Will Hunter Echols And Jamire Calvin Be A Recruiting Package Deal For Notre Dame?

Package deals are nothing new in the world of college football recruiting. In fact, they are probably more common than most realize. How? Well, it's the "package deal" that is never formally put out like it is. Translation: schools go after a friend or family member or teammate that they may not need in the class to help push the other target that they covet to commit.

The last really prime example of this for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish was in the 2009 recruiting class with Roby Toma and Manti Te'o. Toma and Te'o were never really a formal package, but they had certainly wanted to go to the same school as the other, and with that in mind, Notre Dame took both.

Notre Dame is looking at a similar path once again. Notre Dame just secured a commitment from wide receiver Michael Young, and with tight numbers left in this class and a "need list" still very much in progress, is doesn't make a lot of sense to get Jamire Calvin all by himself.

The Irish are in need of Hunter Echols, however, and no matter how this class takes shape, Notre Dame will make room for Echols should he decide to commit. Echols is one of those blu chip pass rushers that EVERY team is after and he can provide instant impact the moment he steps on campus.

When looking at both players Crystal Ball projections from 247 Sports, only one school is present in both projections: Notre Dame.

Tom Loy recently projected Calvin to Notre Dame based on a lot of information, but really it's the simple fact that Notre Dame is the number one school for Calvin despite any projection.

With a lot of wide receivers in the fold for Notre Dame in 2017, and other wide receiver targets in the mix that they like more- like Tariq Black (teammate of current commit CJ Holmes)... will Notre Dame try to get Calvin to help lock down Echols? Should they?

The recruiting cycle still has a long time to develop, but already we are seeing that the tight numbers that the Irish are facing this year could force some decisions early, and could force some decisions to be put on hold till the last few weeks. With all due respect to Jamire Calvin, Notre Dame NEEDS Hunter Echols, and they don't need Calvin. How much wiggle do they have and how much time do they need if this is indeed a package deal?

Whatever those answers may be, my answer is that Notre Dame has a tendency to have quite a bit of attrition for one reason or another, and if Calvin helps the chance to get Echols- even slightly, they should take that chance and figure it out later.

* Player eligible for a fifth year.