A look back at the 2022 Notre Dame class: How does 2023 compare to its predecessor at this time last year?

By now you’ve probably heard all of the storylines. 

Notre Dame’s 2022 recruiting class was the best it has been in nearly a decade — having earned a No. 6 ranking from On3 Consensus — and the early enrollees and incoming freshmen are poised to make a big impact for the Irish. Head coach Marcus Freeman has created a palpable energy around recruiting. Things seem to be trending in the right direction just over one year removed from Freeman taking over as defensive coordinator.

A lot has occurred over the last year, so it is easy to forget what was happening with recruiting and the 2022 class at this point in 2021. Here is a brief look. 

As of March 15, 2021, Notre Dame had eight 2022 commits, with cornerback Jaden Mickey having been the most recent. The Irish had four commits on the offensive side of the ball — quarterback Steve Angeli, running back Jadarian Price and offensive linemen Ty Chan and Joey Tanona — and four on defense — Mickey, defensive linemen Tyson Ford and Aiden Gobaira plus linebacker Nolan Ziegler. 

Receiver Amarion Walker was committed to Notre Dame at the time. He ultimately flipped to Michigan and enrolled early in January 2022. Additionally, as of March 16 of last year, Notre Dame had a tight end in its 2022 class, but he was not named Eli Raridon or Holden Staes.

Jack Nickel, who is now enrolled at Michigan State, was committed to Notre Dame from July 27, 2020 to April 13, 2021. Raridon and Staes ultimately committed just six days apart in May 2021 after receiving their offers in February 2021. Staes is a former Penn State commit.

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All members of the 2022 class had offers from Notre Dame at this point last year with the exceptions of Ashton Craig and Bryce McFerson. Craig, an offensive lineman and in-state product, landed an offer from the Irish June 22 and committed during his official visit four days later. McFerson, a punter and former Wake Forest verbal, committed on Nov. 21 after receiving an offer from Notre Dame.

In total, Notre Dame received 13 additional commitments after this day last year. The class has 21 2022 additions to the team, excluding transfers Brandon Joseph and Blake Grupe.

Top of the class was not committed in March 2021

As of March 16, 2021, Notre Dame had yet to receive commitments from who would ultimately be its top-two recruits: linebacker Jaylen Sneed and offensive tackle Aamil Wagner. In fact, Sneed had not yet been to campus. He took a self-guided tour in late March; the standout linebacker could not speak with coaches in person due to the COVID-19 recruiting dead period. Notre Dame was in the mix for the South Carolina phenom but certainly not a lock.

Sneed and Wagner were On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, four-star recruits, although On3 alone ranked them as five-star prospects. Sneed’s national consensus ranking was No. 33.

Running back questions remained

The aforementioned Price had already made the pledge to the Irish on Feb. 21, 2021, and Notre Dame was looking at taking a second running back in the class. They had been in the mix with three of the nation’s top running back recruits for a long time: Nick Singleton (the country’s No. 1 back according to On3 Consensus), Gavin Sawchuk and Dallan Hayden.

Singleton ended up at Penn State, Sawchuk went to Oklahoma, and Hayden signed with Ohio State. Taking Price early proved to be a good move, as he is now the only back in the class.

How does the current 2023 class stack up?

The next class definitely has a shot to top the 2022 group. They are the No. 2 class in the nation right now according to On3, only behind rival USC.

Notre Dame’s 2023 class currently has nine commits, but they are heavy on the defensive side of the ball. Seven of the committed players play defense, and the Irish have not landed an offensive commit since September. In total, Notre Dame has one five star, seven four stars and one three star in the class, a blue-chip ratio of 88.8%.

EDGE Keon Keeley is the top recruit committed to Notre Dame out of the 2023 bunch, and he is a top-10 talent. The Florida native’s On3 Consensus ranking is No. 7 in the nation. 

Notre Dame still has a shot to land consensus five-star receiver Carnell Tate, and they are the favorite to get five-star quarterback Dante Moore as well. Offensive tackle Charles Jagusah is a new five-star recruit in On3’s rankings, and he could be the next Irish commit.