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2020 Notre Dame Recruiting: Final Numbers

1 Recruit who committed and eventually signed with Notre Dame after July 5 — California cornerback Ramon Henderson during the early signing period that began Dec. 18.

Prior to that, the most recent verbal commit to eventually ink with the Irish was Nebraska receiver Xavier Watts on July 5.


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Notre Dame receivers coach Del Alexander with prized five-star recruit Jordan Johnson.
Notre Dame receivers coach Del Alexander with prized five-star recruit Jordan Johnson. (Jordan Johnson/Twitter)

3 Rivals Top 100 players: receiver Jordan Johnson (No. 28), and four-star figures in tight end Michael Mayer (No. 36) and running back Chris Tyree (No. 78), who fell 35 spots since the end of the football season.

Six others were classified among the Top 250: quarterback Drew Pyne (No. 117), tight end Kevin Bauman (No. 129), offensive tackle Tosh Baker (No. 136) — who had the most dramatic drop from 48, especially because of an injury — defensive tackle Rylie Mills (No. 154), defensive end Jordan Botelho (No. 175) and offensive lineman Michael Carmody (No. 230).


5 Teams that dominated the recruiting rankings again while demonstrating classic examples of how success begets more success: Alabama signed 10 Top 100 prospects, while Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and reigning national champ LSU had nine apiece.

In the Top 50, Clemson and Georgia each had seven, Alabama six and Ohio State four.


5 Stars given to St. Louis DeSmet Jesuit wide receiver Jordan Johnson by Rivals. He is the outlet's first five-star prospect signed by the Fighting Irish since defensive end Daelin Hayes in 2016, and the first wideout prospect since Michael Floyd in 2008.

However, long snapper Alex Peitsch — a position that is generally given two stars by recruiting services — received a five-star rating from Kohl’s Kicking Camp as the nation’s top player at his position. He will have a chance in 2020 to succeed three-year starter John Shannon, who has graduated.


6.30 Time ran by running back recruit Chris Tyree in the 55-meter dash in February 2019 to win the Virginia state meet — and the fastest posted in the nation this year by a high school athlete.

For context purposes, the standard of all speed in Notre Dame annals — recent College Football Hall of Fame enshrine Raghib “Rocket” Ismail — had a personal best of 6.07 in the event while at Notre Dame, finishing second in the NCAA Championships. In high school, Ismail was reportedly clocked at 6.28 in the 55 meters.


8 Early entrants who are already enrolled and will partake in spring practice that begins next month: quarterback Drew Pyne, wide receivers Xavier Watts and Jay Brunelle, defensive ends Jordan Botelho and Alexander Ehrensberger, defensive tackle Rylie Mills, and cornerbacks Ramon Henderson and Caleb Offord.

Notre Dame first admitted early entrants in 2006, with 10 the most last year.


16 Different states, nations or districts represented among the 17 players who inked with Notre Dame. New Jersey is the lone state with as many as two: tight end Kevin Bauman and cornerback Clarence Lewis.

Kentucky also would have had two with Mayer and cornerback Landen Bartleson, but the latter's arrest in December for burglary of a gun shop rescinded the grant-in-aid he signed in December.


17 Players signed, the second fewest in head coach Brian Kelly’s 11 seasons at Notre Dame. The lowest was 16 in 2012, a class highlighted by first-round pick Ronnie Stanley. Because of the small numbers, it brings us to...


21 Ranking in Rivals' final standings. Only one school was in the top 20 with less than 21 players signed (Texas at No. 13 with 19). The No. 21 rating tied 2012 for the lowest in the Kelly era, and was the lowest since No. 23 in head coach Charlie Weis's final campaign in 2009.

However, that 2009 group was rated by Blueandgold.com as one of the five best for the Irish in the last 30 years because of overall impact and balance, led by linebacker Manti Te'o on defense and tight end Tyler Eifert on offense, plus numerous other prominent figures such as tackle Zack Martin, running back Theo Riddick and safety Zeke Motta, to name a few.

If this group can produce a 12-0 regular season record their senior year the way that one did, perspective about the rating changes.


2013 Marked the last year that a Notre Dame quarterback recruit enrolled early: Malik Zaire. That streak ends this year with Pyne.

Previously, Notre Dame had a streak of four straight years from 2010-13 where a quarterback enrolled in January: Tommy Rees (2010) — now the program's third-year quarterback coach and first-year offensive coordinator — Everett Golson (2011), Gunner Kiel (2012) and Zaire.


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