Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/462058
2015 RECRUITING ISSUE emerge in a year or two. Sanders as a return man on punts or kicks is the most likely to help in 2015. TIGHT END SIGNED: Aliz'e Jones MEETING NEEDS: This was not a huge need because the Irish already had four tight ends that have at least three years of eligibility remaining. The staff looked at Chris Clark (UCLA) early, and wideout Boykin was also per- ceived as someone who could grow into a tight end. If Notre Dame ended up with none, it was not going to hurt this class. SUMMARY: Only at "Tight End U." can you land what some scouting services consider the nation's No. 1 prospect at the position when it's not even a prior- ity. Reeling in Jones this winter from Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman, USA To- day's 2014 high school national cham- pion, goes beyond expectations. ON PAPER GRADE: A At 220 pounds, the 6-5 Jones is un- likely to help in an in-line role like last year's 260-pound freshman Tyler Luatua, and he probably will be in the flex, a la Tyler Eifert, who as a three- star prospect in 2009 did not arrive nearly as heralded. The lone position on offense that has no starter returning from the Music City Bowl is tight end because of Ben Koyack's graduation. The Irish have one career reception returning here with Durham Smythe. Another op- tion is 6-4 Nic Weishar, who also is a stellar pass catcher with the most in Illinois high school history (252). He redshirted last season. OFFENSIVE LINE SIGNED: Tristen Hoge and Trevor Ruhland MEETING NEEDS: After signing five in 2013 and four in 2014, there was not a need to sign more than three. How- ever, at least one and maybe even two needed to be a tackle because the Irish signed only one last season, Alex Bars. (Jerry Tillery was the one, but the early enrollee will begin his college football career on defense this spring.) Fellow early enrollee Hoge is a cen- ter, and Ruhland is a guard. Hoge is classified the nation's No. 1 center by Rivals. Ruhland is a likely redshirt in 2015 while healing from a torn menis- cus this winter. SUMMARY: Among the 28 scholarship offensive linemen to enroll at Notre Dame from 2007-14, the only two who were not redshirted as freshmen were guard Trevor Robinson (2008) and guard Steve Elmer (2013), and both were early enrollees like Hoge and Tillery are now. There shouldn't be an urgency to play Hoge at center with fifth-year seniors Matt Hegarty and Nick Martin both expected to return, and guard is well stocked too. ON PAPER GRADE: C If Tillery someday returns to of- fense, then the grade will ascend. Without him, it still looks a little pre- carious at tackle. It will be impera- tive to ink at least two tackles in 2016, and Notre Dame is off to a promising start because the first verbal is 6-5, 305-pound Tommy Kraemer from Cin- cinnati Elder. He is currently ranked as the country's No. 4 offensive tackle