Svoboda
04-10-2008, 09:11 PM
I'm really impressed with the depth and breadth of offers the staff has given out thus far in ’08. We knew the staff would need to cast a much wider net after the terrible 3-9 season they just suffered through. They have done just that and seem to be focusing on some talent rich states – Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania to name a few. Sprinkle in prospects from Ohio, California and Georgia and you’ve got a shot at one helluva recruiting class
When the dust is settled, I think this class is going to be much better then the original expectations of most folks. It looks like Corwin has developed a lot of solid personal relationships with prospects as have Coach Ianello and Polian. If the Irish jump out of the gate quick and show improvement on the field, look for the Irish class to fill up quickly.
Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner! As many of you folks are away, Notre Dame picked up their first verbal commitment in the 2009 recruiting class when it landed Jake Golic. Most folks knew it was going to happen… it was just a matter of when. I like the addition of Jake to the class as he is a legacy and knows what Notre Dame stands for through and through. These types of kids are often the glue that holds programs together and you can never have enough of them on your team. Welcome aboard Jake!
Stock Report: Offered Offensive Prospects
We’re going to take a quick look at those prospects that have received scholarship offers on the offensive side of the ball. Hopefully I can do something similar for the defensive prospects in the near future. Anyhow, here is a little bit on the kid and my opinion on whether we should buy, hold or sell the prospect. Let’s get started.
QB Aaron Murray – SELL!
Murray recently made another trip to Georgia and he also has a good relationship with Florida and Urban Meyer. I’m sure he is being sold on being the next Tim Tebow. I honestly don’t look for him to get out of the state of Florida, but if he does, he would still likely land somewhere else in the SEC.
RB D.J. Adams – HOLD!
It’s a little early to prognosticate on Adams as he just recently picked up his offer. The Irish do have a longstanding relationship with him as they offered his former teammate Brice Butler last season. That said, the Irish were slow with an offer and Adams holds offers from most of the SEC and the ACC. He has ties to Arkansas (who has offered) as it is his mother’s alma mater and has already set up multiple visits to Fayetteville.
RB Jordan Hall – SELL!
I’m not going to get into Hall much, but he is the former teammate of Ohio State commit and Rivals #1 Prospect of 2008, Terrelle Pryor. Hall has a pretty impressive offer list and recently received an offer from Ohio State, who he then promptly moved to his favorite. Sell early as it looks like he’ll join his former high school teammate in Columbus.
RB Dalton Hilliard – SELL!
Teammate of offered linebacker prospect Manti Te’o, Hilliard is an interesting player. His early top five lists LSU as his leader, however, he doesn’t have an offer from the Tigers and they’ve already landed several backs and athletes. He also is high on Notre Dame, UCLA, Colorado and Florida. I think it will be hard to pull him away from the West Coast. Nebraska recently entered the race and he camped at LSU and developed a relationship with new Husker head coach Bo Pelini.
RB Theo Riddick – BUY!
Riddick has been on the Irish radar since last November when Coach Weis visited his school and made it known he liked his film – and that was huge to Riddick. He plans on making it up for the Blue and Gold Spring Game and he stated that he’d like to have a decision made by the end of summer. If there was one back I see Notre Dame landing in ’09, Theo is that back. Rutgers may be the main competition for his signature.
RB Stepfan Taylor – HOLD!
I’m never one to bank on kids from Texas until you can get them on campus to experience Notre Dame firsthand (see Kapron Lewis-Moore last year) and for that reason, I’m holding on Taylor. Stepfan has said all the right things and stated numerous times he wants to get up to South Bend for a vist. He also appears to be very interested in several Texas programs including A&M and TCU.
RB Cierre Wood – BUY!
Of all the running back offers in ’09, Wood is definitely the most impressive physically. On the field last year, he rushed for nearly 1,500 yards in just 8 games, averaging almost 15 yards per carry. With offers from most of the powers around the country, he seems put off by USC and seems to have Notre Dame among his current leaders. He plans to visit for the Blue and Gold Spring Game on April 19, so that will go a long way in seeing where the Irish stand with the Rivals.com #3 ranked prospect of 2009.
WR Marlon Brown – HOLD!
Once you take a look at Brown’s highlight reel, you’re wondering who let Terrell Owens suit up and play against high schoolers. Yes, he’s that dominant. While much is made of his competition (of lack there of), Brown is simply an amazing physical specimen. His athletic ability also translates on the basketball court, where he is also a highly recruited hoops prospect – where the Irish have extended an offer as well. Marlon has said academics are very important, so getting Brown on campus will be huge in his recruitment.
WR Shaquelle Evans – SELL!
Arguably the best wide receiver on the West Coast, Shaq has made it clear that he loves the glitz and glamour of Southern California. While he remains open and picking up scholarship offers on a daily basis, I wouldn’t look for Shaq to venture too far from his SoCal abode. When all is said and done, I’d be shocked if he was anything but a Trojan.
WR Uzoma Nwachukwu – BUY!
EZ, the latest of the wide receiver offers has said he’s keeping his options open, but the Irish already have a leg up on the competition as Uzoma’s mother wanted him to jump on the offer. Nwachukwu also has another tie to the Midwest… he was born in Lafayette and still has friends and relatives in Indiana. Plays for Allen High, which produced Army All-American Dan Bucker, who had an Irish offer last year and ultimately went to Texas.
OL Nick Alajajian – SELL!
Tough. Nasty. Physical. Of all the offered lineman in ’09, I like Alajajian the best. From whistle to whistle, he serves up more pancakes then an all you can eat buffet at IHOP. Unfortunately, Nick seems to be smitten with Urban Meyer at Florida and if he doesn’t land in Gainesville, I don’t see him escaping from Florida State or Miami.
OL Corey Linsley – BUY!
The most recent offensive line offer, Linsley is a lifelong Ohio State Buckeye fan like most kids growing up within the state of Ohio. Despite being a Buckeye fan, Linsley is giving off the impression that he is truly interested in academics and has named Stanford and Notre Dame in his top three alongside Ohio State. Buckeye fans keep insisting this kid is a lock, however I’m buying as the kid seems very interested in academics as evidence by his 3.3 GPA and the 25 her scored on the ACT.
OL Stavion Lowe – HOLD!
Lowe recently picked up his Irish offer (his 10th) and was shocked when he received it as the Irish hadn’t been in contact with him very much prior to offering. Lowe attends the same high school of Irish quarterback offer Casey Pachall, who ended his recruitment when he decided to commit to Texas Christian. Lowe claims no favorites and while I hate to sound like a broken record, the staff needs to get him on campus to have a legit shot.
OL Xavier Nixon – HOLD!
Xavier is easily one of the most talented offensive linemen in the 2009 recruiting class. He went to San Antonio and held his own against some of the best defensive line prospects in the nation. Everything we’ve heard out of Nixon about the Irish has been positive. That said, we thought the same thing about Kenneth Page last season before he ultimately chose Clemson. In order to be a player in the Nixon sweepstakes, the Irish coaching staff must get him on campus.
OL Eric Shrive – BUY!
One of the first Irish offers, Shrive holds scholarship offers from many of the top schools across the country. Hailing from Scranton, I’ve been told numerous times that the town is split 50/50 down the middle between Penn State and Notre Dame. Shrive also visited for the Irish junior day and have rave reviews for the outing, staff and the school. While this one could go on for awhile, I think the Irish are in a great spot with him.
OL Xavier Su'a Filo – SELL!
While I think there is legit interest in Notre Dame by Su’a Filo, I just don’t think he is a good fit in South Bend. He plans on taking a mission after his freshman season, which means you’d basically be losing the first three seasons he’d be in your program. I don’t think you can afford to do something like this unless you have a well stocked offensive line, and that just isn’t a luxury the Irish have right now.
OL Chris Watt – BUY!
It’s not often a kid can say he has an offer from the entire Big Ten, but Watt is one of those kids. In addition to the Big Ten, he also holds an offer from the Irish and he has been very active in hitting the road and checking out each school that has offered. Watt visited South Bend recently and was very impressed with academics available at Notre Dame. There was a rumor he was a Ohio State silent commitment, but he recently came out publicly and stated that wasn’t accurate. The Irish look to be in a strong position along with Ohio State to land Watt’s services.
Off The Market
The following prospects were extended offers by the Irish staff but have elected to play their college football elsewhere:
QB Casey Pachall (Texas Christian)
RB Chris Whaley (Texas)
WR De’Von Flournoy (Southern Cal)
OL Mason Walters (Texas)
ATH Russell Shepard (Louisiana State)
When the dust is settled, I think this class is going to be much better then the original expectations of most folks. It looks like Corwin has developed a lot of solid personal relationships with prospects as have Coach Ianello and Polian. If the Irish jump out of the gate quick and show improvement on the field, look for the Irish class to fill up quickly.
Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner! As many of you folks are away, Notre Dame picked up their first verbal commitment in the 2009 recruiting class when it landed Jake Golic. Most folks knew it was going to happen… it was just a matter of when. I like the addition of Jake to the class as he is a legacy and knows what Notre Dame stands for through and through. These types of kids are often the glue that holds programs together and you can never have enough of them on your team. Welcome aboard Jake!
Stock Report: Offered Offensive Prospects
We’re going to take a quick look at those prospects that have received scholarship offers on the offensive side of the ball. Hopefully I can do something similar for the defensive prospects in the near future. Anyhow, here is a little bit on the kid and my opinion on whether we should buy, hold or sell the prospect. Let’s get started.
QB Aaron Murray – SELL!
Murray recently made another trip to Georgia and he also has a good relationship with Florida and Urban Meyer. I’m sure he is being sold on being the next Tim Tebow. I honestly don’t look for him to get out of the state of Florida, but if he does, he would still likely land somewhere else in the SEC.
RB D.J. Adams – HOLD!
It’s a little early to prognosticate on Adams as he just recently picked up his offer. The Irish do have a longstanding relationship with him as they offered his former teammate Brice Butler last season. That said, the Irish were slow with an offer and Adams holds offers from most of the SEC and the ACC. He has ties to Arkansas (who has offered) as it is his mother’s alma mater and has already set up multiple visits to Fayetteville.
RB Jordan Hall – SELL!
I’m not going to get into Hall much, but he is the former teammate of Ohio State commit and Rivals #1 Prospect of 2008, Terrelle Pryor. Hall has a pretty impressive offer list and recently received an offer from Ohio State, who he then promptly moved to his favorite. Sell early as it looks like he’ll join his former high school teammate in Columbus.
RB Dalton Hilliard – SELL!
Teammate of offered linebacker prospect Manti Te’o, Hilliard is an interesting player. His early top five lists LSU as his leader, however, he doesn’t have an offer from the Tigers and they’ve already landed several backs and athletes. He also is high on Notre Dame, UCLA, Colorado and Florida. I think it will be hard to pull him away from the West Coast. Nebraska recently entered the race and he camped at LSU and developed a relationship with new Husker head coach Bo Pelini.
RB Theo Riddick – BUY!
Riddick has been on the Irish radar since last November when Coach Weis visited his school and made it known he liked his film – and that was huge to Riddick. He plans on making it up for the Blue and Gold Spring Game and he stated that he’d like to have a decision made by the end of summer. If there was one back I see Notre Dame landing in ’09, Theo is that back. Rutgers may be the main competition for his signature.
RB Stepfan Taylor – HOLD!
I’m never one to bank on kids from Texas until you can get them on campus to experience Notre Dame firsthand (see Kapron Lewis-Moore last year) and for that reason, I’m holding on Taylor. Stepfan has said all the right things and stated numerous times he wants to get up to South Bend for a vist. He also appears to be very interested in several Texas programs including A&M and TCU.
RB Cierre Wood – BUY!
Of all the running back offers in ’09, Wood is definitely the most impressive physically. On the field last year, he rushed for nearly 1,500 yards in just 8 games, averaging almost 15 yards per carry. With offers from most of the powers around the country, he seems put off by USC and seems to have Notre Dame among his current leaders. He plans to visit for the Blue and Gold Spring Game on April 19, so that will go a long way in seeing where the Irish stand with the Rivals.com #3 ranked prospect of 2009.
WR Marlon Brown – HOLD!
Once you take a look at Brown’s highlight reel, you’re wondering who let Terrell Owens suit up and play against high schoolers. Yes, he’s that dominant. While much is made of his competition (of lack there of), Brown is simply an amazing physical specimen. His athletic ability also translates on the basketball court, where he is also a highly recruited hoops prospect – where the Irish have extended an offer as well. Marlon has said academics are very important, so getting Brown on campus will be huge in his recruitment.
WR Shaquelle Evans – SELL!
Arguably the best wide receiver on the West Coast, Shaq has made it clear that he loves the glitz and glamour of Southern California. While he remains open and picking up scholarship offers on a daily basis, I wouldn’t look for Shaq to venture too far from his SoCal abode. When all is said and done, I’d be shocked if he was anything but a Trojan.
WR Uzoma Nwachukwu – BUY!
EZ, the latest of the wide receiver offers has said he’s keeping his options open, but the Irish already have a leg up on the competition as Uzoma’s mother wanted him to jump on the offer. Nwachukwu also has another tie to the Midwest… he was born in Lafayette and still has friends and relatives in Indiana. Plays for Allen High, which produced Army All-American Dan Bucker, who had an Irish offer last year and ultimately went to Texas.
OL Nick Alajajian – SELL!
Tough. Nasty. Physical. Of all the offered lineman in ’09, I like Alajajian the best. From whistle to whistle, he serves up more pancakes then an all you can eat buffet at IHOP. Unfortunately, Nick seems to be smitten with Urban Meyer at Florida and if he doesn’t land in Gainesville, I don’t see him escaping from Florida State or Miami.
OL Corey Linsley – BUY!
The most recent offensive line offer, Linsley is a lifelong Ohio State Buckeye fan like most kids growing up within the state of Ohio. Despite being a Buckeye fan, Linsley is giving off the impression that he is truly interested in academics and has named Stanford and Notre Dame in his top three alongside Ohio State. Buckeye fans keep insisting this kid is a lock, however I’m buying as the kid seems very interested in academics as evidence by his 3.3 GPA and the 25 her scored on the ACT.
OL Stavion Lowe – HOLD!
Lowe recently picked up his Irish offer (his 10th) and was shocked when he received it as the Irish hadn’t been in contact with him very much prior to offering. Lowe attends the same high school of Irish quarterback offer Casey Pachall, who ended his recruitment when he decided to commit to Texas Christian. Lowe claims no favorites and while I hate to sound like a broken record, the staff needs to get him on campus to have a legit shot.
OL Xavier Nixon – HOLD!
Xavier is easily one of the most talented offensive linemen in the 2009 recruiting class. He went to San Antonio and held his own against some of the best defensive line prospects in the nation. Everything we’ve heard out of Nixon about the Irish has been positive. That said, we thought the same thing about Kenneth Page last season before he ultimately chose Clemson. In order to be a player in the Nixon sweepstakes, the Irish coaching staff must get him on campus.
OL Eric Shrive – BUY!
One of the first Irish offers, Shrive holds scholarship offers from many of the top schools across the country. Hailing from Scranton, I’ve been told numerous times that the town is split 50/50 down the middle between Penn State and Notre Dame. Shrive also visited for the Irish junior day and have rave reviews for the outing, staff and the school. While this one could go on for awhile, I think the Irish are in a great spot with him.
OL Xavier Su'a Filo – SELL!
While I think there is legit interest in Notre Dame by Su’a Filo, I just don’t think he is a good fit in South Bend. He plans on taking a mission after his freshman season, which means you’d basically be losing the first three seasons he’d be in your program. I don’t think you can afford to do something like this unless you have a well stocked offensive line, and that just isn’t a luxury the Irish have right now.
OL Chris Watt – BUY!
It’s not often a kid can say he has an offer from the entire Big Ten, but Watt is one of those kids. In addition to the Big Ten, he also holds an offer from the Irish and he has been very active in hitting the road and checking out each school that has offered. Watt visited South Bend recently and was very impressed with academics available at Notre Dame. There was a rumor he was a Ohio State silent commitment, but he recently came out publicly and stated that wasn’t accurate. The Irish look to be in a strong position along with Ohio State to land Watt’s services.
Off The Market
The following prospects were extended offers by the Irish staff but have elected to play their college football elsewhere:
QB Casey Pachall (Texas Christian)
RB Chris Whaley (Texas)
WR De’Von Flournoy (Southern Cal)
OL Mason Walters (Texas)
ATH Russell Shepard (Louisiana State)