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The college football recruiting world added a little bit of spice on Monday when both 247 Sports and On3 released some updated rankings, and of course, that meant big news for Notre Dame’s recruiting class — which is one of the two best in the nation at the moment regardless of what service you prefer.
Before we get to the head-shaking and laughable... there was some really good news for a few Irish commits. Notably, DE Keon Keeley and S Peyton Bowen look stronger than ever. Keeley is now the #7 overall player on 247 Sports and is currently the 5th best commitment for Notre Dame in the internet recruiting age (between Sam Young and Aaron Lynch). Bowen earned a 5th star from On3 after a fantastic Future 50 performance and is now the #18 player in the country.
Awesome stuff... and yet... what in holy hell is 247 doing with Ohio DL Brenan Vernon? The Mentor native committed to the Irish as a 5-Star on 247 and has steadily seen his stock drop on that service. 247’s updated Top 247 no longer has Vernon listed, and they took a chunk out of his player rating. The company line of “guys just jumped ahead of this prospect — he didn’t move down” does not apply here.
Well, the state of Ohio thinks Brenan Vernon is the best player in the state, and this is for a player that turned his back on the Ohio State Buckeyes.
THE GREAT STATE OF OHIO has declared Brenan Vernon as the BEST senior in the state.
— One Foot Down (@OneFootDown) July 18, 2022
So the recruiting services can go fuck themselves. #OHIO4EVER https://t.co/QFWr9ZqX1h
Recruiting rankings are definitely subjective, and of course they are never 100% right all of the time — which they have no problem admitting to because this stuff is a very tough job. The massive drop in a player’s ranking though (in the summer) is still highly suspect. Vernon isn’t a camp chaser, and some analysts believe he has almost grown out of his role as an edge player. 247 hasn’t even updated his evaluation from August of 2020:
Tall and long-levered with tons of frame space moving forward. Build and look of a strong-side end but frame potential to suit multiple roles in varying fronts. Plays very active and motor runs hots. Uses length to advantage when disengaging. Leverage consistency is better than expected relative to naturally high center of gravity. Flashes some counter ability as a rusher. Can improve fluidity and expand pass-rush arsenal. Seems like a particularly high-floor prospect among the nation’s elite defenders in the 2023 class.
Is Brenan Vernon a beefier reincarnation of Cesare Borgia? JFC 247... you best be careful. pic.twitter.com/z01pOngWpE
— One Foot Down (@OneFootDown) July 18, 2022
Should this matter to Notre Dame fans? I mean — kind of. This doesn’t change the player the Irish are getting in 2023, but it does ding up those team recruiting rankings that seem to matter to everyone. The Great State of Ohio (congratulations Cleveland.com for representing the entire state) has declared Vernon as the best player in Buckeye land — and that’s good enough for this Ohioan.
UPDATED COMMIT LIST
2023 Notre Dame Commit List (23)
SIGNED | POSITION | PLAYER | STATE | HT | WT | RIVALS | ESPN | 247 SPORTS | 247 COMPOSITE | On3 | On3 Consensus | COMMIT DATE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SIGNED | POSITION | PLAYER | STATE | HT | WT | RIVALS | ESPN | 247 SPORTS | 247 COMPOSITE | On3 | On3 Consensus | COMMIT DATE |
☘️ | DE | Brenan Vernon | OH | 6'5" | 245 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 06/29/21 |
☘️ | S | Adon Shuler | NJ | 6'0" | 190 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 08/15/21 |
☘️ | TE | Cooper Flanagan | CA | 6'5" | 225 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 09/02/21 |
☘️ | LB | Drayk Bowen | IN | 6'2" | 215 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 11/03/21 |
☘️ | LB | Preston Zinter | MA | 6'2" | 220 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 01/11/22 |
☘️ | WR | Braylon James | TX | 6'3" | 185 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 04/19/22 |
☘️ | OL | Sam Pendleton | NC | 6'4" | 295 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 04/25/22 |
☘️ | DL | Boubacar Traore | MA | 6'5" | 240 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 04/27/22 |
☘️ | DL | Devan Houstan | MD | 6'5" | 270 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 05/07/22 |
☘️ | OL | Sullivan Absher | NC | 6'7" | 290 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 05/13/22 |
☘️ | OL | Joe Otting | KA | 6'4" | 275 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 06/07/22 |
☘️ | OL | Charles Jagusah | IL | 6'6" | 308 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 06/30/22 |
☘️ | CB | Micah Bell | TX | 5'11" | 170 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 07/01/22 |
☘️ | WR | Rico Flores | CA | 6'1" | 190 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 07/03/22 |
☘️ | CB | Christian Gray | MO | 6'0" | 170 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 07/04/22 |
☘️ | WR | Jaden Greathouse | TX | 6'2" | 215 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 07/15/22 |
☘️ | LB | Jaiden Ausberry | LA | 6'1" | 210 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 08/04/22 |
☘️ | S | Ben Minich | OH | 5'11" | 190 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 08/05/22 |
☘️ | DE | Armel Mukam | VA | 6'4" | 250 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 08/24/22 |
☘️ | RB | Jeremiyah Love | MO | 6'0" | 190 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 10/26/22 |
☘️ | QB | Kenny Minchey | TN | 6'3" | 215 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 11/22/22 |
☘️ | OL | Chris Terek | IL | 6'6" | 295 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 11/27/22 |
☘️ | WR | Kaleb Smith | TX | 6'1" | 180 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 12/01/22 |
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