Film Don't Lie | Jay Brunelle
Notre Dame didn’t show much interest in Jay Brunelle...until he forced them to. They had no choice after he came to Irish Invasion and proved that he deserved an offer.
Now he’s the latest member of the 2020 class and although it might seem like it after the Irish lost out on Jalen McMillan, Brunelle is no consolation prize at wide receiver. He’s a very good prospect with the work ethic that will not only help him reach his potential, but also the talent that makes him a player with a very high floor.
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 200
Projected Position: Receiver
ISD Grade: 88 (3-star)
National Average Grade: 86.2 (3-star)
What he does best:
Brunelle is a good athlete with the speed to stretch the field vertically. He ran a 4.56 at an Opening regional camp and ran in the mid 4.4s at Notre Dame. This is him against Nigel Williams at Irish Invasion. Williams ran a 4.53 at the camp and Brunelle ran past him on this go route.
His ball skills are impressive. He can turn poorly thrown passes into routine catches like this one. This ball was not just thrown behind Brunelle, but it forced him to turn his body to bring it. He snatched it out of the air like he was running a slant.
I don’t care how fast a player runs, winning contested catches is critical at the college level. He does a great job of creating separation at the cath point. This is something Brunelle does frequently. He also isn’t afraid to go over the middle of the field and take a hit to make a play.
His short area quickness isn’t elite, but if he gets some space he can do serious damage after the catch. He has the potential to be much more than a possession receiver.
What he needs to improve:
The biggest thing that I believe Brunelle needs to work on is his route running. His burst out of his breaks isn’t as great so he needs to be more precise with his footwork.
Although he uses his body well to gain space from defenders, he can be better at being more subtle with his movement to set up corners. Right now he looks too deliberate and corners aren’t going to bite on some of the things he tries to throw at them.
What’s his ceiling?
I think Brunelle is going to be a solid player at the very least for the Irish. Anyone with his kind of hands who can win 50/50 balls like he does is going to be able to produce at the college level.
The reason he can be more than that is because of his drive to get better, which is exactly what earned him an offer at Invasion and exactly why he tested so well. He works at it. He puts a lot of effort into the game and anyone who does it as much as he does obviously loves it.
That goes a long way when it comes to making someone a good player as long as they have some ability to go with it. Brunelle has that. I expect him to have a monster senior season and I think he has the potential to be a number two receiver with some big play upside while lining up at the W for the Irish.
ISD Video | 2020 WR Jay Brunelle Talks Notre Dame Commitment
BREAKING | Notre Dame Lands Commitment From WR Jay Brunelle