Welcome to another edition of Irish Illustrated Insider, brought to you by Irish Illustrated.com

at the day after national signing day. I'm joined by Tim Priester and Tim O'Malley. As always,

a lot to break down from yesterday. Their name signed 23, missed on a 24th last night in Caleb Kelly, a potential 24th, maybe Demetrius Robertson next week.

But in terms of the guys that we saw signed with Notre Dame or the five who were already enrolled,

I mean, was this class more about the individual players, about the class overall, how it fit in with previous

classes? What was sort of your big takeaway from Wednesday? I thought Nardame did a much better

job of fulfilling needs this year than last year. Looking back at last year's grades for the D-line,

we had D-plus. For safety, we had D-plus. Not only did they bring in much more talent those spots, but they also added numbers.

So I'm much happier looking at this class than last year at this time.

And, you know, you look at quarterback, and when you hear Mike Sanford talk about Ian book, you have to walk away saying, okay, that was the right guy for Notre Dame and the offense. And, you know, I'm not sure that I buy into the whole thunder and lightning thing with the running backs. But we'll see. And the back end of the defense, I love the corners. And I think Devon Studs still at safety is a real standout. I think they did a really, really fine job, and I would say, if not a much better job than last year, definitely a better job. Plus, I think what Pete mentioned, naturally, when you're in year six, it's important that they fit. It's fitting with the program, as you said, they did fill needs, but you're trying to, it's just continuing to build in the program. It's not like 2011 where you bring in, look at this talent up front. We need these guys. These guys are going to make us good. It's, we have good players. We brought in more good players. And now you can argue they don't have enough difference makers in this class. I think Claypool could be one.

But, you know, you can't go by sleepers as your difference makers either. So Robertson would have to be the difference maker. I think there's difference makers on defense. And I know we're probably going to get into this, but Tim pulled us, pulled everybody on staff, their top 25 guys ranked. that was back with the prospects involved in Robertson and everything.

I like that. on staff, their top 25 guys ranked, that was back when, you know, with the prospects involved and Robertson and everything, I liked about 17 of them. And I don't think, I think of that class

that way. I don't think I, I would be like, wow, this is maybe his third best class or something

like that, but I like 17 or 18 of the players individually. So apparently I do feel

that way. And to me, it's a class, you can look players individually. So apparently I do feel my way.

And to me, it's a class, you can look at it, however you want to look at it. You can look at it as it's got a lot of developmental guys. You can look at it as a guy, there's a lot of great fits for a position. You can look at it as there's not a lot of elite talent. You can look at it as the second worst class of the Brian Kelly era. because when you look at the team rankings, scout 13th, rivals 12th, ESPN 16th, 24-7-12.

It's only the second time in Kelly's tenure that they failed to crack the top 10 of at least one service.

And the other time was the 2010 class, the bridge class.

Which doesn't count at all. But my point is, it's 2010 class, the bridge class. Doesn't count at all.

I mean, but my point is it's a lot closer to that class than the junior class that just finished up and a lot of guys walked out of the door.

I think that's a little deceiving.

I really do.

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