Notre Dame Fighting Irish class of 2022 superlatives

Who is the class MVP? Who is the most athletic? Who was the best interview?

BlueandGold.com recruiting insider Mike Singer dishes out nine superlatives to members of Notre Dame’s 2021 recruiting class.

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We are not talking valuable only in the sense of how good the player is. I’m looking at how much the staff valued the recruit, how critical he is to the team/class and how important he is to Notre Dame on a national scope.

And in this year’s case, linebacker signee Jaylen Sneed is the best player in the class, and his addition was so important for the Irish in all of the aspects I laid out above. He’s going to be a terrific locker room fit and someone who other players will gravitate towards. Sneed has future first-round pick potential written all over him, and he’s an A-plus individual.

Picking Sneed for this isn’t exactly a no-brainer because I really liked Nolan Ziegler for it too because of him being such an outstanding leader of the class. I couldn’t have gone wrong with either choice. Steve Angeli got some consideration too because of his leadership qualities and how he helped recruit other players.

Runner-up: LB Nolan Ziegler

Previous picks: RB Chris Tyree (2020), OL Blake Fisher (2021)

I really debated this one between tight end Eli Raridon and offensive lineman Aamil Wagner. I love offensive linemen who are also great athletes, but Raridon is the choice here because of his freakish abilities in multiple sports.

He was great on the football field this year, catching 53 passes for 627 yards and 10 touchdowns, but it’s his ability on the basketball court that gives him the edge. He’s averaging 26.0 points per game early this season and looks fantastic in clips of him we’ve seen. Raridon is truly a specimen of an athlete, which is why he’s shot up in various rankings in the past couple months.

Runner-up: OL Aamil Wagner

Previous picks: OL Michael Carmody (2020), QB Tyler Buchner (2021)

I love this prediction. This was a no-brainer for me.

I think his 5.7 three-star ranking by Rivals is fair, but Jayden Bellamy will outplay that ranking and then some, in my opinion. My sources close to the Notre Dame football program say that Bellamy has an “it” factor and that he can be a special football player for the Fighting Irish. He’s 5-11, 170 pounds so he’s not the biggest defensive back out there, but Bellamy has a unique feel for the game and is in the right place at the right time. He’s got a quiet swagger to him and will surprise Notre Dame fans.

Runner-up: TE Holden Staes

Previous picks: DT Aidan Keanaaina (2020), DB Ryan Barnes (2021)

Notre Dame will not bat 100% in this class. The late, great Lou Somogyi always spoke about the 1/3 rule in recruiting. 1/3 of a Notre Dame recruiting class will be multi-year starters and potential NFL draft picks, 1/3 will be reserves and/or role players, and 1/3 will not make an impact due to injury, transfer or just not panning out.

I believe defensive end Aiden Gobaira has the potential to “boom” and be in the first third that I mentioned, but he has some “bust” potential if his frame doesn’t fill out. I believe it’ll be the former, though. He’s got the length, burst and high motor that Mike Elston covets in a defensive lineman.

Runner-up: DL Tyson Ford

Previous picks: CB Caleb Offord (2020), DL Jason Onye (2021)

This dude can play a lot of positions. Nolan Ziegler projected to play either the rover or will linebacker spots for Notre Dame, but at 6-3, 205 pounds, I wouldn’t rule out strong safety or some kind of hybrid H-back role. Ziegler is such a productive football player and a winner. He’ll play plenty of special teams too. This young man bleeds blue and gold and has the attitude to want to help Notre Dame in any way he can.

Runner-up: LB Joshua Burnham

Previous picks: ATH Xavier Watts (2020), DB Khari Gee (2021)

BlueandGold.com’s Patrick Engel wrote an article on National Signing Day centered around five Notre Dame signees who can make an instant impact. Here was his reasoning behind including Tobias Merriweather:

This pick is based on thin numbers as much as anything else, but that’s not to discount Merriweather’s talent. He’s a 6-4, 180-pound boundary receiver with a rare mix of physicality and yards-after-catch skill. His acceleration in the open field and change-of-pace ability stand out.

Combine the skill set with his standing as the lone receiver in the class and a potential exodus at the position, and the path for him to play in 2022 is easy to envision.

That sums it up. Even though Merriweather isn’t enrolling early at Notre Dame, he can still get on the field right away.

(Punter Bryce McFerson would have been an easy pick for this as the likely starter at his position next year, but that felt like cheating to pick).

Runner-up: LB Jaylen Sneed

Previous picks: Transfer DB Isaiah Pryor (2020), WR Lorenzo Styles (2021)

I’m not sure Notre Dame really has a hidden gem in the class. Does Ashton Craig, an All-American recruit who held offers from Baylor, Cincinnati, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame and others even fit that?

This essentially is another “most underrated” superlative. Craig is being overlooked because of the other talented offensive linemen in this class, and he’s only ranked as a three-star recruit by Rivals, but Craig is a mauler on the inside. I believe he’ll be a solid performer in a few years.

Runner-up: None.

Previous picks: DE Alexander Ehrensberger (2020), CB JoJo Johnson (2021)

Billy Schrauth went silent on the media for most of 2021, but in my interviews with him, he was always fun to chat with, and he’s not afraid to make a bold statement. I also love Wisconsin accents. They’re awesome. See one of Schrauth’s best quotes from my interview with him this week.

“Growing up here, everyone is a [Wisconsin] Badger fan, and I heard stuff all the time from everyone,” Schrauth said. “They all wanted me to stay home and put on for the state. I don’t think it was my calling. I thought my calling was greater than just that.

“I don’t want to be working my ass off all year around to play for peaches. I don’t give a damn about that. I want to be playing for national championships.”

Runner-up: Steve Angeli

Previous picks: QB Drew Pyne (2020), OL Rocco Spindler (2021)

It’s become a running joke now for over a year that I’m the president of the “Joe Alt Fan Club.” So I often am asked the question, ‘Which fan club will you be running next?’ There’s no real criteria for this other than whatever my gut is telling me. It’s all in fun.

But this year’s selection is quarterback Steve Angeli. My retroactive pick for the 2020 class was also a quarterback, Drew Pyne. I just have a gut feeling that Angeli is going to be a lot better at Notre Dame than people think. Will he light the world up and win a Heisman? Probably not. But this kid is an absolute gamer, and his best football is ahead of him.

Runner-up: None.

Previous picks: QB Drew Pyne (2020), OL Joe Alt (2021)

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