Once again Notre Dame recruiting is among the best in the nation.
Last time we checked in with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, they were get hammered by the Alabama Crimson Tide in the National Title game. Now they’ve reloaded with a top 5 recruiting class. As listed by position, the Notre Dame recruiting class adds four defensive backs, four wide receivers, three defensive linemen, five offensive linemen, two running backs, three linebackers, one quarterback and two tight ends.
Among the 24 players who will be freshmen for the Irish this fall are:
• Two who were selected to the Parade prep All-America squad—LB Jaylon Smith (first team) and OL Hunter Bivin (honorable mention)
• Eight who were selected for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio: RB Greg Bryant, OL Steve Elmer, WR Torii Hunter Jr., OL John Montelus, LB Doug Randolph, WR Corey Robinson, Smith and DL Eddie Vanderdoes
• Four who were selected for the Under Armour All-America Game in St. Petersburg, Fla.: Bivin, RB Tarean Folston, OL Colin McGovern and DB Max Redfield
• Five who played in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl in Los Angeles: DB Devin Butler, WR William Fuller, DB Cole Luke, OL Mike McGlinchey and QB Malik Zaire
• Four members of the USA Today All-America team: Smith (first team), Bryant (second team), Redfield (second team) and Vanderdoes (second team)
• Five members of the 247Sports All-America team: Smith (first team), Vanderdoes (first team), Bivin (second team), Luke (second team) and Redfield (second team)
• Four members of the MaxPreps Top 100: Bryant (15th), Smith (18th), Elmer (73rd) and Montelus (82nd)
• Twelve members of the ESPN 300: Smith (seventh), Bryant (22nd), Redfield (23rd), Vanderdoes (33rd), Folston (66th), Bivin (82nd), Hunter (95th), DL Isaac Rochell (139th), Randolph (142nd), Zaire (189th), Butler (193rd) and Zaire (194th)
• Fifteen members of the Rivals.com 250: Smith (third), Bryant (19th), Vanderdoes (21st), Redfield (30th), Elmer (60th), Montelus (74th), Robinson (80th), Folston (119th), Zaire (122nd), Rochell (124th), Luke (133rd), Randolph (134th), Bivin (162nd), Fuller (176th) and Hunter (181st)
• Seventeen members of the Scout.com Top 300: Smith (third), Vanderdoes (ninth), Montelus (51st), Redfield (57th), Bryant (70th), Elmer (74th), McGlinchey (90th), McGovern (133rd), Rochell (153rd), TE Durham Smythe (170th), Zaire (172nd), Fuller (179th), Bivin (184th), Luke (185th), Folston (198th), WR James Onwualu (296th) and DL Jacob Matuska (299th)
• Thirteen members of the 247Sports Top 247: Smith (fifth), Vanderdoes (sixth), Redfield (41st), Bivin (43rd), Luke (77th), Folston (122nd), Rochell (127th), Bryant (128th), McGlinchey (131st), Elmer (136th), Smythe (188th), Butler (189th) and DB Rashad Kinlaw (201st)
• One recipient of his state’s Mr. Football player-of-the-year award: Smith (Indiana)
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, a Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Chicago Tribune.com, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
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