Blue and Gold Illustrated

May 2019

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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40 MAY 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED FOOTBALL RECRUITING BY BRYAN DRISKELL AND DAVID MCKINNEY R ecruiting the wide receiver posi- tion has not been a strength of the Notre Dame staff for much of head coach Brian Kelly's tenure in South Bend. The Fighting Irish have signed 12 Rivals250 pass catchers since 2010, but just three were ranked in the top 100. With Notre Dame just on the cusp of title contention, Kelly and offensive coordinator Chip Long know there is another level the program must reach in its offensive skill recruiting. That became clear following the Cotton Bowl loss to Clemson. "Their skill was outstanding," Kelly said of the Clemson offense. "We have to continue to grow in the skill area, and that's the next challenge for us to take the next step. "We're doing really good things as a program, but we still have to continue to build in those areas to make sure that 80-20 becomes 100 percent. If we do that, we'll win a championship." Kelly was referring to the feeling that his team did 80 percent of the things needed to beat Clemson, but that is not good enough to beat the top teams in college football. The good news for Notre Dame is that the 2020 class is loaded with talented wide receivers, and the 12-1 record this past season and run to the College Football Playoff has made Notre Dame an intriguing option for many of the nation's top wideouts. Below is a breakdown of the top re- ceivers available based on their rank- ing on the Blue & Gold Illustrated Big Board: 1. JORDAN JOHNSON ST. LOUIS DE SMET JESUIT BGI Grade: 4.5 star (top-50 caliber) Upside Grade: 5.0 star (top-25 caliber) R i v a l s R a n k i n g s : Four-star prospect, the No. 1 recruit in Mis- souri, and the No. 13 wide receiver and No. 59 overall player nationally. Overview: Johnson became the first wide receiver from the 2020 class to commit to Notre Dame in early April, and it was about as good of a start at the position as the coaches could have imagined. Johnson was the top receiver target on the board for the Irish, and the staff had been after him for more than a year. Adding more explosive athletes to the roster is priority No. 1 for the Irish, and Johnson gives them one of the most explosive wideouts in the nation. He possesses the vertical speed and acceleration skills to take the top off any defense, and also has the tools to develop into an impact after-the-catch weapon. The 6-2, 182-pounder has the phys- ical traits and natural feel for the po- sition that should allow him to de- velop into a sound route runner, and his ball skills are top notch. He tracks deep throws well, attacks the ball on intermediate routes and can out-play defenders on jump balls. 2. JALEN MCMILLAN FRESNO (CALIF.) SAN JOAQUIN MEMORIAL BGI Grade: 4.0 star (top-100 caliber) Upside Grade: 4.5 star (top-50 caliber) R i v a l s R a n k i n g s : Four-star recruit, the No. 12 prospect in Cali- fornia, and the No. 15 wide receiver and No. 73 overall player nationally. Overview: McMillan is a smooth athlete and is one of the most ad- vanced receivers in the nation. He is athletic, possessing quick feet and a long, rangy frame. The Fresno na- tive lacks the elite home-run speed of other top wideouts in the country, but he has exceptional ball skills and still shows enough vertical speed to be a threat down the field. The 6-2, 175-pounder is a mature player and shows advanced route running. His feel for working himself open combines with his athletic skills and catching ability to make him a difficult player to defend. The Skinny: McMillian has ex- pressed significant interest in Notre Dame and officially visited for the Blue-Gold Game April 13. The Irish are squarely in the mix, but Wash- ington is considered the team to beat. 3. XAVIER WATTS OMAHA (NEB.) BURKE BGI Grade: 4.0 star (top-100 cali- ber) Upside Grade: 4.5 star (top-50 caliber) R i v a l s R a n k i n g s : Three-star prospect, the No. 2 player in Ne- braska and the No. 88 wide receiver in the nation. Overview: The 6-1, 180-pounder has skill that far surpasses his three- star national ranking, and it's why the Notre Dame staff has made him a priority. Watts has the big-play abil- ity the staff covets, but there is a lot Notre Dame Is Looking To Land An Elite Wide Receiver Class Rivals rates Jalen McMillan as a four-star talent, the No. 12 player in California, and the No. 15 wide receiver and No. 73 overall prospect in the country. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM

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