BlueandGold.com recruiting insider Mike Singer flew out to Los Angeles to take in the West Coast Rivals Camp Series stop.
La Jolla (Calif.) The Bishop's School quarterback and Irish pledge Tyler Buchner showed off his skills and earned an invite to the Rivals Five-Star Challenge in the process. Several Irish targets participated in the event as well.
Read Singer's thoughts on the Notre Dame recruits below.
*** I would've liked to see Buchner throw more but there were around 20-30 quarterbacks participating, and the amount of reps is split between everyone. So I'd be going several minutes in between seeing Tyler throw. But with that being said, when he did throw, he was impressive. He did start out a little shaky in the first quarterback drills, tossing a few balls in the dirt, but once he got in a rhythm, he was one of the best two quarterbacks there.
*** The pass in the video below was one of his very best of the day. His arm strength and downfield accuracy was impressive, and arguably the best part of his game is what he can do outside of the pocket, which isn't on display in a camp setting. When more simple routes were called that relied more on Buchner's accuracy than timing, Buchner was on the money and throws a very pretty ball.
*** The wind was an issue for quarterbacks all morning long and throwing timing routes with receivers you just met is tough. There were some misfires by Buchner due to not being on the same page route-wise with his receiver, but that's to be expected in the camp setting. But all in all, in a quarterback group that had some really good talent, Buchner was very, very good. USC quarterback commit Jake Garcia won the QB MVP, but it was a toss up between he and Buchner for who was the better player on the day.
*** Moving over to the defensive side of the ball, there were two really impressive Irish targets. I'll start with Gardena (Calif.) Serra athlete Devin Kirkwood, who Notre Dame is recruiting to play all over its secondary. He is exactly what Notre Dame is looking for in a long, rangy defensive back who could play corner or safety. His length, speed and cover ability were all solid, and probably my favorite thing about Kirkwood is his infectious personality.
*** Los Angeles (Calif.) Loyola athlete Ceyair Wright is more of a polished product than Kirkwood at this point. While Kirkwood took home defensive back MVP honors, Wright earned an invitation to the Rivals Five-Star Challenge. He has a great frame as a cornerback and his fluidity as an athlete was outstanding. Wright should be considered a premier defensive back target in the 2021 class, and it's no surprise why the so many schools are coming after him.
*** Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro quarterback Ridge Docekal doesn't hold any offers yet as he was a backup as a sophomore in 2019. However, the class of 2022 prospect is definitely a name to remember as I think he's going to have a big junior season and really impress some people. He can sling the ball around with the best of him. Notre Dame has Docekal on their radar.
*** I was very impressed with Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei class of 2022 wide receiver CJ Williams. Rivals hasn't ranked the 2022 class yet, but when it does, Williams is a guy who will be talked about as one of the best receivers in the nation. The 6-2, 182-pounder can run any route, is highly competitive, and has athleticism that's through the roof. His speed, as you can see in the video below, is pretty good as well. Williams will visit Notre Dame in April.
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