Notre Dame’s recruiting push on St. Patrick’s Day opened with a dedication Sunday morning when the Irish landed three-star receiver Jerome Bettis Jr., a legacy prospect with Corridor of Fame bloodlines.
The son of former first-round decide Jerome Bettis, who went on to have a 13-year NFL profession earlier than finally returning to Notre Dame to complete his diploma two years in the past, grew to become the 18th verbal dedication within the Irish class. That haul ranks No. 1 nationally on 247Sports and is the most important recruiting class within the nation in quantity.
Bettis, who performs at Woodward Academy in Atlanta, is the third receiver within the haul. He follows Elijah Burress (Wayne, N.J.) and Shaun Terry (Ironton, Ohio). Each are three-star prospects. Burress is the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers extensive out Plaxico Burress, a former teammate of Bettis with the Steelers.
How does Bettis match into Notre Dame’s class?
There was little drama round Bettis’ remaining choice, solely when it might occur.
Notre Dame’s different commitments had overtly talked in regards to the 6-2, 190-pound athlete as if he’d been dedicated for months. Bettis didn’t take many visits elsewhere, nor did he run up gives from different packages. He selected Notre Dame over a suggestion record that included Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Duke Georgia Tech, Cal and Boston School. Greater identify packages didn’t make their strikes on Bettis, presumably as a result of he was destined to comply with his father to South Bend.
The Irish signed a banner haul of receivers final cycle — Cam Williams, Micah Gilbert and Logan Saldate — to rebuild a room hit exhausting by poor recruiting and transfers.
Touchdown Bettis, Burress and Terry is a strong followup, though Notre Dame continues to chase Derek Meadows from Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas. The 6-5, 200-pound extensive out is a lower above Notre Dame’s three commitments and holds gives from Alabama, LSU, Michigan and Oregon.
Bettis would provide the Irish a little bit little bit of the whole lot at extensive receiver, bodily sufficient to assist in the run recreation and fast sufficient to be efficient in house. He’ll be an apparent match for Notre Dame as effectively, not simply due to his household connections, but in addition as a result of he’ll be coming from the next finish tutorial college in Woodward Academy.
Can Notre Dame maintain its No. 1 spot?
Notre Dame has been ranked No. 1 sooner or later in each full recruiting cycle since Marcus Freeman took over as coach. The Irish have by no means completed within the prime 5 and have needed to claw to remain within the prime 10 by Nationwide Signing Day. This class is perhaps a fair more durable battle for rankings place than the earlier two.
On 247Sports, Notre Dame has 12 three-star commitments this cycle, the identical quantity as final cycle’s 23-prospect haul. Two years in the past, the Irish signed simply 4 three-star prospects in a 23-player class.
Not solely is Notre Dame touchdown extra three-star prospects as a share of its recruiting class this cycle, it’s discovering much less success with top-100 expertise. Notre Dame signed 5 top-100 prospects on 247Sports final cycle and two within the class earlier than that. The Irish have only one this cycle — security Ivan Taylor from Florida — and would want to get on a scorching streak to land sufficient to signal a top-10 class.
There aren’t any five-star prospects in play after touchdown defensive finish Bryce Younger, one other Notre Dame legacy, final 12 months.
Aside from Meadows (No. 32 on 247Sports), the Irish are chasing linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (No. 45), defensive sort out Damien Shanklin (No. 47), cornerback Mark Zackery (No. 59), linebacker (No. 79) and cornerback Dallas Golden (No. 83).
Zackery and Golden seem like one of the best bets to fall Notre Dame’s approach.
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