New Offer Notes | Offense

Last week was an eventful one for Notre Dame’s 2021 class on offense. It took a big blow when they lost a commitment from wide receiver Deion Colzie‍. He hasn’t eliminated the Irish, but it would be hard to say the Irish are going to be in it until the end with the way he has opened things up.

The second big blow was on the offensive line when Landon Tengwall‍, as expected, committed to Penn State. The Irish were running second for awhile in this recruitment and when they couldn’t get him on campus this spring, they didn’t have a shot at swinging the momentum in their favor.

With holes to fill on the offensive line and receiver, they went out and offered five new prospects last week.

WR J Michael Sturdivant‍ (Texas)

One of my first things I put in my notes was, “How the %*# does Rivals have him as a 3-star?” They must not have seen the same prospect I did (or the same one 247Sports or ESPN did, for that matter).

Sturdivant is a STUD.

He’s an easy strider that eats up ground with his long speed. I see a player with number one wide receiver trait that can win on the deep ball and is outstanding at tracking it over his shoulder. His ball skills are excellent and he's a threat to create a big pla after the catch. This is a player that I would have loved the Irish to offer sooner.

I actually have him rated higher than Colzie and he fits the same size/speed profile. He’s the 55th best player in the country according to my rankings and could crack the ISD Fab 50 later on in the cycle.

Grade: 94 (4-star)

WR Christian Lewis‍ (Alabama)

Lewis is another big body that snatches the ball naturally. He’s a basketball player and that may be why his body control is so impressive when he goes up for the football. He flashes toughness and determination after the catch.

He needs to work on his release to beat press coverage, but he’s a fighter who should improve greatly in that aspect. He’s a good fit for the boundary who can win 50/50 and shows above average speed to stretch the field.

Grade: 90 (4-star)

G Pat Coogan‍ (Illinois)

Coogan may be listed at 6’5”, but he doesn’t look super long. That’s a big reason why I see him as an interior only prospect.

He’s an above average mover for his size and can be utilized as a puller. He’s someone who wants to finish and does a nice job of fitting his block and playing with good leverage. He shows decent balance in pass protection and a solid punch as well.

I don’t see him as an elite prospect, but he certainly could develop into an above average starter at guard/center. I see him as a Trevor Ruhland type with a bit more upside.

Grade: 89 (3-star)

OL Rayshaun Benny‍ (Michigan)

I’m a fan of Benny. He’s a through the whistle kind of player who works his fit and sustains his block. He does a fantastic job of driving his feet on contact.

He can pull and get to the second level and shows great balance in his pass set. He readjusts to lateral movement very well. He’s fairly light on his feet and although I see him as a guard, he’s the kind of athlete who could probably play tackle in a pinch.

I do have some questions about his frame and how big he will get. If I didn’t, I’d put him pretty close to Rocco Spindler‍ as a prospect.

Grade: 92 (4-star)

OL Matthew Wykoff‍ (Texas)

Wykoff is an interesting offer because the other two O-line targets are interior players and in my eyes he’s a right tackle who could maybe kick inside to guard.

He’s a big body already and an efficient mover. He needs to be because he’s not the best athlete compared to the other tackles they have targeted. I would like to see him be more of a knee-bender. He can play a bit high at times.

His footwork is solid and allows him to reach edge defenders and he moves decently as a puller. He definitely has some nasty in his game, but I want to see it more consistently. He’ll have to adjust to playing out of a three-point rather than the two-point he works out of now, but think that can help his leverage and power at the next level.

Grade: 89 (3-star)