[A few days ago, a commenter mentioned how little talk there was about wide receiver Chris Brown, a freakishly good athlete that’s joining the Notre Dame recruiting class from South Carolina to little fanfare. Consider these columns a response to a very good comment.]
In the next six days, the recruiting rollercoaster will surely rumble down the tracks one last time, with twists and turns we already know are coming, yet somehow surprise and amaze us every time. For Notre Dame, we’ve already taken a look at who’s left on the board, with the Irish still in the running for almost half a dozen of the top 100 players in the country.
But while most the attention in the media stays focused on those players still openly considering multiple schools, the Irish coaching staff hasn’t forgotten about the fourteen verbal commitments that plan on faxing their letters-of-intent into the Gug on Wednesday morning. While we’ll certainly recap the names when they become official next Wednesday (more info to come on what will be a crazy, sleep-deprived day), here’s a quick look back at what the Irish have done with this recruiting class, and what it means for the football program.
RUNNING BACK
With the depth chart down to Cierre Wood, George Atkinson, Cam McDaniel, and an injured Cam Roberson‘s future unclear, landing two running backs was a priority for Notre Dame. The Irish cast a fairly wide net, offering around a dozen potential running backs that fit two distinct criteria: powerful one-cut runners, and dual-threat backs that can also split out wide.
While the Irish got official visits from blue-chip prospects like Keith Marshall (who eventually committed to Georgia) and Byron Marshall (who will be in Eugene next season), they also landed two of their top targets, running backs that are perfect complementary parts in the 2012 recruiting class.
KEIVARAE RUSSELL
High School: Mariner High -- Everett, Washington
Measureables: Six-foot, 175-pounds
Other major offers: USC, Washington, Stanford, Cal, UCLA, Oregon, Boise State
Fun Fact: Class president at Mariner High.
On choosing Notre Dame: “Once you get a degree from Notre Dame, you’re pretty much set for life. My goals are bigger. I’ll have a chance to go to the NFL. At Notre Dame, you get your degree in 3½ years. And when I graduate - it’s money.”
What he’ll bring to the offense: The ability to make plays in space. Whether or not Theo Riddick stays at running back, Russell will have an opportunity to see the field either in the backfield or the slot. He’s not the biggest of prospects, but he’s an electric open field player, something the Irish clearly missed last year, and will miss even more without Michael Floyd.
WILLIAM MAHONE
High School: Austintown Fitch -- Youngstown, Ohio
Measureables: Five-foot-eleven, 210-pounds
Other major offers: Penn State, Tennessee, Pitt, Iowa, Michigan State, West Virginia
Fun Fact: Chuck Martin told him his jumper looks like Ray Allen’s. Be the judge yourself.
On choosing Notre Dame: “They graduate I think 98, maybe it was 99 percent of their players,” Mahone told Irish Illustrated. “After talking with the academic advisors and everything, I felt I could definitely succeed there and there would be no problem getting all the help I need, but I’ll definitely be buckling down and getting my studies done.”
What he’ll bring to the offense: He’s not as physically imposing as Jonas Gray was coming out of high school, but Mahone fits the mold close enough, and shows good power and vision. If Russell has the opportunity to play out on the edge of the offense, Mahone looks like a great fit in the backfield, making one cut and getting up field, which he did incredibly well in high school.