One Foot Down - Notre Dame Football Recruiting: 2020 National Signing Day Headquarters A never-ending discussion about Notre Dame and the greater CFB landscapehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52610/ofd_fav.png2020-02-07T11:34:10-05:00http://www.onefootdown.com/rss/stream/207905302020-02-07T11:34:10-05:002020-02-07T11:34:10-05:00Notre Dame Football Recruiting: 2020 Rivals Edition
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<p>Checking in how the bad guys did in their 2020 </p> <p id="9Tu2gL">National signing day has come and gone, and the last of the hats have been plucked from their table. The <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> finished the 2020 cycle with the 17th ranked class according to 247 composite rankings POINT totals, but it terms of average recruit ranking <strong>(90.75)</strong>, they finished 9th. They say say’s it’s not the size of the class that matters but how you use it — and it’s pretty clear Kelly and co used the limited numbers effectively. </p>
<p id="bR4vEb">On a micro level, a recruit’s star ranking is not indicative of how they pan out over four years. <span>Ian Book</span> was an unheralded three star who chased off two top 100 recruits. On a macro level however, you need only look at the teams who make the CFB playoff perennially to see that these rankings do matter. It’s often that fans of a program remain fairly insulated to the happenings of their own team, not really seeing the forest from the trees if you will. What I set out to do was put the Irish class into further context by showing what Notre Dame’s rivals — and some future opponents — did in 2020.</p>
<h1 id="JoXnQG"><a href="https://www.ruleoftree.com/">Stanford Cardinal</a></h1>
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<p id="NLc5Tf">It’s a numbers game for the lads up on the farm. Even with a class of 25, they are losing. As things currently stand, Stanford has 79 scholarship players. Recruiting rankings over the last two seasons for Stanford has certainly normalized by their standards but that is mostly a result of quantity. Of those 79 players, 46 will be true freshmen and sophomores next season. The average rating of players in the 2020 class is the lowest Stanford has had since 2008 (<strong>86.37</strong>). To illustrate, Stanford went into NSD with 22 players signed to their class. </p>
<p id="fPMYJI">They added three more:<br><a href="https://247sports.com/player/zephron-lester-46041774/">Zephron Lester</a> - 2 star DT from Middle Village, New York He had 15 offers but only were from FBS schools: Army, Massachusetts, Temple and Stanford.<br><a href="https://247sports.com/player/kiersten-lee-46083276/">Kiersten Lee </a>- The gem of yesterday’s “haul”, a low 3 star ILB from Marietta, GA. As the 2632nd ranked player in the 2020 class, he chose the Cardinal over Dartmouth, Harvard and Yale, after originally verbally committing just before early signing day but didn’t sign his LOI until NSD. <br><a href="https://247sports.com/player/max-kalny-46081520/">Max Kalny</a> - He’s a 247 2 star OG from Lenexa, Kansas who literally doesn’t have a composite ranking. His offer list includes just nine schools: Air Force, Cornell, Illinois State, Indiana State, Lafayette, Soutwest Minnesota State, </p>
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<figcaption>Was he offered to be in an order of monks? Because I’m 100% sure that Augustana and Benedictine are monastic orders.</figcaption>
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<p id="LbDqIA">That’s not to say Stanford was devoid of talent in this signing class. Myles Hinton was a top 100 player and an offensive lineman most of the country offered and wanted (curiously not Notre Dame). They were able to stave off Michigan (who signed his 5* brother last year) and Alabama. He is the first four star OT Stanford has landed since getting <span>Foster Sarell</span> and <span>Walker Little</span> in 2017. Four star running back EJ Smith and four star receiver John Humphreys add tsome much needed talent at the skill positions for the Cardinal, an area they are woefully lacking. They were also able to nab a 4 star corner Ayden Hector, who is of note because his father played on the <a href="https://www.conquestchronicles.com/">USC Trojans</a> in the early 90’s. If he had followed in his father footsteps, he would have ended up the second highest ranked Trojan recruit...</p>
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<figcaption>Womp womp.</figcaption>
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<h1 id="Nsdjdq">USC Trojans</h1>
<p id="8VyHa3">The Trojan’s have just completed their worst recruiting class in the recruiting services era. If you took the number of national championships and Heisman trophy’s that USC has vacated this century you would have the same number of four star recruits USC signed this cycle. They signed as many unranked players as they did top FOUR-HUNDRED players. There is nothing nice to say. This class belongs in a museum. It truly is a work of art. Bravo USC. </p>
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<h1 id="PmV5XZ"><a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/navy-midshipmen">Navy Midshipmen</a></h1>
<p id="Z1iPSd">So we need to have a talk about Navy because I have no idea what the hell is happening here. Words fail. They signed 39 players. That’s not a typo. They signed more recruits than Baskin-Robbins has ice-cream flavors, and I don’t know what to make of it. Does Navy always sign a million kids? The answer is yes — yes they do. Hold up... Am I reading this wrong? How can they sign a million kids every year? Are these scholarship players? I can’t tell. Lemme look a little deeper... What!? They had 60 commits in 2017?? What is this madness???</p>
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<h1 id="j1CEiZ"><a href="https://www.bcinterruption.com/">Boston College Eagles</a></h1>
<p id="YemTMU">Are they a rival? They think they’re a rival right? Does that make BC a rival? What if I don’t want them to be rival? How do you un-rival someone? One second, hold on:</p>
<blockquote><p id="7k4aIH">Me: Alexa, how do you un-rival someone?<br>Alexa: Sorry I don’t know that.<br>Me: Well shit...<br>Me: Alexa, how many double digit win seasons has Boston College had?<br>Alexa: One more than USC has four star recruits in their 2020 class.</p></blockquote>
<p id="94BBE8">Oh well, I guess we’re stuck with them huh? So how’d they do anyway?</p>
<p id="1hKyBA">They signed Drew Pyne’s cousin! Kevin Pyne is one of the corner stones to their class, he and local boy Ozzy Trapilo, are the highest ranked offensive linemen Boston College has signed since 4-star John Elliott in 2007. Since start of Jude’s definition of a decade, they had just signed two four star players until this year. Pretty impressive considering the coaching staff turnover. Their average recruit ranking (<strong>85.29</strong>) is the highest in program history (well, since 2002 when these things were reliably tracked), which is something to be commended. Sure 11 of their 15 commits aren’t ranked but hey, two four stars!</p>
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<h1 id="tnKwwR"><a href="https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/">Wisconsin Badgers</a></h1>
<p id="2H9T1l">Yes I know, Wisconsin isn’t a rival. Notre Dame hasn’t played Wisconsin since Ara Parseghian’s first season, a fact NBC is sure to cram down your throat like the year is 1992 and your Boomer parents want you to eat unseasoned Brussels sprout.</p>
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<figcaption>Flutie Facts, a dish best served never.</figcaption>
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<p id="IPX8jt">The thing about Wisconsin is they are kinda not great at this whole recruiting thing. Every year they do essentially the same thing, they sign 20-25 kids, they rank between 25-45, and they pray they miss Ohio State/Penn State in the cross conference scheduling so they can pound on the western division patsies and win 10 games. They haven’t beaten Penn State since the disgraced Joe Paterno was fired, and have lost eight straight to the Buckeyes. Not to fully besmirch the good name of the Wisconsin program however, they did sign five four-star recruits that, in all likelihood, will go on to be productive three year starters and end up winning some kind of Kirk Herbstreit post season Herby award given to the player who should have a neck roll or something. </p>
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<figcaption>Wisconsin practice, where you’ll find more neck roll’s than passing drills.</figcaption>
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<p id="VoKHMZ">Joking aside, Jalen Berger is THE Wisconsin running back. He’s a four star from Don Bosco Prep in NJ, and he is everything that a Wisconsin back should be. Fun fact I bet you didn’t know: Wisconsin seems to have the state of New Jersey on lock down when it comes to running backs; <span>Jonathan Taylor</span> was from Salem, <span>Corey Clement</span> was from Glassboro, <span>Anthony Davis</span> was from Plainfield, and Ron Dayne was from Pine Hill. Their class this year did end up ranked 25th — however the average player rating (<strong>87.82</strong>) illustrates the demonstrative difference between even the 17th (Notre Dame) and 25th ranked class. It’s a difference not unlike Notre Dame and...</p>
<h1 id="uJPefV"><a href="https://www.shakinthesouthland.com/">Clemson Tigers</a></h1>
<p id="y6Xcco">They signed 5 five-star recruits. They signed the #1 recruit DT Bryan Bresee, #7 recruit DE Myles Murphy, #10 recruit QB DJ Uiagalelei, #20 recruit RB Demarkcus Bowman and #26 recruit OLB Trenton Simpson. That’s just five-stars guys... They also signed the 33, 49, 52, 68, 93rd ranked players as well. This recruiting class is stupid good and it would be ranked number 1 in terms of average recruit rating (<strong>93.45</strong>) if they didn’t sign Brent Venables’ son Tyler, who is a three star safety and rated at 84.98 — less than half a point less than BOSTON COLLEGE’S BEST SEASON AVERAGE. Dabo’s got it rolling at Clemson right now. I would like to point out however that this year’s class, ranked third, is the highest in Clemson history. Just a quick run down to help raise some spirits?</p>
<p id="hMZ5C4">2019 - 10th ranked class, 89.76 avg<br>2018 - 7th ranked class, 93.45 avg<br>2017 - 16th ranked class, 92.10 avg<br>2016 - 11th ranked class, 90.30 avg<br>2015 - 9th ranked class, 89.12 avg<br>2014 - 16th ranked class, 88.59 avg<br>2013 - 15th ranked class, 88..46 avg</p>
<p id="QxGChT">I think you get the picture. The point is, they weren’t on that Alabama level until recently. They won TITLES with classes not unlike the ones that Brian Kelly has been pulling in. When folks say that the Irish are behind in terms of talent, I always kind of raise an eyebrow. It’s not like Clemson was bathed in five star butter when they blanked Ohio State 31-0 and beat Alabama for the national championship in 2016. My follow-up to this is to look at the rosters of Notre Dame’s opponents based on the talent currently on them, my hunch is Notre Dame is closer to Clemson in terms of talent than any other team is to Notre Dame. I’ll leave you with this graph, to show you where this 2020 Notre Dame class stacks up to their 2020 opponents in terms of average player rating.</p>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/2/7/21122460/notre-dame-football-recruiting-2020-rivals-edition-fighting-irish-signing-day-clemson-usc-wisconsinBrendan McAlinden2020-02-06T01:00:00-05:002020-02-06T01:00:00-05:00How Notre Dame’s recruiting class ranked nationally on national signing day
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<figcaption>Rylie Mills | Twitter @TheLFLeader</figcaption>
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<p>It was a Top 20 class...</p> <p id="Ss9skW">Under the simplest of guidelines, the <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> didn’t have a great recruiting class for the 2020 cycle. A quick glance at the team rankings forces you to scroll down the page a bit to see Notre Dame’s ranking. </p>
<p id="1fqoSC">Here are Notre Dame’s class rankings per Rivals, ESPN, and the 247 Composite:</p>
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<li id="ruhs2h">#14 <a href="http://insider.espn.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/classrankings">ESPN</a>
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<li id="PeLyQs">#17 <a href="https://247sports.com/Season/2020-Football/CompositeTeamRankings/">247 Composite</a>
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<li id="Lnm6GN">#20 <a href="https://n.rivals.com/team_rankings/2020/all-teams/football">Rivals</a>
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<p id="C5pk0b">Back in December, the Irish were ranked right around #10 — but a lot has happened since then. For starters, Notre Dame didn’t add anymore recruits to its class. Secondly, the Irish were forced to part ways with Landen Bartleson, which dropped their class size to 17. According to the 247 Composite, it was the lowest number of commitments ranked in the top 25. </p>
<p id="0z2Kh7">Just looking at the 247 Composite Team Rankings, here are some programs of note:</p>
<ul>
<li id="Wevv7s">
<a href="https://www.shakinthesouthland.com/">Clemson Tigers</a> #3</li>
<li id="LfqV2c">
<a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com/">Ohio State Buckeyes</a> #5</li>
<li id="INYOx4">
<a href="https://www.maizenbrew.com/">Michigan Wolverines</a> #14</li>
<li id="VjfocL">
<a href="https://www.ruleoftree.com/">Stanford Cardinal</a> #21</li>
<li id="TO34Wm">
<a href="https://www.conquestchronicles.com/">USC Trojans</a> #55</li>
<li id="q4DpEW">
<a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/eastern-michigan-eagles">Eastern Michigan Eagles</a> #113</li>
</ul>
<p id="zq2p42">It should also be noted that not only did the Irish only have 17 players in this class (which was close to the target because of scholarship numbers), one of them is a long snapper — which are generally ranked as a 2-Star prospect (sorry Kohl’s). The overall quality of the commitments in this class is much better than its class ranking, but it’s understandable if fans are a little put off as they see the usual suspects in the top 10. </p>
<p id="25at4S">After Brian Kelly said that Notre Dame should be competing for top 5 classes, a story about him not recruiting two elite prospects personally and this final ranking have made his words a little hollow in the present. </p>
<p id="Sfk4ys">It all adds up to a bit of frustration for sure, but when you start thinking about that, change your thought process. Think about Chris Tyree, <span>Jordan Johnson</span>, Michael Mayer, Tosh Baker, Jordan Botelho, Rylie Mills, Xavier Watts, and all of the other guys in this class that got you excited when they committed. It’s a good class that’s added to a good team to help find greatness. </p>
<p id="nhTgBH">We can work with that.</p>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/2/6/21125917/how-notre-dames-recruiting-class-ranked-nationally-on-national-signing-day-tyree-mayer-mills-wattsJoshua Vowles2020-02-05T12:40:40-05:002020-02-05T12:40:40-05:00Notre Dame National Signing Day: Brian Kelly and Brian Polian go on a podcast
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Camping World Bowl-Notre Dame vs Iowa State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xyDkuRfKny_zAb3n8BbuCG0dy-c=/0x0:3683x2455/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66256307/usa_today_13844562.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Not our podcast — a different podcast.</p> <p id="djPeXB">It’s National Signing Day around the country, but for the <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> — it’s just another day. The Irish wrapped up their entire 17 man class back in December during the early signing period, and all this date really means for us, is that we can officially move on to the 2021 class (that already has 8 commits).</p>
<p id="muYVtA">There won’t be a big signing day press conference, but Brian Kelly and his recruiting coordinator Brian Polian, went on one of Notre Dame’s podcasts to talk about the class, recruiting in general, and other state business. </p>
<p id="6N2wXt">You can listen to the show in its entirety in the YouTube video below.</p>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/2/5/21124922/notre-dame-national-signing-day-brian-kelly-and-brian-polian-go-on-podcast-fighting-irish-recruitingJoshua Vowles2020-02-05T08:42:43-05:002020-02-05T08:42:43-05:002020 Scholarship Chart
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<img alt="Houston Griffith notre dame football" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pAC3jTcNE8fzAyQJBRnrnxgEJdk=/958x162:3451x1824/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62821623/_MM98387.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Houston Griffith | Mike Miller/One Foot Down</figcaption>
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<p>The march to 85.</p> <p id="f2Rzrv">The <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> went many years without filling up its roster with the full 85 scholarship limit. For various different reasons, fall would come and the Irish would only have 82 or 83 (sometimes less) scholarship players on the roster. </p>
<p id="AEcyjL">If you’re trying to build quality depth across all of the position groups, you simply need as many good players as possible. </p>
<p id="wPt7CF">It’s a different story now. In 2018, the Irish came into the season with 85 players for the first time that I can remember. It came after signing 27 players in the 2018 recruiting class, and some roster movement. The Irish are facing the same type of numbers crunch in 2019, and if things go to plan... they will face the numbers crunch again in 2020.</p>
<p id="P3lePE">This chart should give you a better feel for how the Notre Dame football recruiting effort will manage its numbers moving forward in the 2020 cycle. Unlike a lot of charts like this, the players are categorized by their academic year. An asterisk denotes that the player is eligible for a 5th year. (Crawford gets 2 because he may be eligible for a 6th).</p>
<p id="3e8Enj">While a handful of these players may not be expected to return to Notre Dame in 2020, they may still be on this chart until official word is given that they are headed elsewhere.</p>
<p id="rcEiiX">I’ve done away with the ROVER classification. Brian Kelly has stated that the Irish are recruiting linebackers and safeties, and the designation isn’t needed anymore.</p>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2019/1/10/18176578/notre-dame-football-recruiting-2020-scholarship-chart-oversign-fighting-irishJoshua Vowles2020-02-05T08:32:07-05:002020-02-05T08:32:07-05:002020 Fighting Irish Commit List
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<p>Running list of Notre Dame football’s 2020 commitments.</p> <p id="wq8Ct9">The <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> are already building a strong base to their 2020 recruiting class. It’s difficult, this early in the cycle, to set a number that the Irish will take on signing day. It took until mid-summer for the Irish to get down to the 85 man limit in 2018, so these things aren’t exactly the quickest facts to surface.</p>
<p id="ws7GGs">The Irish have done quite well in filling its roster with high quality athletes across the board, and should continue to do so for the 2020 class.</p>
<p id="T5Wu8X">This will be the running list for the 2020 commits, and will be <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/notre-dame-football-recruiting-news-recruits-national-signing-day">pinned to the top of our recruiting page</a>. Special updates (other than the commitments themselves) can also appear on this page.</p>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2018/7/6/17540884/notre-dame-football-recruiting-2020-commit-list-fighting-irishJoshua Vowles2020-02-05T02:27:58-05:002020-02-05T02:27:58-05:00Notre Dame Football Recruiting: Obsessing over player rankings on National Signing Day
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<figcaption>Xavier Watts | Twitter @stuOWH</figcaption>
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<p id="9Q2BHH">It’s officially National Signing Day (again) and for the <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a>, it’s going to be a mostly uneventful day. Most Irish fans would agree that they like it that way, and look forward to the laid back day ahead.</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><aside id="PzbTo1"><q>“You don’t have to tell me that I’m silly for obsessing over these types of things — I absolutely know that I am.”</q></aside></div>
<p id="DRhWWL">Even after these past few years with the early signing period, I still get those “feels” for the signing day in February. So, I still have a little more juice for the day. Rather than fret over possible commits or decommits, for better or for worse, my energy has swung wildly towards the recruiting rankings from the recruiting services. </p>
<p id="hbizMv">It’s futile and stupid, but so is recruiting — and why we love it so damn much.</p>
<p id="Ld45vk">While I’ve been fighting the rankings fight for a few months now [insert hill or knoll here for a proper burial] I went into a tailspin on Tuesday night because of an article from Carter Karels over at the South Bend Tribune that you absolutely need to read. </p>
<div id="KCqhTU">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Why is Michael Mayer a five-star recruit on 247Sports and not Rivals? Why is Drew Pyne No. 117 overall on one site and No. 768 on the other?<br><br>Talked with <a href="https://twitter.com/SWiltfong247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SWiltfong247</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/rivalsmike?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rivalsmike</a> to dive into the biggest disagreements regarding <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NotreDame</a>'s signees. <a href="https://t.co/veqwAoXHBj">https://t.co/veqwAoXHBj</a></p>— Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) <a href="https://twitter.com/CarterKarels/status/1224850123605319687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2020</a>
</blockquote>
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<p id="hPbVzS">You see, it’s not really WHAT ranking these services give each player, it’s how they come about the ranking that bothers me.</p>
<p id="YT2BwW">I’ve spoken at great length in the past about camps and their massive role in rankings, so I won’t waste any more space on that particular subject. In the SBT article there were two particular quotes that have me obsessing over all of this.</p>
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<p id="uxrQFj">247’s Steve Wiltfong:</p>
<p id="5u9ABI">“We don’t know if he’s [Drew Pyne] a guy who can make all the throws necessary of a future NFL guy. That doesn’t mean he won’t be a good college player.”</p>
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<p id="PpnaGo">247 hands out 32 5-Star rankings a year, and they base that off of their decision to rank players off of where they project them in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a> — and not exactly at the collegiate level. Basically, it’s like projecting how a player will perform in college while he’s still in junior high. </p>
<p id="zYrV49">Just as strange, is thinking about their process and trying to match up the players the way they see them. Just about every year there are 3-4 running backs ranked as a 5-Star, but over the past 10 years there have only been 15 running backs selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. There was even a two year stretch between 2013 and 2014 where ZERO running backs were selected in the first round.</p>
<p id="5m9l8g">It just doesn’t make much sense, and it’s one of the many reasons there is a big divide in how each service ranks some of these players — hence the Karels article. </p>
<p id="gNRUw7">Rivals is just as guilty as 247.</p>
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<p id="iurbKY">Rivals’ Mike Farrell:</p>
<p id="9svOmm">“It comes down to I’m looking for freaky athletes. Mayer is very, very good, but athletically, he’s not at that elite level where he’s just a freak of nature.”</p>
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<p id="GOkBpS">That was in response to Mayer being a 4-Star on Rivals opposed to the 5-Star status the tight end from Kentucky has received on 247. Rivals has Michael Mayer as the #3 tight end with Darnell Washington ranked above him at #2. Washington is a 5-Star on both Rivals and 247, but Washington is ranked as an athlete on 247. Washington’s hands have been a huge question mark throughout the cycle, but his athleticism and size gives him this strange ranking. I mean — is Washington really the #2 TE? Can you rank a TE that high if he can’t consistently do one of the key elements of a tight end — catch the ball? So, despite Mayer’s ridiculous production on the field and at the camps, he takes a hit. </p>
<p id="cIYKeI">Look, this is an extremely difficult business and an extremely difficult task. I don’t envy their job at all — or envy them seeing articles like this one that criticizes that job. Still, this is where we are and what we have in front of us.</p>
<p id="O1ldup">You don’t have to tell me that I’m silly for obsessing over these types of things — I absolutely know that I am (and of course “silly” is a kind word). But at the same time, I also understand how so much of college football is perception and narrative. It all starts on national signing day (both of them) so in that sense, I feel vindicated with my reasons to rant. </p>
https://www.onefootdown.com/2020/2/5/21123800/notre-dame-football-recruiting-obsessing-over-player-rankings-on-national-signing-day-247-rivalsJoshua Vowles2020-02-04T21:18:20-05:002020-02-04T21:18:20-05:00‘Twas the Night Before Early Signing Day...
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<p>A classic tale re-imagined for a new generation!</p> <div id="YG34Pb"><div data-anthem-component="gallery:9008695"></div></div>
<p id="1idGkA">I’d like to dedicate this to Aaryn Kearney, the Director of Recruiting for the <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> football program. Tomorrow is the start of the early signing period for National Signing Day, and it is the pay-off for all of his hard work throughout the year. The complete overhaul of the recruiting department since 2014 has been wildly impressive, and the leg work he and his staff have put in is reaping huge dividends in the upcoming classes. </p>
<p id="LC0odr">Thanks Aaryn for helping to make my favorite program better.</p>
https://www.onefootdown.com/2019/12/17/21025901/twas-the-night-before-early-signing-day-notre-dame-fighting-irish-recruiting-childens-book-christmasBrendan McAlinden2019-12-19T15:00:15-05:002019-12-19T15:00:15-05:00Signing Day: It’s fine that Notre Dame has the 11th rated recruiting class for 2020
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<figcaption>Jordan Botelho | Mike Miller/One Foot Down</figcaption>
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<p>Actually, it’s better than “fine”</p> <p id="JSFhMF">With what was probably more than 80% of the top 300 recruits signing their NLIs on Wednesday, the team recruiting rankings are really close to what they will look like when the cycle finishes in February. After a short visit to the #9 spot, the <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> are currently #11 with 18 commitments according to the 247 Composite Team Rankings. ESPN has Notre Dame at #13 and Rivals ranked the Irish at #15.</p>
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<p id="VVGXEF">It’s fine.</p>
<p id="ttmxPg">Based off of available scholarships, we knew that this was going to be a much smaller class than what we have seen over the last few years. Smaller classes naturally mean lower rankings. It’s a math thing (yuck math).</p>
<p id="GTHxqn">Notre Dame earned 257.19 points for its 18 recruits. I read somewhere once that 20 recruits is like the target number for these rankings, so the Irish had 2 less than that (yay math). Here’s the <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/2019/1/10/18176578/notre-dame-football-recruiting-2020-scholarship-chart-oversign-fighting-irish">LINK </a>to the scholarship chart if you want to know why they only took 18 (plus one transfer). </p>
<p id="l4wHsO">So, what if Notre Dame was able to have signed more recruits? What if, for example, they were to get to 20? Well, let’s get them there. </p>
<p id="dfuz1U">Using 247’s class calculator, I chose two recruits to add to this class. Running back Tirek Murphy (<a href="https://www.hammerandrails.com/">Purdue Boilermakers</a>) and offensive lineman Peter Skoronski (<a href="https://www.insidenu.com/">Northwestern Wildcats</a>). Murphy would most likely be Irish if Notre Dame had pushed him, but Skoronski was a clear loss. Those additions would have given the Irish 268.69 points and the #8 ranking. </p>
<p id="B7VIOU">If you add one more, because there is a long snapper on here, the ranking moves again. Add defensive lineman Deonte Craig (<a href="https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/">Iowa Hawkeyes</a>) to the mix and the Irish have 271.16 points and the #7 spot. Craig is an Indiana kid that Notre Dame took a pass on.</p>
<p id="WLDDMd">Say you add two more to bring the total to 23 recruits (about average size for ND over the Kelly era). Let’s add linebacker Cody <span>Simon</span> (<a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com/">Ohio State Buckeyes</a>) and Cullen Coleman (Northwestern). Simon is the brother of <span>Shayne Simon</span> and Coleman was another “pass” from Notre Dame (and a 3 star). The total slides up to 277.57, but the Irish would still be at #7 — and just ever so slightly below the <a href="https://www.goodbullhunting.com/">Texas A&M Aggies</a> at #6.</p>
<p id="mEGByx">Just based off of that small exercise (one where i’m not just adding 5-Stars or guys that never had an interest in ND) it’s a fair statement to say that this class is worthy of top 10 status. The overall quality is so good, that 5 recruits (four 4-Stars & one 3-Star) only moves them from 11 to 7. </p>
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<p id="HDdHep">I’m good with that.</p>
<p id="acmX5y">Notre Dame currently has the #1 class for 2021, but there is still an entire year to go. If the Irish finish 2021 somewhere in the top 5, it would be one hell of a recruiting cycle for Kelly and Notre Dame. </p>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2019/12/19/21030303/signing-day-its-fine-that-notre-dame-has-the-11th-rated-recruiting-class-for-2020-brian-kelly-irishJoshua Vowles