Examining Notre Dame's 2023 CB Board
It’s a bit ironic that Notre Dame just offered a 2023 cornerback with the last name “Hunt” because that’s what the Irish coaches are going to have to do at the position during the May evaluation period. They’re going to have to track for more prospects at the position and expand the board.
That may mean adding new names. It may mean revisiting old ones. Regardless of who it is, they need more options to fill a position of need in this class. There are a few names to know that Notre Dame fans are already aware of.
At the top of that list is Christian Gray. A long player with potential to excel in press coverage, Gray has good instincts and would be a great fit on the boundary. He’s been to Notre Dame several times and he would be a critical piece to the recruiting puzzle if he ends up in the class.
There’s also Micah Bell out of Houston, who has put up some elite track times this off-season. That speed shows up on film where he flashes electric ability with the ball in his hands on offense. Size is probably the biggest question mark for him, but with his athleticism and his ability to find the football, he’d be another terrific player to add in the secondary.
One of the more interesting prospects who has been targeted by Notre Dame is Micah Tease. He’s someone who could legitimately play on either side of the ball in college and his tape is probably more impressive on offense. He checks all of the boxes as an athlete, but one reason to like him on defense is how physical he is. He embraces that part of the game as a tackler.
The most recent offer is Texas Tech commit Calvin Simpson-Hunt. He’s sticky in press man and can play the ball in phase. The other prospects pop a bit more as athletes in my opinion, but he has legit track speed (10.67 100m).
What do all of these players have in common? They all have the skill necessary to excel in man coverage. If we’re looking for an indicator of who Notre Dame might offer next, it would be safe to assume that is going to be a must on their checklist.
We’ll see soon enough which players are going to join that group, but the margin for error is pretty slim for Notre Dame unless they offer more corners. The program is building an elite front seven in recruiting and they have two outstanding safeties committed in the 2023 class. They are missing the pieces at corner and that is what can make this defensive class truly special.