Notre Dame football: Which early signing day recruit will make the biggest impact?
Now that the 2024 Early National Signing Day has come and gone for the Notre Dame football team, it’s time to really take stock of the players that Marcus Freeman reeled in. When you really take a look at what Freeman accomplished, it’s quite impressive.
Freeman managed to put together what was the 8th best high school recruiting class in the country, according to 247Sports. What’s more impressive than that is the fact that he didn’t lose a single commit.
Early Signing Day often has a number of impressive flips. One Power 5 team comes into the day thinking they’ve nabbed a high-value target, only to see him sign with someone else. But for Notre Dame football, all 23 high school commits turned into signees.
It’s hard not to be impressed with a class that ranks inside the Top 10. But while there’s quite a bit of talent there, some players are going to stand out more than others. That’s just the nature of recruiting, even for the Fighting Irish.
So just how will almost certainly shine more than others when they arrive in South Bend? Who has the best chance of contributing in their freshman season? We look at three players who will almost certainly make a major impact from the get-go.
4-star. 443. Kedren Young. Kedren Young. player. . . Lufkin, Texas. Kedren Young. RB
With the departure of Audric Estime, there’s going to be a chance for someone like Kedren Young to step up. While it’s not a given that a true freshman will be able to lead the team in carries or yards, if there is such a man on the Notre Dame football team it will be young.
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Vault unlocked ✅@KedrenY is officially Irish#GoIrish☘️| @Gatorade pic.twitter.com/s5zDqIwHcs
Hailing out of Lufkin, Texas, Young offers a nice combination of both speed and power. His last two seasons at Lufkin High were incredibly impressive. In 2022 he rushed for 1,751 rush yards, boasted 7.4 YPC, and scored 19 touchdowns. This past season, he ran for 1,366 yards and 15 TDs.
According to 247Sports, Young was the 3rd best running back in the entire class. That certainly sounds like someone who could shine for the Notre Dame football team and whoever the new offensive coordinator might end up being.