Class Impact: WR Braden Lenzy To Notre Dame
Notre Dame is looking to tap into a loaded wide receiver class nationally, and so far the Irish staff is off to a hot start. Last week, Notre Dame kicked off its wide receiver class by landing Gurnee (Ill.) Warren Township standout Micah Jones. Notre Dame has now added another impact pass catcher with the commitment of Portland (Ore.) Tigard speedster Braden Lenzy.
Lenzy is the No. 238 overall player in the country according to Rivals, while two other services have him ranked in the top 200. On Feb. 19, Lenzy competed in the Under Armour All-American Los Angeles regional, winning the iLLSPEED Finals championship. According to Oregon Live, the iLLSPEED test measures burst, agility, quick reaction, footwork and speed.
Notre Dame beat in-state powerhouse Oregon and programs like USC, Stanford, Michigan State and UCLA for his services.
CLASS IMPACT
When Notre Dame landed Micah Jones, it gave the staff the big, rangy pass catcher it wanted in this class. With Jones in the fold, the Irish staff wanted to add at least one burner to the class, and Lenzy is that player. In fact, Lenzy committed to the Notre Dame on the same day as Jones, but wanted to wait to make his decision public so he could be certain of his choice.
Lenzy has outstanding speed, having been timed as a 4.47 prior to his junior season, and he’s gotten faster since then. On every snap, Lenzy is a threat to get over top of the defense or to take a quick throw or screen and turn it into a big gain. He’s exactly the kind of home run threat head coach Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Chip Long have talked about adding to this class.
What I like about Lenzy’s game is he’s not just a burner, he can play football. He’s a tough kid who has a chance to develop into a quality route runner, much like Fuller did as a junior. Lenzy catches the ball effectively and he shows a good feel working in soft spots over the middle of the field.
His length, toughness, ball skills and vertical ability makes him a good fit for the X receiver position. His after-the-catch skills also project very well in the slot, which gives Lenzy much-needed position flexibility.
Adding Lenzy to the class gives Notre Dame the added bonus of hauling in a player who could be a dynamic return man. He’s also a talented cornerback, and if the need arises down the road he could be an excellent prospect at that position as well.
WHAT’S NEXT
Despite having Lenzy in the fold, Notre Dame is not going to stop recruiting players with speed. There are two reasons for this.
One, Notre Dame’s offensive coaches — and Kelly — have been quite clear in their stated desire to add more speed to the wide receiver position. This is needed in Long’s system, which works best when it has dynamic after-the-catch receivers on the field.
Two, Lenzy can play outside or inside receiver, which means the staff can load up on talented players knowing Lenzy can easily slide around in order to get on the field.
With that in mind, expect Notre Dame to continue going after the speed players it has already targeted, and expect the staff to keep offering more players it finds that can stretch the field or make plays after the catch.
One player particularly high on the board for Notre Dame’s offensive staff is recently offered athlete Jaquayln Crawford of Rockdale (Texas) High. The Irish staff is just starting to build its relationship with Crawford, but he’s an explosive athlete that Notre Dame would love to add to this class.
Another Texas wideout — Houston St. Pius X standout Bryson Jackson — is also on the board for Notre Dame, but the Irish appear to be trailing for him at this point. Notre Dame is also trailing for Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei five-star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, although it will have plenty of opportunities to climb up his favorites list.
Notre Dame is also after a couple of fast receivers that bring some size to the game. Irish secondary coach Todd Lyght is working hard to get Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout Joshua Moore on campus for a visit, and running backs coach Autry Denson is trying to do the same with Coconut Creek (Fla.) North Broward speedster Kevin Austin.
Getting either one of those players into the class would be significant for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame recently received a visit from St. Louis Christian Brothers standout Kamryn Babb, the No. 68 overall player in the country. Babb can make plays after the catch, he can stretch the field and he can work the middle of the field.
The Irish are also hoping to secure a visit from Harrisburg (Pa.) High burner Shaquon Anderson-Butts. If it can get him on campus, Notre Dame should have a legit shot with Anderson-Butts, assuming he can clear admissions.
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