UHND.com - Notre Dame Football, Basketball, & Recruiting

Not sure if anyone has kept up with the recent news about the Braiden McGregor recruitment or not, but some interesting new info has emerged. Noone is really saying for sure (and i never except a full answer on this) but sounds like BM was a silent to Michigan for weeks. Per the rumors, he was told to keep stringing along ND. It is said he was even told to lie to current ND commits that he is friendly with, saying that he was still 50/50. The whole thing is recruiting drama, but leave it to Harbaugh and that fraud program to make a kid lie/ squabble any ND recruiting momentum created by the Tyree announcement. I honestly have no idea if its truth or not, but I will assume some version of this muddy story it true.

Moving on, where does ND go from here?

It's weird, but after an amazing month (one of the better recruiting months I can remember) it does feel like some momentum was stolen.

Sounds as if ND is closing in on Zavier Watts (WR out of Nebraska). I believe he has scheduled another visit, and per Carter Karels (ND Insider/ WSBT recruiter analyst) he could be the next recruit to pop.

If you have watched any tape of Watts you can easily see his ranking doeskin add up. Currently all services have him as a 3-star. The tape says otherwise, bc this kid can absolutely fly. Speed is the theme of this 2020 recruiting cycle, and securing a commitment from Watts would help towards achieving Chip Long's goals on offense.

I would think in order, and this is my opinion, it would look like this:

1. AJ Henning (WR/ Illinois) getting mixed messages here. ND has lost some momentum following his visit to Michigan, but all Crystal Balls still have him favored to South Bend. This recruitment could take awhile IMO. Ultimately he and Chip Long would be a dynamic duo. I personally see Henning as a "Percy Harvin" type weapon. In the right offense, with the right coordinator, in the right scheme, he could be a guy that touches the ball all of 7-10 times a game, but impacts the game more than any player on the field. I am extremely high on Henning and I see him as a must-get if ND wants to finish in the Top 5 of recruiting.

2. Jalen McMillian (WR/ Cali) fantastic WR prospect out of the dreaded Fresno area, I would put JM in the Jordan Johnson category, which is; early impact, top tier talent, that is too good not to play early in South Bend. Hes long, glides when he runs, shifty when he needs to be, and quote frankly looks like a match up nightmare at the next level. He is between ND and Washington, and this one looks to go the distance as well. From what I have read, the kid slightly favors ND, but his parents want him close to home. The proximity battle/ pull from the parents is a tough battle to overcome. Anybodys guess here how this ends up is a good one...

3. Michael Redding III (WR/ IMG in Florida)- Extremely talented player who plays at THE premier school in the country. By all recruiting services (and the eye test) he might be a touch under both Henning & McMillian, but its really splitting hairs. I prefer IMG kids, or kids that play for national powerhouses. They have played against the best, and have lived the life of a college football player in high school. He is right now 50/50 between ND & Florida State. This one as well could go the distance...

If it were up to me I would take any combo that included Henning. Best case is you land Henning & McMillian, would be a major haul to land all three. In terms of scholarships though, I'm not 100% sure they have the room for all 3.

It should be a bit quiet here for a few weeks, but then recruiting picks right back up in June. I believe in the next month or so ND is hosting its biggest recruiting weekend of the year. Kelly and Co. have had dynamite results in the last few years in these big recruiting weekends, so I would expect some movement in the class sooner rather than later.

Best guess is that Michael Carmondy (OL) and Xavier Watts (WR) are the next 2 most likely recruits to pull the trigger.

Hope you enjoy, please share any thoughts.

GO IRISH!!