Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/79477
TIGHT END back, it would seem preferable to land one each year, especially with Notre Dame's extraordinary history at tight end that includes three sec- ond-round picks the past six years (Anthony Fasano, John Carlson and Kyle Rudolph) and a 2012 senior, Ty- ler Eifert, who could go even higher in 2013. Much of the recruitment here de- Signed: None. Need In 2012: Similar to quarter- pended on whether Eifert would turn pro after his junior season. When he opted to return, the sense of urgency to sign anyone evaporated, especially because there is also confidence that freshman Ben Koyack, one of the elite tight end recruits last year, and sophomore Alex Welch, who still has three years of eligibility, can emerge more in 2012. Summary: San Diego's Taylor Mc- FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE three to five defensive line prospects every year. On Paper Grade: B- The superpowers regularly sign LINEBACKER targeted, and it appeared Notre Dame would have been content to close shop with Okwara and lo- cal product David Perkins, both of whom were verbally in the fold prior to the season. The Irish wouldn't have objected to adding Noah Spence (Ohio State) or Ifeadi Odenigbo (Northwestern). Summary: By midseason, Perkins Signed: Romeo Okwara. Need In 2012: Two players were Mark Harrell worked at tight end as a senior, but he began training to play center at Notre Dame and was featured as such in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl Jan. 3 in Phoenix. PHOTO COURTESY 247SPORTS Namara (Oklahoma) was showing up on the Irish radar when Eifert was evaluating his future, but dropped off when Eifert decided to don the Gold and Blue again. On Paper Grade: Not Applicable This wasn't a make-or-break situ- ation, but it's a little hard to believe Notre Dame didn't land anyone given its enormous success at the po- sition. An injury among the top three players, especially Eifert, could leave the position a little tenuous. OFFENSIVE LINE Signed: Mark Harrell and Ronnie Stanley. Need In 2012: Two tackles and a center were the goal. Kelly believes that current freshmen such as Conor Hanratty, Matt Hegarty and maybe even Nick Martin (who worked at tackle last season) and Brad Carrico all might line up in the interior — and all have four years of eligibility. Summary: Harrell took care of the in quantity on both lines, which leaves little wiggle room or margin for error, especially if either recruit here gets injured. An X-factor is that defensive end prospect Jarron Jones is considered a prototype offensive tackle prospect if that's where the Irish might need him more. Notre Dame came up a little short DEFENSIVE LINE Jones. Need In 2012: Notre Dame filled Signed: Sheldon Day and Jarron this area to an 'A' level in 2011 with a bonanza haul that featured as many as six prospects, so numbers were not as imperative. However, it never hurts to sign four defensive linemen per year because they can always move to offense. Signing three top candidates would have been ideal, especially because Jones is deemed by most scouting services as a better offensive line prospect. Summary: Landing verbal pledges center need early (the Irish will be without Braxston Cave and Mike Golic Jr. after 2012), although he played tight end as a high school senior. In a perfect world, the Irish would have landed John Theus (Georgia) and Andrus Peat (Stan- ford) at the tackle slots. Keeping Taylor Decker (Ohio State) on board would've been a boost also. In Stan- ley, the Irish still landed a quality four-star prospect. On Paper Grade: C+ 20 MARCH 2012 from Day and Jones prior to the sea- son allowed Notre Dame to be more selective, and that was manifested when it took a pass on USA Today first-team All-American Tommy Schutt. Near the end, Arik Armstead (Or- and Notre Dame parted ways, and he eventually cast his lot with Ohio State and its new head coach, Urban Meyer. The Irish were unable to fill that hole thereafter. On Paper Grade: C Kelly acknowledged the Irish fell a little short in the "Big Skill" area — linebackers, tight ends, defensive end/OLB hybrids — and it will be a priority the next cycle. Safety recruits such as Nick Baratti and John Turner could fit the profile of filling in at Dog or drop linebacker in the future in certain defensive packages, a la Jamoris Slaughter in 2011. DEFENSIVE BACK Tee Shepard, Elijah Shumate and John Turner. Need In 2012: When Shepard and Signed: Nick Baratti, C.J. Prosise, Ronald Darby issued early verbal commitments to the Irish, it looked like that duo could be to this class what defensive linemen Lynch and Tuitt were to the 2011 harvest (or close to it). Darby, though, decom- mitted from the Irish in the fall and ended up at Florida State, a signifi- cant setback. Loading up at safety also was egon) would have been the icing on the cake. It's not unrealistic to believe that current freshmen Aaron Lynch or Stephon Tuitt could develop into pro prospects by their junior year, and it would be a blow if either is not here all four seasons. imperative with the graduation of 2011 team captain Harrison Smith and 2012 starters Slaughter and Zeke Motta out of eligibility after the up- coming season. Summary: Like Greenberry at re- ceiver, Darby was elevated to five- star status by the end of his senior year. And like the wideout, he left Notre Dame at the altar, although Darby at least left the engagement early enough to allow the Irish to catch other fish in the sea. BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED