Film Don't Lie | Braylon James

Notre Dame’s 2023 class has loaded up on the defensive side of the ball. They have a couple of blue-chip commitments on offense, but to say that Irish fans have been waiting for the offense to catch up would be an understatement.

They can catch up a bit quicker now that they have a receiver who runs 4.47 in the fold.

Braylon James‍ is the first receiver on the board for the Irish in 2023 and he’s a dang good one. Explosive plays are everything on offense in college football and he has the potential to produce them at Notre Dame.

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 180

Projected Position: Wide receiver

ISD Grade: 92 (4-star)

National Average Grade: 93.4 (4-star)

What he does best:

You see it in the return game and you see it at receiver. He can flat out run.

James has the ability to take the top off the defense. It didn’t matter that the corner was playing bail or that the safety was supposed to be there to help over the top. James ran right by them.

He has a very impressive catch radius. He recently recorded a 38-inch vertical at a camp and that kind of leaping ability shows up on film. He attacks the ball in the air and takes this one away from the corner.

The ball skills are great, but the body control is just as good. He displays good awareness of the sideline and adjusts accordingly. There are several catches he made as a sophomore and junior that look similar to this one where he knows when to get his feet down.

What he needs to improve:

He isn’t consistently sudden as a route runner. There is a polish that needs to be added to that part of his game, though, he does do a nice job of adjusting back to the quarterback.

He’s thin and needs to add strength. He can be a threat after the catch with his speed, but in order to be more of a guy who can shake tackles often, he’ll need to get stronger.

What’s his ceiling?

James has the potential to be a big time deep threat for the Irish. A multi-sport athlete who also plays basketball and runs track, there is a lot of room to grow with his game and the athletic traits are already very exciting.

His speed could allow him to see the field early for Notre Dame. I see him projecting to the X for the Irish with the potential to play the boundary as well.

Who he could be:

Former Baylor receiver Tyquan Thornton