Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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36 MARCH 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2024 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE a Notre Dame fan. Hobbs and Leonard Moore have physical ability for sure. I wouldn't be surprised to see them make an impact." Bellaire: "When you turn on Aneyas Williams' tape, it's hard not to have a smile on your face. He runs so hard and has so much twitch, juice and burst with the ball in his hands. He could've been 'RB1' for like a hundred other classes in the country. He just happens to be in the same class as a guy named Kedren Young, who I think is one of the most ready-made running backs in America. "Aneyas has that same kind of up- side, and you add in that he's such a dynamic player in space. If he gets his shot to see significant snaps at the next level, I don't know if he lets that go. You wouldn't want to take him off the field. You can do so much with him on of- fense — in the passing game and in the backfield. I could see a world where he never comes off the field." Lemming: "Bodie Kahoun was at our all-star game, and he was a fanatical football player — more than anyone else in the game. He loves contact and has a chip on his shoulder because some people think he should play lacrosse. In the long run, he's going to be a star. And with Leonard Moore because of his length, he could be a big surprise if he can stay healthy." BGI: What is the strongest posi- tion group of Notre Dame's 2024 class? Power: "I would start off with the of- fensive line. We have Guerby Lambert as the No. 2 offensive tackle in the country, and I really wish we were able to see him in person, but the film was phenom- enal. He was really dominant and what you'd hope to see from a five-star of- fensive tackle. I think he's the best run- blocking offensive tackle in the cycle. We really like him as the headliner of the class, and we're very bullish on An- thonie Knapp. On3's ranking of him is a big outlier. "Knapp is one of the more technically advanced offensive linemen in the cycle, and he has dominant senior film while playing left tackle. He can play all over the line at Notre Dame. Styles Prescod is another who has good film, and Peter Jones rounds out that strong offensive line group. "Notre Dame has two running backs who complement each other well. Ke- dren Young is physically advanced and is a plus athlete, and Aneyas Williams had a very good senior year and catches the ball very well. They bring a lot of value to the running back room; Notre Dame has done a great job upgrading that position." Bellaire: "I think there's a couple you can look at here. On the offensive line, the duo of Guerby Lambert and Anthonie Knapp is dynamite. If you just took those two, it's a great O-line haul with both being top-100 overall players. But that doesn't even mention Styles Prescod, who is a four-star for us, and Peter Jones, who is a high three-star and could develop into a player down the line. "And the edge group is very good with Bryce Young, Loghan Thomas and Cole Mullins. Young could develop into a true force of a player; he may have the highest upside of any prospect in the class. Thomas has some impressive athletic measurements. If Notre Dame can fill him out and maintain his ath- leticism, then the Irish will have some freak shows off the edge. I really like that group. "Notre Dame also has one of the best running back duos in the country, and you have to mention the wide receiver group." Lemming: "The wide receiver and running back groups are very strong. Those two are impressive." BGI: What's the position group you would've liked to see Notre Dame do a better job with? Power: "Relative to how they've re- cruited in the past — Jack Larsen is a versatile tight end but there's potential to a add a blue-chip, game-changing tight end. Notre Dame has an outstand- ing track record at the position over the past decade-plus, and tight end pops out to me that you could say is a little bit Five-star offensive tackle Guerby Lambert drew rave reviews from our panel of national experts, and Notre Dame's offensive line was touted as one of the strongest position groups in the class. PHOTO COURTESY ON3.COM