Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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mates with 2015 running back signee Dexter Wil- liams, looks like a safe bet when the quarterback dominos start to fall in the spring. He holds offers from Ohio State, Clemson, Louisville and Auburn. He runs a 4.65 40-yard dash, and is rated as the nation's No. 17 dual-threat quarterback and Florida's No. 47 prospect by Rivals.com. RUNNING BACK 2015 RB: 4 Projected Take: 1 The Irish were able to restock the backfield with the 2015 class, adding Dexter Williams and Josh Ad- ams. At least one of those backs is expected to play this season alongside the junior tandem of Tarean Folston and Greg Bryant. Notre Dame will be in posi- tion to add another ball carrier to the mix this cycle. Target: Elijah Holyfield, 5-11, 200, Atlanta (Wood- ward Academy) — This a difficult position to project following the departure of running backs coach Tony Alford, but Holyfield is a prospect the staff likes. The son of former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield talked with Notre Dame coaches numerous times in January. He is ranked as Georgia's No. 16 talent, the country's No. 6 running back, the nation's No. 108 overall player. WIDE RECEIVER 2015 WR: 12 Projected Take: 2 Notre Dame brought in four receivers in 2014 with slot man C.J. Sanders and the trio of Miles Boykin, Jalen Guyton and Equanimeous St. Brown, who can all play on the outside. The Irish continue to extend offers to speedy wideouts in the class of 2016 and probably would like to add two. Target: Justin Layne, 6-3, 180, Cleveland (Bene- dictine) — Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock was at Layne's school in January to see him. The Irish have made Layne a priority, but Ohio State and Michigan State are the two teams to beat for now. Layne — Rivals.com's No. 5 player in Ohio, No. 33 wide receiver in the land and No. 164 overall prospect nationally — is expected to be in South Bend for a junior day in the spring. TIGHT END 2015 TE: 5 Projected Take: 0 or 1 The Irish once again landed a top tight end with Aliz'e Jones in 2014. The program has now signed a four-star tight end each of the past three years. The position is in no way a need for 2016, but the coach- ing staff has cast a web in hopes of luring another top tight end to South Bend if one is interested. Target: Luke Farrell, 6-6, 240, Perry, Ohio (Perry) — Farrell doesn't hold a Notre Dame offer, but that's expected to change. He was on campus for an unof- ficial visit Oct. 11 and has the frame that the Irish covet at tight end. Ohio State and Alabama are also in the mix. Rivals.com ranks Farrell as Ohio's No. 6 recruit, and the nation's No. 7 tight end and No. 164 overall prospect. OFFENSIVE LINE 2015 OL: 15 Projected Take: 4 With Tommy Kraemer already committed, that allows Notre Dame to pencil in a top talent at the position of need in 2016. The Irish elected to pass on an offensive tackle in 2015 and now will need to ink at least one more in addition to Kraemer to balance the roster. The staff will also look to take a guard. Target: Liam Eichenberg, 6-6, 290, Cleveland (St. Ignatius) — Eichenberg is another Ohio lineman that Notre Dame offensive line coach Harry Hiestand is courting. He camped in South Bend last summer and is expected to be on campus in March. Ohio State and Penn State are the other teams battling Notre Dame for Eichenberg. Rivals.com lists him as the No. 17 player in Ohio and the No. 32 offensive tackle in the land. DEFENSIVE LINE 2015 DL: 18 or 19 Projected Take: 3 Notre Dame was recruiting Jerry Tillery as an offen- sive tackle, but a few weeks before he enrolled early for the spring semester he asked to play defense. That was a request that was greeted with open arms