Thoughts on Blue-Gold Game Visitors
ISD’s Christian McCollum already did a great job of previewing the visitors that will be on campus for the Blue-Gold game this weekend. I figured I would throw in my thoughts on the prospects that either have an offer or could add one this weekend as well.
2019 Offers
I have Quinn Carroll ranked 44th in the ISD Fab 50. I see him as a top-5 tackle in this class and someone who can be a high-level starter for multiple seasons. He’s a mobile monster that plays with a great base and knee bend. I think he is a very similar prospect to current Notre Dame lineman Tommy Kraemer.
On the opposite side of the ball is Howard Cross III. I view him as a defensive tackle prospect in the long term, but he may start out at end. I think his ceiling is higher inside if he can add the right amount of weight.
He flashes a very strong punch and is technically sound. He does a great job of disengaging from a block to make a play. I don’t know if he’ll ever be an elite pass rusher, but he is a player with a high floor that is going to find a role somewhere on the line and more than likely be ready to compete from the moment he gets to campus.
I’m a big fan of athlete Kendall Abdur-Rahman. He has elite acceleration and has the unique ability to cut and seemingly stay at full speed. I think he has the athletic traits to play defensive back or receiver at the next level and definitely should be a returner candidate. The Irish need more game-breaking speed and Abdur-Rahman can provide some of that.
It’s big for Notre Dame to get cornerback Woodi Washington on campus. He has a receiver mentality when the ball is in the air and acts like the ball belongs only to him. His instincts are outstanding and his ability to make plays on the football while in phase is one of the reasons why he I regard him so highly despite not being the tallest or the longest prospect on the board.
2020 Offers
Both 2020 defensive linemen who have been offered already are raw in many ways, which is not at all surprising. Cole Brevard has a really great first step and I love his lateral quickness. Grit is a buzz word around Notre Dame and the game in general and that word fits the way Brevard plays. He’s not dominant with his hands or at the point of attack yet, but he works his butt off to get to the football.
Darrion Henry is similar and flashes suddenness in his get off. He has a violent edge to his game (in a good way) and I think he has an extremely high ceiling.
When the first ISD Fab 50 for 2020 is released (sometime this summer), athlete AJ Henning will definitely be somewhere on the list. He eats up cushion in an instant as a receiver and is electic with the ball in his hands. He’s the kind of playmaker Notre Dame needs.
I have offensive tackle Peter Skoronski as a 4-star prospect early in the process, but he has the potential to be a 5-star before all is said and done in the cycle. He’s an elite athlete at the position that is balanced and efficient with his footwork. He gets after it as a run blocker too. He still has plenty of filling out to do with his frame, but if that isn’t a long term issue for him, then he has the chance to be a great one at the next level.
Potential Offers
I don’t know how likely it is for 2019 guard Zachary Teter to get an offer on this trip considering where things stand with some other prospects for the Irish, but this kid should have more Power 5 offers than just Cal. He has some nasty to his game and can anchor well versus power rushers. He might not be the most agile guy on the field, but he moves well enough to get out and block at the second level.
I’m also unsure if Notre Dame will be looking to expand the linebacker board considering that they had Luke Fulton on campus recently and chose not to offer at this time. But they may feel differently about Tommy Eichenberg and Jestin Jacobs.
Eichenberg has several great offers to choose from already, but also has the Notre Dame connection with his brother Liam. He’s a good football player, but I’m not 100% sure of his fit. He may be best suited to play on the edge as a Drop, but he does not have the ideal measurables there. I love his motor and he makes a ton of plays on film.
Jacobs is a favorite of ISD’s Matt Freeman. I like his upside and he’s a similar athlete to Ovie Oghoufo, who Notre Dame signed last cycle. He’s an intriguing prospect and one that may need to show out at a camp first.
In the 2020 class, there are two offensive linemen that I would be surprised if they didn’t get offered. Trey Wedig has big time potential is massive young man with light feet, but he has some bad habits with his footwork that he needs to clean up. The ceiling is so high, though, that I don’t see Notre Dame waiting to pull the trigger.
Wedig is more highly touted than Turner Corcoran, but the latter is the one I view as a top-50 prospect early in the process. I think he is going to blow up with offers very soon. He has some extra edge to his game and is going to be a monster by the time he gets to college game.
The last prospect that I could see getting that offer from Brian Kelly is Braden Lenzy’s little brother, Max Lenzy. The emphasis is on little as he is shorter than Braden and that may be something that makes them hold off on the cornerback. He is listed at 5’10”, but they are going to make sure he is even that tall.
Regardless of height, Max is a ball player. He has great short area burst and his ball skills are impressive. His quick change of direction makes up for some of those inches. He is a very instinctive player when the ball is in the air and versus the perimeter run/pass game. If he, literally, measures up, then I think he could be presented with the option to play with his brother again down the road.