Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2021 17 2021 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Buchner has the benefit of enroll- ing early in February to compete with Wisconsin graduate transfer Jack Coan, Pyne and junior Brendon Clark. Clark was the team's 2019 Offen- sive Scout Team Player of the Year as a freshman, but a "cranky" knee issue, per head coach Brian Kelly, leaves his status somewhat in limbo. The addition of Powlus is for insur- ance, much like Montgomery Van- Gorder in 2014 and Nolan Henry in 2015. All were or are capable of com- peting at the Football Bowl Subdivi- sion level, but there would be skepti- cism if they had to step in as full-time starters on a playoff-level team. Regardless, it is unusual in today's world to have four quality scholarship quarterbacks on one roster without one eventually deciding to transfer, so Powlus provides a contingency option. Summary: Notre Dame has had solid to quality quarterback play in the Kelly era, but not a game-chang- ing level where one declares, "He can be a Heisman finalist and first- round pick," the way the upper tier — Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma (and LSU in 2019) — have. On Paper Grade: B+ Buchner doesn't arrive with any more hype than top-100 prospects Jurkovec or Brandon Wimbush (2015) did, nor did he have the benefit of a high school senior year. An injury sidelined him much of his sopho- more year, too. Unlike Wimbush and Jurkovec, he is an early enrollee who could benefit from 15 spring practices. Every quarterback recruit at Notre Dame since 2011 went through a red- shirt season. Running Back Signed (Rivals Ranking): Audric Estime (No. 132) and Logan Diggs (three-star) Meeting Needs: The initial prior- ity was to land North Carolina's Will Shipley, who at No. 49 nationally was ranked even higher coming out of the high school ranks than Chris Tyree (No. 78) last year. Shipley cast his lot with Clemson, and then No. 58-ranked Donovan Edwards stayed in-state with Michi- gan. The consolation prize was a ver- bal pledge from Diggs — but when in-state LSU went after Diggs at the 11th hour, he postponed announcing his decision until February. Fortunately, Notre Dame's own 11th- hour work landed New Jersey native and four-star Estime, whose size (6-1, 215 pounds) provides a strong comple- ment to 1,125-yard rusher and current sophomore Kyren Williams and the game-breaking Tyree (496 yards). Summary: Williams and Tyree pro- vide a dynamic one-two punch, and current junior C'Bo Flemister (300 yards) has made an upgrade each year. Whatever Estime or Diggs can provide in 2021 is a bonus, a testa- ment to the developmental program at Notre Dame. On Paper Grade: B+ This is the best running back tan- dem to sign with Notre Dame since 2015 with Josh Adams and Dexter Williams, both of whom were on NFL rosters this year. Wide Receivers Signed (Rivals Ranking): Lorenzo Styles Jr. (No. 55), Deion Colzie (No. 144) and Jayden Thomas (four-star) Meeting Needs: Just like the 2019 edition graduated its top two wide- outs in team MVP Chase Claypool and slot receiver Chris Finke, so too do Javon McKinley and Ben Skow- ronek leave a void from 2020. Notre Dame needed three wide- outs in this class and fulfilled that, and all are four-star prospects. On paper, it is the strongest three-man group at wideout in the Kelly era. The Irish signed three last year also with five-star Jordan Johnson, and three-stars Xavier Watts and Jay Brunelle. However, the previous year the two who signed are now at other positions: Cam Hart (cornerback) and Kendall Abdur-Rahman (run- ning back). The history under Kelly shows that wideouts seldom play — never mind make an impact — in their first season. It is more of a year-by-year developmental process, as shown by McKinley this season (zero catches as a freshman), second-round NFL Draft pick Claypool in 2019 (five catches as a freshman) and third- round selection Miles Boykin in 2018 (zero catches as a freshman). Even future first-round selection as a junior Will Fuller caught only six passes his first year, and Johnson barely played last year. Summary: The 2021 season is not so much about the incoming class making a difference, but ris- ing seniors such as Kevin Austin Jr., Braden Lenzy, Lawrence Keys III and Joe Wilkins Jr. to have their own de- velopment come to the forefront. That quartet combined for a mod- est 20 catches, 195 receiving yards and two touchdown grabs in 2020. Austin has seen about one full game worth of action the past two years because of injuries or suspension, and Lenzy and Keys also have had numerous health setbacks. On Paper Grade: B+ There is plenty of opportunity for a rookie, especially Styles, to help. But if the upperclassmen, particularly Austin, begin to prosper or someone such as Johnson suddenly emerges, then the freshmen might need to bide their time again. Tight Ends Signed (Rivals Ranking): Mitchell Evans (three-star) and Cane Berrong (three-star) Meeting Needs: For the fourth time in five years, Notre Dame has inked two at this position. Neither is in Rivals' top 250 nationally like Michael "Baby Gronk" Mayer (No. 36) and Kevin Bauman (No. 130) last year, but both supplement an already strong nucleus. The Irish landed their top quarterback target in Tyler Buchner, and he will get an early intro- duction to the program as a February enrollee. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM