Notre Dame landed a highly coveted, massive offensive guard prospect on Saturday evening when Clarkston (Mich.) High’s Rocco Spindler — the No. 56 overall prospect in the country — picked the Fighting Irish.
Check out the reaction to Spindler’s decision below.
Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell
“I love Spindler’s toughness and aggression on the field. He brings an attitude everywhere he goes and is a fiery competitor so he’ll fit right in with the Notre Dame mindset. This is a kid Michigan wanted badly, so to steal him away from his home state is a big deal and a great get.
“With his work ethic he could be a great one for Notre Dame if he stays healthy.”
Rivals.com Midwest Recruiting Analyst Josh Helhmoldt
“Maybe the best thing about adding Spindler is not his ceiling, but his floor. With his NFL bloodlines and body of work, he is a very low-risk prospect and a player you can pretty confidently plan on starting on your offensive line for several years. Getting a player like Spindler, or even Pat Coogan who similarly has a high floor, allows you to take chances other places, like with Joe Alt who is a higher risk/reward prospect.
“I also like how Spindler complements other players in this class like Blake Fisher and Gabriel Rubio. All are strong locker room additions who will strengthen team chemistry and help build a positive team identity.”
College Football Recruiting Insider Tom Lemming
“He reminds me of Quenton Nelson as an offensive lineman — big, tough, aggressive and has a non-stop motor. He’s really willing to learn, too. He’s not as big as Nelson was as a senior, but he’ll be over 300 pounds when he gets to college.
“He brings a lot to the table; he can play tackle or guard. He’s really versatile. I think what sets him apart is that not only is he a good athlete, but he has that temperament that you look for that all of the great ones have.”
BlueandGold.com Recruiting Insider Mike Singer
“This commitment is huge for a number reasons — the recruiting momentum, offensive line and offensive recruiting in general, and beating Michigan for a guy in their backyard is huge. That recruiting win is big. The perception is big with other recruits; does this help Notre Dame with someone like Donovan Edwards? And obviously, Spindler is very talented.
“There are three words to describe Spindler’s game: big, tough and strong. I’ve never seen this much hype from a fan base and media about a guard, and if Spindler is Quenton Nelson-level, then it’s deserved hype. He’s huge, super strong and is tough as nails.”
BlueandGold.com Beat Writer Patrick Engel
“He’s as good as advertised. You see the athleticism and mobility at that size, and he pushes guys backwards easily. He’s mobile enough as a guard to get to the second level, knife through traffic and not get caught up.
“He’s definitely what you’re looking for in a prototype college guard, especially in an offense that likes to run the ball like Notre Dame does. It fits the hype and suspense of what Rocco Spindler means for Notre Dame. He moves the needle.”
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