Despite Saturday’s result, Notre Dame recruiting has improved

It’s tough to see if after a loss like what went down Saturday, but Notre Dame recruiting has come a long way in the last decade.

The 2012 BCS National Championship was a game most would like to forget. As great as the season was, Notre Dame wasn’t on the same level as Alabama. The Crimson Tide were bigger, stronger and faster as they dominated all night. It may have taken seven years but Notre Dame is finally looking different.

Saturday night wasn’t about talent. That was about preparation and will. The fact remains, Notre Dame recruiting has improved.

Arrival of Speed

Braden Lenzy taking that end-around last week had fans reminiscing back to the day of Rocket Ismail. Lenzy, the former track star from Oregon, possesses this game-breaking speed that caught most everyone off guard. Brian Kelly has since come out saying he needs to get him more involved and the fans have been clamoring for more.

Lenzy isn’t the only speedster any longer however. Troy Pride is another guy who may be one of the fastest in all of college football. While he may not be as technically sound as Julian Love was, he can keep up with anyone.

Two guys isn’t enough to claim that Notre Dame has speed to keep up with the elite teams. But the rest is on the way.

Chris Tyree Leads the way

Notre Dame has been putting together quite the 2020 class.That class includes two five stars in Chris Tyree and Jordan Johnson. Both have plenty of speed to their game, but Tyree is another level of fast.

"…Tyree not only smoked the competition but he ran a nation’s best 6.3.  To put it in perspective that equates to running a 4.189 in the 40 yard dash.  Deion Sanders ran a 4.21 at the 1989 NFL Combine.Via Sportscrack.com"

There isn’t much else to say after Tyree gets compared to Deion Sanders. He is the fastest recruit in the 2020 class and could actually become Rocket 2.0.

While I mentioned Chris Tyree and Johnson, there is one other recruit that is flying under the radar, Xavier Watts.

Watts is also coming out in the 2020 class and current ranks 484 Nationally on 247 Sports. While rankings don’t mean a whole lot and its all about how the player performs, Watts is unacceptably low.

A quick look at any of his highlights will show you how truly talented he is. With a 40 time around 4.45 and the ability to be a dynamic playmaker, Watts is exactly what Notre Dame is looking for. Routine hitches and slants have a threat of becoming 50+ yard touchdowns every time he touches the ball. He may not get the attention he deserves, but Watts is a name to remember over the next few years.

Closing the gap

Notre Dame isn’t stacked from the top down with Alabama-level talent. But the gap is starting to narrow. Brian Kelly is bringing in better recruiting classes and the elite talent is start to slowly roll in.

Notre Dame is also in play for five star 2021 running back, Will Shipley. Shipley has also been clocked with sub 4.5 speed and is ranked 21 overall in his class.

It has taken longer than most would have liked, but Notre Dame is almost there — despite Saturday’s debacle. The Brian Kelly detractors may not give him credit right now, but the talent will soon prove itself.