New Notre Dame Offer Notes | Expanding the 2021 Board
There are two things that are true right now about Notre Dame’s 2021 defensive line recruiting.
The first is that David Abiara can’t be seen as a firm commitment and they need to be exploring other options. The second is that no program can have enough players who can get after the passer.
Even if Abiara stays in the class, it’s never a bad idea to target more players with pass rush potential. Notre Dame did that this week with a new offer at defensive end and continued to expand the board on the offensive line and at running back as well.
DE TJ Bollers (Iowa)
Bollers is very raw with his technique, but his athletic floor is so high. That is what makes him an elite prospect.
He runs really well for his size and plays tight end on offense in addition to being an edge defender on defense. He’s a tremendous chase player versus the run that makes plays from the backside.
He needs to develop consistency out of his stance with his hands, but flashes some shock with his punch. He has legitimate twitch and can set the edge with his get off alone. Once he starts to control that outside shoulder with his length, he’s going to be an A+ run defender.
Watching him I see a similar athlete to Isaiah Foskey in that Bollers has Vyper athleticism, but a strong side end frame. He’s someone who has the physical tools to eventually become a great pass rusher.
Grade: 92 (4-star)
OL Joe Alt (Minnesota)
Obviously this is a prospect who has to put on a lot of weight, but he has the frame to do so. He demonstrates good leg drive as a run blocker and wants to finish. There are certainly left tackle traits with his feet and his ability to mirror when asked to pass block, but he has a long way to go in that department.
It doesn’t hurt that he is the son of a former offensive tackle who made the transition from tight end to offensive tackle in college. His father, John, played 13 years in the NFL as a tackle. There is no doubt that having success with Joe Staley at Central Michigan, who also made the transition from tight end to tackle, has to be part of the thinking with the offer.
Normally this is a player that one would expect to see earn an offer at a camp, but the pedigree and the circumstances of not having an evaluation period must have influenced the timing of the offer.
Grade: 88 (3-star)
RB Tavierre Dunlap (Texas)
Dunlap is a very intriguing prospect. He looks super skinny, but runs with power. He’s an easy strider who doesn’t have elite burst, but builds up with his long speed in the open field. He can kick it into another gear to run away from defenders.
He can run through arm tackles and shows very good balance after contact. Dunlap has some real juice as an inside runner and has some ability catching the ball out of the backfield as well. I’m a fan of this offer.
Grade: 90 (4-star)