Thoughts on Notre Dame's 2022 QB Offers
There was no May evaluation period this year and no on-campus camps to watch quarterbacks throw in person. There may not be high school football in some states until 2021 and who knows if some seasons will start and not finish.
Because of that, Notre Dame had to make a move at quarterback in the 2022 cycle without the same depth of evaluation that they typically have. It was a matter of when they might make the move and how much information was enough information for them to feel comfortable.
Well, they must feel comfortable now because they finally offered two quarterback prospects in the ‘22 cycle.
Gavin Wimsatt (Kentucky) is the flashier of the two. He has a live arm and a really nice touch on the deep ball. This throw looks routine for him, which shows how freaky his raw talent is.
He’s a dangerous runner with easy speed and shows the strength to break tackles as well. Also a baseball and basketball player, it’s not hard to see how his athleticism is one of his greatest strengths. He is fantastic at improvising outside of the pocket and does a really good job of avoiding pressure within it.
One impressive thing that stands out to me is how he handles pressure in his face. He keeps his eyes down field and will take a hit to make a play. He’s not always looking to get out and break away as a runner.
He’s a raw prospect in terms of making throws within the structure of the play and he has to prove he can be consistent from the pocket, but this is an elite talent who will be included in the 2022 ISD Fab 50.
Grade: 93 (4-star)
The other prospect they offered is Steve Angeli (New Jersey). He doesn’t have the same splashy traits, but he wouldn’t be getting offered by Notre Dame at this point in time if he wasn’t a very good prospect. He wouldn’t have Ohio State, Penn State, and LSU offers either. There are reasons why those power programs wanted him.
He has a great feel for the rush and he is also someone who can escape the pocket. This is something Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has mentioned publicly often about valuing quite a bit.
The big thing I like about his game is the calmness he shows. He isn’t rattled by pressure and similar to Wimsatt, he makes throws with rushers in his face.
Though he isn’t nearly as dynamic as a runner, he’s not strictly a pocket passer and should be someone who can move the sticks with his legs. I don’t see him as someone who will have a lot of designed runs called for him, though.
His arm doesn’t pop on the tape. No one would accuse him of having a cannon. He has above average zip for his age, but more importantly he throws a pretty consistent tight football. There tends to be a pretty big jump in terms of arm strength from sophomore to junior year for a lot of kids so that will be interesting to watch with him.
Wimsatt is the more intriguing physical talent. Angeli is no slouch and after watching him, there’s a lot to like about his game.
Grade: 90 (4-star)