Film Don't Lie | Ashton Craig
In just about every cycle, Notre Dame adds a recruit to their class that worked out on campus to earn an offer. That didn’t happen in the last cycle because of the pandemic, but they’re back to it with this class after adding a commitment from in-state offensive lineman Ashton Craig.
Craig is a prospect that has a good offer list and would have probably had an even better one with more opportunities to work out for teams last year. I’m a fan of this pickup for the Irish and love his potential.
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 280
Projected Position: Center, but could play multiple positions
ISD Grade: 90 (4-star)
National Average Grade: 88.1 (3-star)
What he does best:
A multi-sport athlete who also plays defensive end, Craig moves much better than most interior offensive lineman. He gets out to the second level with ease and should be someone who can be utilized often as a puller.
He’s got plenty of nasty to his game. Craig is a consistent finisher and is often driving defenders to the ground well after the play has already moved on from where he is positioned.
He’s light on his feet and displays good knee bend. He has all of the tools to be an elite player in pass protection and his reactionary athleticism is impressive.
What he needs to improve:
There are times when he can pop out of too high of his stance and he’s caught up in driving his defender rather than resetting his fit. His hands can get outside of the frame a bit too much.
That leads into him being more consistent with his overall technique, from hands to feet.
What’s his ceiling?
I love Craig as an athlete and the fact the staff was able to evaluate him in person. I would have had more questions about his size, but he’s now 280 pounds heading into his senior season.
He reminds me a lot of Jarrett Patterson with his feet, which is part of the reason why projecting him to play center makes sense.
I think he’ll need some time to develop physically and technically, but I believe he has the potential to become a starter two or three years into his time at Notre Dame.
Who he could be:
Current Notre Dame center Jarrett Patterson