The Notre Dame football team has a solid crop of players coming in, as the 2021 recruiting class was ranked in the top-10 in the nation. As a program, the Irish have been to two of the last three College Football Playoffs, though there is still a gap between them and programs like Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State.
Still, the program is one of the elite in the country, so it is no big surprise that big-name prospects want to come to South Bend and put on the Gold helmet. This year’s recruiting class has players who could come in and start right away as true freshman, including Rocco Spindler and Blake Fisher on the offensive line, Prince Collie at linebacker, and Lorenzo Styles Jr. and Deion Colzie at wideout.
One other name that could get a start as a true freshman is Tyler Buchner, who arrives at Notre Dame as one of the more exciting quarterback prospects they have had in a while. He is someone that Brian Kelly can hopefully build this Notre Dame football program around, and he will get his opportunity to win the starting job in his first year on campus.
This kid has the goods, and fans of the Notre Dame football program need to see him under center in 2021.
Notre Dame football has an elite talent in Tyler Buchner
One look at Tyler Buchner on tape, and it is easy to see why he is a kid who this program needs to build their offense around. He can move with the ball, has elite touch, and is someone who is going to come in and command the huddle.
Judging by this clip from Elite 11, Buchner has the goods, and a former Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Trent Dilfer had this to say about the prospect.
"“This is the single best highlight tape I have ever seen. This guy is an explosion in a bottle”"
Strong praise from a guy who spent a long time in the NFL, and someone who has gotten his team to the mountain top. Former Irish quarterback Ian Book was able to win so many games because he could make plays on the fly, and in Buchner, they are getting a kid who can do that, but also possesses better arm talent than Book.
Once he gets on the field, his pure talent is going to show out, and he should be able to learn a ton from Coan, who led Wisconsin to a Big Ten title game a few years back.
Tyler Buchner has to see the field for Notre Dame football in Year 1
It has been quite a while since Buchner has seen game action, as due to COVID laws in California, he did not get to play a single snap this season. While people may point to his lack of experience when it comes to making the argument of taking it slow with him, he needs to see the field in some capacity as a true freshman.
To get it started early, Buchner is one of the eight players on the offensive side of the ball to enroll early at the school, and he is joined by a few of his offensive linemen, fellow freshman quarterback Ron Powlus Jr., tight ends Cane Berrong and Mitchell Evans, and wideout Lorenzo Styles. Most of those players are going to get a chance to play right away, and getting an early start on their careers was key, especially after 2020.
Buchner is going to have a lot of work to do heading into the summer, as the quarterback room got a bit more crowded when Coan signed as a graduate transfer. Still, he has the skill to come in and really turn heads, even if it means sitting behind Coan and getting his chances when they come.
Remember, Buchner could actually play in four games and still take a redshirt this Fall, so that is definitely something that could be in the plans. Hopefully, Buchner is as good as advertised, because whatever happens during the 2021 college football season, he is certain to be QB1 heading into the Fall of 2022, and the Irish need him to be great.