For Notre Dame, the second annual Irish Invasion on June 19th couldn’t come at a better time. The recruiting battles to date for the Class of 2016 have not exactly turned up Irish.
Dwayne Haskins, a 4-star prospect and Notre Dame’s top target at the quarterback position, committed to in-state Maryland, citing a preference for a pro-style offense. Josh King, a 4-star defensive end from Illinois, picked Michigan State over Notre Dame due to a close relationship with Spartan defensive line coach, Ron Burton. A few short days after King’s commitment Notre Dame lost another defensive end to Michigan State in 4-star prospect Auston Robertson – the No. 1 high school player in Indiana – also due to a close-knit relationship with the Spartan staff. Notre Dame fell short with the No. 2 prospect in Indiana, Austin Mack, a 4-star wide receiver and close friend of Auston Robertson, as well but to Ohio State, with Mack citing his close relationship with Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer as a major factor.
The Irish Invasion is the perfect opportunity for the Notre Dame coaching staff to build such relationships. Below represents a few important names to watch out of the number of high profile visitors that will be in attendance.
Antonneous Clayton
- Ranking: 4-star
- Position: Defensive End
- Hometown: Vienna, GA
- Offers: Alabama, Florida State, LSU
Clayton is a name to watch, not necessarily because of his interest level in Notre Dame but because of positional need. The departure of Jhonny Williams is another blow to Notre Dame’s already middling pass rush. In 2014, the Irish defense finished tied for 74th with the likes of Western Kentucky and UTEP in team sacks.
Clayton will arrive in South Bend as a hot commodity. An under the radar recruit, Clayton saw his profile explode from an unranked prospect to the No. 1 weakside defensive end in the nation earlier this month, and has since taken recruiting trips to the likes of Florida State and has shown higher interest in Southern programs.
Clayton should receive the red carpet treatment upon his arrival, and though the Irish coaching staff has a large hurdle to overcome, the raw Georgian prospect is serious about academics.
Caleb Kelly
- Ranking: 5-star
- Position: Outside Linebacker
- Hometown: Fresno, CA
- Offers: Alabama, LSU, USC
Fighting Irish fans may cringe at Kelly’s hometown after multiple drama-filled recruiting cycles with prospects from Fresno, but attracting a 5-star linebacker prospect to campus is a major coup for the Notre Dame staff. And Kelly is coming off a very strong performance at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge in Baltimore by showcasing his coverage skills with an intercepted pass in 7-on-7 competition.
Rivals recently listed USC, UCLA and Michigan as favorites for Kelly, although his personality appears to be a natural fit for Notre Dame. How Kelly ranks his experience at the Irish Invasion will go a long way in determining whether Notre Dame has a chance to land its highest rated linebacker prospect since Jaylon Smith.
Spencer Perry
- Ranking: 3-star
- Position: Safety
- Hometown: Bradenton, FL
- Offers: Clemson, Florida, Ohio State
Perry’s attendance at the Irish Invasion provides early insight into the recruiting acumen of Florida area recruiter Autry Denson and secondary coach Todd Lyght. The Fighting Irish coaching legacies have tag-teamed Perry’s recruitment and have managed to secure a visit, a huge accomplishment considering Perry’s status as a current Florida Gators commitment.
While Perry seems a long shot on paper, 90-percent of the battle with Florida high school talent involves just getting them on campus. And it also can’t hurt that Perry is close friends with current Notre Dame running back commitment, Tony Jones.
Xavier Gaines
- Ranking: 4-star
- Position: Quarterback
- Hometown: Frostproof, FL
- Offers: Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State
The quarterback position became an increased area of need after the transfer of Everett Golson to Florida State. Although many years of eligibility remain between Malik Zaire, DeShone Kizer and Brandon Wimbush, this offseason has shown it’s best to always be prepared. With Notre Dame’s top quarterback prospect committing to Maryland, head coach Brian Kelly is skimming the high school talent pool for other targets.
Gaines has listed Notre Dame among his leaders since last summer despite never having visited campus, a good sign that his interest is sincere. The Irish Invasion will be a perfect opportunity for both parties to get a sense of where the other stands, and whether or not a good fit would exist.
Notre Dame was able to establish several important relationships with recruits at least year’s Irish Invasion – such as Liam Eichenberg, a relatively recent Notre Dame commitment – and the Irish could use a boost in their recruiting momentum. Watching how recruits rate their experience will go a long way in determining how Notre Dame’s recruiting class shapes moving forward.
Scott Janssen is a blogger for The Huffington Post and has authored several nationally-featured articles, including an appearance on MSNBC as a sports contributor. He talks football 24 hours a day, much to the chagrin of his wife and those around him. Scott can be reached at scottjanssenhp@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter.
That escalated quickly.
One more thing, duranko. I’d suggest some hormone replacement therapy. I hear Bruce, I mean, Caitlyn, Jenner can be of service. A p – – ssy like you might as well have one of his own!
Wow, what a tough gay, oops, sorry, guy, you are, duranko. I tremble at your power!
The only limp thing on this site is your intellect, and perhaps something else, but your poor wife only knows that.
Get a life, loser. I made a simple request, and did so without any malice of intent. If you’re so easily put off by something as minimal as that, then you really are just limp-wristed, duranko.
Also, please properly reference what I supposedly said. I certainly don’t trust a prevaricator like you to properly cite anything.
Rob, your third sentence indicates your own judgment. So why are you asking the question.?
First there are at least 5 websites with free recruiting information.
Second, you are chicken little as you demonstrated last year when Justin Yoon committed and you came up with some daffodil from Louisiana who was talking about stealing Tillery and you basically, and cravenly, conceded Tillery to LSU. How did that work out for you-and Tillery??
Second, your cowardice and limpness exposed yourself during the LSU game. Go back and do a mind, or rather emotional weepdump. While the Irish Fought, Rob moaned and wailed and wet his bed.
On that fateful day, both Notre Dame and Rob revealed their true self.
Can we please get a recruiting update and analysis? The list on this site is so outdated! ND is now up to 13 recruits. Way too many 3-stars for my taste but some promising in-coming talent nonetheless.
Time for this staff to start bringing in some elite talent especially at DB and DL. To many 3 star players!
Catholics versus racists
http://m.dailykos.com/story/2015/06/25/1396611/-In-One-Image-Clemson-University-Captures-White-Tone-Deafness-And-Just-How-Deep-White-Supremacy-Runs?detail=email
Solomon Israel:
From what I gather, you’re new here. As such, you then are perhaps unaware that I have called out Ron Burgundy more than anyone else on this site. There are plenty of actual Burgy butt kissers on this site you can go after.
However, at times, Burgy is right. I just happen to agree with his above observation, which was not pointless. In fact, it brought out the logical error in you asseveration.
As for football IQ, unwise Solomon, you certainly haven’t displayed any. Instead, you seem to be obsessed with what Burgy has to say and how he says it. While I agree with you that Burgundy can be inane at times, your duel with him speaks not at all to what you know or don’t know about ND football.
I would be obliged if you kept me out of your polemic with Ron Burgundy.
If you would like to discuss ND football with me in a respectful manner, then I look forward to it.
Go Irish!
Burgundy again with inane and pointless quips. Definition of the Court Fool. The point is all about character. These recruits have it. Burgundy has zero in this category. SFR is another borderline moron as far as genuine football strategies go. So lacking in knowledge they both believe South Bend was a Confederate state that fought the North in the Civil War. Sad. Just one time make a comment or observation that is pertinent to the topic. One f you is the father of johngaltisspeaking. You could both do better, but continue with the sarcasm and tools of the weak minded.
Burgy nailed it!
Great stat if it is the goal of ND to win a Super Bowl.
At this current point in the recruiting process, these “star” ratings are assigned and based on the physical attributes of a 16 yr old kid, and what did during his junior year of high school football.
Big E-just a reminder to help you sleep better. Zero 5 stars played in the last Super Bowl. You cannot put a star rating on character. These 16 year old boys will develop into beasts. That is what the coaches are seeking out. Since they are professionals, I will take their judgment over some pundit such as Keith Olberman.
Would like to seem fewer 3 star commits and more 4 and 5 star commits at this time, but it’s way too early in the process to get too concerned. Of the current commits, it’s very possible that 1 or more will decommit between now and NSD anyway. And like someone said, many of the more elite players wait until the very end to commit and ND could snag some at that time.
….and another 3 star is latest addition. People say stars don’t matter when they aren’t getting 4 and 5 star talent. Look at OSU, Alabama and other top schools who’s classes are filled with 4 and 5 stars. Scroll through ESPNs top 300 recruits. ND has 2. OSU has at least 10 or so and other schools have multiple recruits. The number of stars don’t guarantee success, but I believe it is an indicator of the overall talent level of the recruiting class.
Canada, your question is sound. But the staff seems to have decided to make the irish Invasion the tipping point of the annual recruiting cycle. Others have gone to satellite camps (Harbaugh even tweaking Saban’s nose by holding a satellite camp in Alabama) and heavy Junior days, but Irish Invation gives kids a chance to see the campus in full bloom and after the incoming frosh have arrived. It’s Notre Dame’s optimal chance to put its best foot forward.
Where it gets intriguing, Canada, is that they had a potful of 2017 and 2018 prospects in for this year’s Irish Invasion, so, to a greater extent, they are playing from ahead.
There is a risk to the timing of the Invasion, but it seems, given the ’17 studs in for this year’s (guys like Johnson, Beal, Wrighjt, the OL from Lexington, Dillon, Bockhorst, Griffith and dozens of others) that they just might have turned the corner.
Duly noted Izzy, good tip!
E-stars mean very little. Don’t believe all the Talking Heads and Pundits. They are not professional evaluators or college coaches.
More 3 start commitments for Kelly.
Canada-fear not. This recruiting cycle is a bit different than the previous efforts. More emphasis on select players and patience seems to be the theme. The sky is not falling. The ND linebackers are elite and deep. More than likely with the return of Russell and emergence of Luke and Redfield the d backs could be elite as well.
We seem to be excelling at recruiting OL and lagging almost everywhere else with the present coaching staff. Anyone have any insights into this? Is the Invasion just happening too late in the new, accelerated cycle so that we are late to the party too often, or is there a pattern emerging where in particular, BVG and BK are not connecting with elite defensive players? Any insights would be helpful.
Here’s to hoping Malik remains uninjured for entirety of the CFB season.
Here’s to hoping we get some recruits who are as fast as the speedy Toul (aka fastest white boy in Louisiana).
I love the concept behind the Irish invasion and I hoper it turns up a commitment or several! I 100% believe though that if we have a great (not just good but playoff type) season and we have recruits visiting to see those games, they will end up at ND.
The obvious here is the ND needs to shore up its defense generally. The line and the linebackers especially. To succeed in the most crucial situations demands depth at these positions.