5 Favorite Prospects in ND's Class
The NLIs are in and the 2022 recruiting class is (most likely) complete. Marcus Freeman just landed a class that is loaded with blue-chip prospects and we know that not all of them are going to turn into studs for Notre Dame, but even an average hit rate could produce several impact players from this class.
My updated grades for the class as a whole are in and you can see where I have everyone ranked from within the class. Separate from that, I do have some favorite prospects that the Irish signed this cycle that have stood out with my evaluations for various reasons.
I have done this in three of the last four cycles for Irish Sports Daily (I’m not sure why I skipped the 2020 class) and it’s now an annual tradition. They haven’t all hit for Notre Dame (yet), but I feel pretty good that players like Kyren Williams, Kyle Hamilton, and Joe Alt, have been included.
I think we’ll be talking about a few of these players like we talk about those players by the time they finish at Notre Dame. It was very difficult to narrow this down to five this year.
RB Jeremiyah Love
Electric is the word to describe Love’s speed and I was a big fan as soon as Notre Dame offered. I even had him in the ISD Fab 50 well before most places had him as a 4-star.
He’s one of the best big play running backs in the cycle and I think he can develop into a threat running and receiving. I’m very excited to see how Notre Dame ends up using them in their offense over the next few years.
ATH Brandyn Hillman
I had no idea where Hillman was going to play in college when Notre Dame offered him in the fall. I just knew that this was a player that had a sky high ceiling because of his unique acceleration and ridiculous athleticism.
His ceiling is as high as any prospect Notre Dame signed today and you know a player pops on tape when people are asking whether he can be a Deebo Samuel on offense and that same player’s film reminded me of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
Whatever side of the football he ends up playing for the Irish, he has awesome potential.
OL Sam Pendleton
On the list of future NFL offensive linemen that Notre Dame has produced in the last decade, there aren’t many who could have started at any position on the line. The list might be exclusive to Zack Martin and Robert Hainsey.
Pendleton is someone who I believe has that kind of versatility as well. He has the feet to play tackle even if his best position is probably going to be at guard. I’m comfortable with my ranking of him despite most sites not being as high on him. I think he has the kind of profile that can help him be very successful at Notre Dame.
I already mentioned Minich as someone who made a jump with his ranking during his senior season, but he was one of my favorites even before then. When I first heard about him I thought he might be more of a track guy, but he’s a very good football player who also runs track.
I’m very high on all of the defensive backs the Irish signed. Minich is the underdog of the group and I think he can surprise some people over the next four years.
WR Jaden Greathouse
When someone puts up better numbers than anyone else at a powerhouse program in a state like Texas, that means something. Sometimes it just means that player was just great in high school, but for Greathouse, I think it’s a starting point.
I’m not predicting he is going to be one of the most prolific receivers in the history of Notre Dame. I am confident that he’s going to be a productive player for the Irish and believe he has number one receiver potential.
It’s the ball skills and body control that separate him as a prospect and from defensive backs.
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