Notre Dame Seeks Game-Changing Recruiting Haul This Decade
What constitutes a great recruiting class at Notre Dame?
Myriad factors have to be weighed: team records during their time, overall impact on the program, balance on offense and defense, production, number of players who have prominent roles …
Finally, there is another gauge: How many in the class ended up getting selected in the NFL Draft? By Notre Dame standards alone — not Michigan State, Wisconsin, Boise State, etc. — through the decades, here is a general demarcation:
• Any class at Note Dame with less than four players taken by the NFL will be considered poor.
For example, the 2004 haul with 17 players that helped lead to head coach Tyrone Willingham’s ouster, had zero drafted, even though running back Darius Walker departed after his junior year.
• Four to six drafted in a class might be “average,” which means it leaves you in that 8-4, maybe 9-3 territory — although if you string several such classes together, it can be better. The exception is when several are first- and second-round selections who are game-changers are in a specific class.
• Eight drafted from one class gets you into a higher level, or one that has the capability to carry you into a couple of Big 6 bowls or even the Playoff.
• The “special” recruiting classes are the ones that reach or even eclipse double digits in the NFL Draft, and can make you a viable national title contender at least a couple of years.
In February, 2013, I thought Notre Dame had a chance at that special group when it signed the No. 3-ranked class in the land, and by their sophomore season it seemed bona fide:
The group was headlined by linebacker Jaylon Smith, but there were four others on defense that could be drafted down the road: cornerback Cole Luke, free safety Max Redfield, defensive lineman Isaac Rochell … and maybe linebacker James Onwualu.
On offense, that “on paper special” harvest included wideout Will Fuller, running back Tarean Folston, linemen Steve Elmer and Mike McGlinchey, and maybe tight end Durham Smythe (the latter two both in their fifth seasons) for an even 10.
That didn’t even include receivers Corey Robinson — projected as a first-rounder in one mock draft after his sophomore year — and Torii Hunter Jr., running back Greg Bryant (who tragically lost his life last May after transferring in 2015) and maybe even quarterback Malik Zaire.
Fuller did become a first-round selection after his junior year, and Smith (second round) would have been too had he not suffered a major knee injury. McGlinchey and Rochell are pretty good bets to be drafted as well … and after that it’s up in the air.
The four-to-eight drafted in a class at Notre Dame has pretty much held serve with each group so far from what will comprise the 2010-19 decade:
2010 (4) — DT Louis Nix (third round), OLB Prince Shembo (fourth), CB Bennett Jackson (sixth), WR T.J. Jones (sixth)
2011 (4) — DT Stephon Tuitt (second), TE Troy Niklas (second), C Nick Martin (second), TE Ben Koyack (seventh).
Note: DE Aaron Lynch transferred to USF after his freshman year. RB George Atkinson and S Matthias Farley played on NFL rosters last season as underrated free agents.
2012 (4 so far) — OT Ronnie Stanley (first), RB C.J. Prosise (third), CB KeiVarae Russell (third), DL Sheldon Day (fourth).
Note: DL Jarron Jones could be the fifth Irish player drafted in this class. DE Romeo Okwara went undrafted but played for the New York Giants as a rookie last season.
The 2013 class already has been noted, and the 2014 group, if it stays healthy, could have the most future NFL players from this decade at Notre Dame, with the offense alone featuring pass catchers such as Equanimeous St. Brown, Alize Jones and CJ Sanders, plus running back Josh Adams and quarterback Brandon Wimbush.
Defensively, lineman Jerry Tillery might have the best opportunity from the 2015 recruiting haul. Linebackers such as Te’von Coney and Asmar Bilal or a defensive back such as Nick Coleman have much more work to do.
Which classes at Notre Dame ranked in the “special” category each decade? Here’s a summary:
The 1940s: 1946
The class that never lost a game from 1946-49 unofficially had 16 players drafted, led by Heisman Trophy winner Leon Hart, Outland winner George Connor and College Football Hall of Fame members Jim Martin and Emil “Six Yards” Sitko.
There will never be another class in college football that will be unbeaten through four years.
The 1950s: 1950
After the four unbeaten seasons, head coach Frank Leahy’s juggernaut signed this group that would have 11 players drafted while leading the Irish to a No. 3 finish in 1952 as juniors and No. 2 (9-0-1) as seniors.
Most notable is six of the 11 were selected among the top 45, headlined by tackle Art Hunter at No. 3, Heisman Trophy winner John Lattner No. 7, fullback Neil Worden No. 9, and center Jim Schrader No. 20. That’s impact!
The 1960s: 1963
Interim coach Hugh Devore left incoming coaching maestro Ara Parseghian a sensational class of sophomores in 1964 that would lead the Irish to the 1966 consensus national title and a share of one in 1964.
It reached the coveted 10 draftees — four of them in the first round: defensive linemen Alan Page and Kevin Hardy, and offensive linemen Tom Regner and Paul Seiler. Second-round picks included linebacker Jim Lynch and fullback Larry Conjar, while center George Goeddeke was chosen in the third round. Seven out of 10 were selected in the first three rounds.
The 1970s: 1971
This was Parseghian’s premier group, even though star quarterback Tom Clements, who led the march to the 1973 national title as a junior, wasn’t even drafted, nor was All-American guard Gerry DiNardo, a future head coach at Vanderbilt, LSU and Indiana.
Eleven other members of this recruiting class were led by first-round defensive tackle Mike Fanning. Linebackers Greg Collins and Drew Mahalic were taken in the second- and third-rounds respectively. Tenth-round pick Steve Sylvester, an offensive lineman, would be on three Super Bowl champions while with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders.
The 1980s: 1987
This 30-man class recruited by second-year head coach Lou Holtz and his staff provided enormous impact as sophomores for the 1988 national champs en route to a school record 23 straight wins.
Ten players were drafted from this haul, with cornerback and current Irish defensive backs coach Todd Lyght the highest as the No. 5 overall pick. The second round included running back Ricky Watters and Lombardi Award winner Chris Zorich at nose guard. Three other players who transferred from this class also played in the NFL (in addition to the 10 drafted).
The 1990s: 1990
One of the best ever in college football the past 50 years. Among the 23 signed, 14 played in the NFL — and record-setting QB Kevin McDougal and two-year starting corner Greg Lane weren’t among them.
A record five Notre Dame players in this single class were taken in the first round: fullback Jerome Bettis and cornerback Tom Carter as juniors, and then defensive lineman Bryant Young, offensive lineman Aaron Taylor, a Lombardi Award winner, and defensive back Jeff Burris as seniors.
Others who helped lead a 17-game winning streak and were picked in the top three rounds were center Tim Ruddy, receiver Lake Dawson and defensive lineman Jim Flanigan.
2000-09: 2003
Willingham’s staff used the momentum of a 10-3 debut season in 2002 to sign in 2003 what would be the heart and soul of the back-to-back BCS bowl teams in 2005-06 that totaled 19 wins.
It didn’t quite reach the coveted number 10 in the draft, but six were chosen in the top three rounds, led by QB Brady Quinn with the No. 22 pick in the first round. The second-round players included defensive linemen Victor Abiamari and Trevor Laws, plus tight end John Carlson, while the third round featured tackle Ryan Harris and safety Tom Zbikowski. Also going on to enjoy good pro careers were late-round selections John Sullivan (center) and Chinedum Ndukwe (safety).
The ninth player who would have been taken in the first three rounds but opted to be a pitcher in Major League Baseball instead was two-time All-American receiver Jeff Samardzija.
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