alabama, and Ole Miss this month. Another DE came off the board lately as Amani Bledsoe .928 committed to Oklahoma

The nation's top recruit in defensive tackle Rashan Gary 1.00 is still available. Also at this position not off the board yet is Christian Colon .851 who doesn't appear to be in line to sign with a Power 5 school anymore. Jordan Elliott .943 is another tackle who recently left Michigan's class and may be headed to Texas.

Notre Dame looked like it might get back into things with linebacker Brendan Ferns .935 but he'll be announcing Wednesday morning between West Virginia and Penn State. Elsewhere at linebacker Elysee Mbem-Bosse .870 committed to Michigan and Jaquan Yulee .925 committed to Marshall.

Lots of momentum for Alabama to grab 5-star linebacker/athlete Mique Juarez .991 out of California. The Irish were looking hard at Aaron Hansford .932 but academics put a halt to that and he's got UCLA and Texas A&M all over him in recent weeks.

Some may say defensive backs love the drama and we still have a bunch on the board:

  • CB Kristian Fulton .985
  • CB Jack Jones .985
  • CB Trayvon Mullen .967
  • CB Jared Mayden .930
  • CB Damar Hamlin .930
  • S Brandon Jones .978
  • S Deontay Anderson .973
  • S Nigel Warrior .969
  • S Lamar Jackson .958
  • S Brandon Burton .919
  • S Chacho Ulloa .885

From the athlete position 5-star Mecole Hardman .990 is available and so is long-time Auburn commit Stephen Davis .880. Also,  Jonah Morris .881 came off the board recently and committed to Indiana.

WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM?

The state of Indiana led last year's haul with 4 players but no one from 2016 is coming out of the Hoosier State. This cycle has been all about Florida where 6 current commits have made the Sunshine State tie Ohio for the overall Kelly-era lead with 20 prospects.

EARLY START ON SCHOOL

Don't forget about Notre Dame's 5 early enrollees who have been on campus since early January, including 3 kids from Florida.

The haul includes outside linebacker Daelin Hayes .937 from Ann Arbor, Michigan, defensive end Khalid Kareem .920 from Farmington, Michigan, safety Devin Studstill .871 from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, safety Spencer Perry .867 from Bradenton, Florida, and wide receiver Kevin Stepherson .861 from Jacksonville, Florida.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Absent a commit on Wednesday completely out of left field the focus remains on just these small handful of prospects. Fuller and Davis do not appear to be realistic anymore, while just recently the Irish appeared to have moved on from pursuing Johnson following his official visit.

We thought Wednesday would be a battle for McCulloch but all signs have been pointing to Texas over the last month. Kelly has long been a strong Oklahoma lean, then Notre Dame surged late, but the Sooners appear to have grabbed most of it back.

Most expect Jonathan Jones to select Notre Dame on Wednesday, while the decision process for Demetris Roberton has been thrown into completely chaos in recent weeks. Will he decide on Wednesday? Will he wait? Will he still be taking visits after National Signing Day? We'll find out soon!

HIGH/LOW

Notre Dame's highest current commit is offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer .981 who finishes the cycle just below Composite 5-star status. Down at the bottom of the class is long-snapper John Shannon .814 and for the non-special teams players it is outside linebacker Jamir Jones .841 from Rochester, NY.

THERE'S NEXT YEAR

The 2017 recruiting cycle will officially begin in a couple days but Notre Dame has been long at work gathering the next class. So far, the class contains 5 commits with tight end Brock Wright .983 from Texas, defensive end Robert Beal .977 from Georgia, offensive tackle Josh Lugg .941 from Pennsylvania, tight end Cole Kmet .923 from Illinois, and offensive tackle Dillan Gibbons .880 from Florida.

These commits give the Irish the No. 6 ranked class right now for 2017.

TOP 100 RECRUITS STILL TO DECIDE

*Indicates 5-stars

  1. DT Rashan Gary*
  2. DT Derrick Brown*
  3. LB Ben Davis*
  4. LB Mique Juarez*
  5. ATH Mecole Hardman*
  6. WR Demetris Robertson*
  7. LB Lyndell Wilson*
  8. DE Jeffery Simmons*
  9. CB Kristian Fulton*
  10. CB Jack Jones*
  11. LB Caleb Kelly*
  12. OT Landon Dickerson*
  13. WR A.J. Brown
  14. S Brandon Jones
  15. WR Nate Craig-Myers
  16. DE Brian Burns
  17. S Deontay Anderson
  18. S Nigel Warrior
  19. LB Jeffrey McCulloch
  20. CB Trayvon Mullen
  21. CB Nigel Knott
  22. DE Terrell Hall
  23. CB Shyheim Carter
  24. TE Devin Asiasi
  25. S Lamar Jackson
  26. OT E.J. Price
  27. LB Dontavious Jackson

HOW YOU SHOULD FEEL BY 2/4/16

HOW YOU MIGHT FEEL BY 2/4/16

More From One Foot Down