Today, one of the major recruiting services, 247Sports made their final rankings of the 2021 cycle. Unfortunately no Notre Dame signee or commit was named a 5-Star, although that doesn’t mean there aren’t talented players that will matriculate to South Bend.
With their penultimate rankings out, Andrew Ivins went over each of the quarterbacks ranked inside their top 247 players and Irish signee Tyler Buchner was included in that group as the 90th overall player in the class. His player comparison was to former USC star Sam Darnold, who if you don’t remember went third overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
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Their evaluation went to Greg Biggins, who gave a glowing scouting report of what to expect out of the Californian. Buchner “has always been a dynamic athlete and was a nationally known lacrosse player in middle school. Physically, has an athletic frame and looks like a running back when he gets out in the open field. Has tremendous escape-ability and a unique sense for making a defender miss and extending plays.”
2021 #NotreDame QB commit Tyler Buchner (@tylerbuchner) had one hell of a state championship game last night.
Passing: 22-46, 296 yards and 3 TDs
Rushing: 18 Rushes, 353 yards and 5 TDsBuchner finishes 2019 with 81 touchdowns. @CoachD_Mitch pic.twitter.com/tR9tRvBi1S
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreemanISD) November 30, 2019
Sounds like someone we know who just finished his career as the all-time winningest quarterback in Notre Dame history? Ian Book ring a bell?
Biggins went on to then explain what we expect out of Buchner throwing the ball as he “has a live arm and can throw outside the pocket rolling to his right or his left equally well. Has tightened his release over the last year and improved mechanically. Shows accuracy on the deep ball and will continue to improve as a pure pocket passer with more game experience.”
#NotreDame QB commit Tyler Buchner at today’s @QBCollective event: https://t.co/gmTUF3CC7v pic.twitter.com/zicqqIKttk
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) July 26, 2020
This is where the difference between the two quarterbacks is made. Buchner’s ceiling as a passer is much higher than Book’s, although the outgoing senior was no slouch at slinging the ball around.
Like Darnold, Biggins sees Buchner to “project as a impact upper tier Power 5 starter and future high round NFL draft pick.” If he lives up to this scouting report, Notre Dame fans will surely be happy with Buchner’s career when it’s all said and done.