Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2021 23 2021 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Maybe they will blossom like McKinley in 2020. If not, the opportu- nities for Styles, Colzie and Thomas to see action are realistic, especially with Styles an early enrollee this February. Still, the history under Kelly shows that freshman wide receivers gener- ally will have to bide their time. The two exceptions were TJ Jones in his first season (2010) and Stepherson during the 4-8 debacle in 2016. Jones snared 23 passes for 306 yards and three scores in that debut cam- paign, while Stepherson had 25 catches for 462 yards (18.5 yards per catch) and five touchdowns. Otherwise: • Four-star DaVaris Daniels (2011) and future third-round pick Miles Boykin (2015) redshirted as fresh- men. So did all three freshman re- ceiver recruits this past season, most notably rare five-star Jordan Johnson. • DaVonte Neal (2012) — the na- tion's No. 8 overall prospect per ESPN — caught one pass as a fresh- man for minus-five yards before transferring to Arizona, where he was switched to defense. • In 2013, the Irish signed four-star figures Will Fuller and Corey Rob- inson. Fuller caught six passes as a freshman and Robinson nine. • In 2015, freshman four-star Equa- nimeous St. Brown snared one pass while Boykin redshirted. • In 2016, future second-round se- lection Claypool played sparingly while hauling in five passes. • In 2018, top-100 recruit Austin caught four passes as a rookie prior to his setbacks in 2019 and 2020. Greater impact at wideout — be it from the veterans or youth — will be mandatory for Notre Dame to vie for another College Football Playoff bid in 2021. CORNER CONCERNS For the second year in a row, cor- nerback probably will be ranked the top position of concern both from an experience and star-rating standpoint. All three Notre Dame cornerbacks signed last year — Ramon Hender- son, Clarence Lewis and Caleb Of- ford — were classified as three-star, developmental prospects, which is why Lewis emerging as a starter was one of the top surprises of 2020. However, that also spoke to the problems at corner, which is why McCloud had to be brought in as a graduate transfer, while 2019 starter TaRiq Bracy, recruited as an "athlete" in 2018, appeared to lose some confi- dence while Lewis ascended. This year the four who inked as corners are led by Riley — the first four-star corner signed by Notre Dame since 2016 with Julian Love and Troy Pride Jr., both of whom be- came-fourth-round picks (although Love moved to safety in the NFL). Out of seven cornerbacks from the last two classes, at least one or two others will need to step to the fore- front to complement Lewis in the years to come, specifically when both Clemson and Ohio State are on the 2022-23 regular-season slates. Otherwise, the grass will remain greener among college football's top tier. ✦ Defining 'The Gap' When we speak about "The Gap" Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State have from the rest of college football, including Notre Dame, two of the positions that especially manifest this are wide receiver and cornerback. Notre Dame has done well for itself at receiver since 2012 with the likes of NFL first-round pick Will Fuller (2016), second-round choice Chase Claypool (2020) and third-rounder Miles Boykin (2019). However, consider that this year Alabama likely will have its sixth and seventh wide receivers since 2011 selected in the first round alone with Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle — who was the top wideout for the Crimson Tide before his injury. Clemson has had three first-round wideouts in the last decade, a fourth in Tee Higgins who was the first pick in the second round, and would have had another first-rounder this season had Justyn Ross not had spinal fusion surgery. As a freshman, Ross scorched Notre Dame in the CFP with six catches for 148 yards and two scores. Meanwhile, since 2014 Ohio State has had seven first-round cornerbacks, while Alabama will have its fifth since 2010 when Patrick Surtain II is picked this year (three others went in the second round). There hasn't even been a second-round corner pick at Notre Dame since Bobby Taylor more than a quarter century ago (1995). In the 26 years since Taylor, the best three corners at Notre Dame have been consensus All-Americans Shane Walton (sixth round in 2003) and Julian Love (fourth round in 2019), and KeiVarae Russell (third round in 2016). Interestingly, Walton was a walk-on from the soccer team, while Russell was recruited as a running back/slot receiver, but had to switch to corner — where he was a 2012 Freshman All-American — be- cause of the lack of options. Walton and Love also were switched to safety in their first seasons in the NFL, as was 2012 fifth-round choice Robert Blanton. Still good and top-10 worthy, but also evidence of "The Gap." — Lou Somogyi Four-star Philip Riley headlines a four-man cornerback class that marks the first time since 1990 the Irish signed four at the position in one recruiting haul. PHOTO BY MIKE SINGER