Notre Dame Football: A look back at the 2016 recruiting class

The Notre Dame Football team had what turned out to be a stacked 2016 recruiting class land in South Bend, and some should be headed to the NFL.

This offseason, the last remaining players from the Notre Dame football 2016 recruiting class will be leaving South Bend to pursue other endeavors. Let’s reflect on the impact that class had on the Notre Dame football program and the legacy they will leave behind.

In February of 2016, Notre Dame signed the 15th-best recruiting class in all of college football. It was not an elite recruiting class on paper, but it produced multi-year starters, captains, record-breakers, and NFL players. There were twenty-three total players in the class: one five-star recruit, nine four-star recruits, and 13 three-star recruits.

The very first season these players were with the team was one of the worst seasons in recent history for the Notre Dame football team. The Irish finished with a record of 4-8, and major changes were made to the coaching staff.

It was not a good omen for the future of the players in the 2016 recruiting class. Fortunately for Notre Dame, that group proved to be quite resilient. They went on to play significant roles in the two undefeated regular seasons for Notre Dame in 2018 and 2020.

As is the case with every recruiting class, there was some attrition. Six players from the group ended up transferring, and one player was dismissed from the team. On the bright side, three of the six payers who elected to transfer did graduate and earn their degree from the University of Notre Dame.

The other 16 members of the 2016 class also earned degrees from the university including Julian Love, who completed his remaining credit requirements during the offseason after his rookie year in the NFL. Five players from the 2016 class have already been drafted to NFL teams, four others have signed deals as undrafted free agents, and some are ready to enter the NFL this April.

Notre Dame Football had an elite 2016 class

Julian Love was the first of the group to transition to the NFL. He declared for the 2019 NFL Draft and was selected in the fourth round by the New York Giants. The following year Chase Claypool, Julian Okwara, Troy Pride Jr., and Khalid Kareem were all selected during the 2020 NFL Draft. Donte Vaughn, Tony Jones Jr., Jalen Elliott, and Jamir Jones all signed deals as undrafted free agents for the 2020 NFL season.

The last six members of the 2016 recruiting class are all pursuing careers in the NFL. Offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg is projected to be the first of the six players selected in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft, and most analysts think he will hear his name called in the early second round.

Defensive ends Daelin Hayes and Ade Ogundeji fall somewhere in the middle rounds of the draft. Ian Book, the winningest quarterback in Notre Dame history, will probably end up being a late-round pick. Offensive guard Tommy Kraemer and wide receiver Javon McKinley are the least likely to be selected in the draft. However, both players will undoubtedly sign deals as undrafted free agents.

If the 2016 recruiting class produces nine total NFL draft picks, that can be considered a success for Brian Kelly and his staff. Remember, this class came to Notre Dame at a time when football recruiting was trending in the wrong direction. From 2014 to 2016, Notre Dame’s recruiting classes finished ranked worse than they did in the previous year.

I think the players in the 2016 recruiting class, along with the changes that followed the 2016 season, played a significant role in changing the trajectory of the Notre Dame football program. In the seasons that have followed the signing of that class, Irish fans have witnessed the growth of a program that is vying to earn a spot in the elite tier of college football.