Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/699309
BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 159 Quarterback Committed: 1 (Avery Davis of Cedar Hill, Texas) Projected Take: 1 Synopsis: As long as head coach Brian Kelly is in South Bend, the Irish plan to take at least one quarterback each cycle. Notre Dame found its man early in the recruiting pro- cess when Cedar Hill (Texas) High three-star Avery Davis gave a verbal pledge to the Irish in March. Davis, the nation's No. 15 dual-threat quarterback, has been clocked at 4.53 in the 40-yard dash and is the type of prospect that can beat you with his arm and legs. While Davis has drawn some comparisons to current Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire, he's viewed as more of a complete passer that can work the short to immediate routes. Davis is expected to compete with incoming freshman Ian Book for a starting role at some point down the line. Running Back Committed: 0 Projected Take: 2 Synopsis: Notre Dame has signed two running backs in back-to-back classes, but the Irish appear to be set on taking two again. Early in the cycle the top target was Antioch (Calif.) Senior High five-star running back Najee Harris, but once the nation's No. 2 overall recruit started looking elsewhere players like Hamden (Conn.) Cheshire Academy four-star all-purpose back C.J. Holmes and Green Cove Springs (Fla.) Clay four-star run - ning back Colin Wilson emerged at the top of the board as priorities for the coaches. Holmes, the country's No. 5 all-purpose back and No. 230 overall recruit, and Wilson, the No. 10 running back and No. 164 recruit in the nation, both visited South Bend for the Irish Invasion in June and left with high remarks for program. While Notre Dame would be happy with either one of the backs in the class, the goal is to add both Holmes and Wilson to the backfield. Holmes is seen as a dynamic runner that can catch balls down the field, with Wilson viewed as more of a power back that can get it done between the tackles. Wide Receiver Committed: 1 (Jordan Pouncey of Winter Park, Fla.) Projected Take: 4 Synopsis: The Irish signed four wide receivers in 2015 and three in 2016, but the plan looks to be to take a handful of wideouts again after parting ways with freshman Jalen Guyton. Winter Park (Fla.) High three-star wide receiver Jordan Pouncey committed to Kelly & Co. at the Irish Invasion in June. He gives the staff a solid start to the class at the position, but the coaches would like to add at least two more receivers to the mix before the ink dries on National Signing Day Feb. 1, 2017. Detroit Cass Tech five-star wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones has been a frequent visitor at Notre Dame, but many believe that the nation's No. 2 wide receiver and No. 11 overall prospect will end up at Michigan. That's not exactly the case when it comes to Stafford (Texas) High four-star wide receiver Hezikah Jones, who visited for the Blue- Gold Game in April. Jones — the No. 16 wide receiver in the class — had been committed to Baylor since last summer, but he backed off that pledge in May following head coach Art Briles' dismissal. He would give the Irish a legitimate deep threat to pair with Pouncey and a more than serviceable second-tier option to Peoples-Jones. Notre Dame is also looking to sign a "large" wide receiver to play on the outside. The No. 1 target there is Cheshire (Conn.) Academy four-star wide receiver Tarik Black, the country's No. 21 wideout who visited in March and June. Tight End Committed: 2 (Cole Kmet of Alright Heights, Ill., and Brock Wright of Cypress, Texas) Projected Take: 2 Synopsis: Notre Dame elected to pass on the tight end position in 2016, but there's a reason why the Irish coaches were willing to wait. They knew they were in position to land a pair of good ones in 2017. Cypress (Texas) Cy-Fair four-star tight end Brock Wright gave a verbal pledge to the Irish in June 2015. That was followed up a few months later by Arlington Heights (Ill.) St. Viator four-star tight end Cole Kmet. Both Wright, the nation's No. 1 tight end and No. 47 overall prospect, and Kmet, the No. 6 tight end and No. 204 overall player, are versatile talents. Wright is expected to enroll early in January and challenge right away for playing time. Offensive Line Committed: 2 (Josh Lugg of Wexford, Pa., and Dillan Gibbons of Clearwater, Fla.) Projected Take: 4 Synopsis: If there's one position that's in desperate need of reinforcements, it's the offensive line. The Irish ended up signing just two blockers in 2015 once Jerry Tillery moved from offensive tackle to defensive tackle and then took only three in 2016. That has created a situation where the Irish need to sign bodies and find the right ones at tackle. Harry Hiestand got started early in the cycle when he locked up Wexford (Pa.) North BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS Irish look to the class of 2017 to fill needs at receiver, along the offensive and defensive lines, and in the secondary All rankings are from Rivals, and all information is up to date through June 21. Irish pledge Brock Wright of Cypress (Texas) Cy-Fair — a four-star talent, and the No. 1 tight end and No. 47 overall player in the country — is expected to enroll early and make an instant impact. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND