Recruiting is the lifeblood of college football programs, acquiring the best talent gives teams the best opportunity to win major games and have chances to win championships. Recently, Chip Patterson of CBS Sports went back to average out the best recruiting classes since 2016.
It should not come to a surprise to see the likes of Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Georgia and Ohio State ranking very high on Patterson’s list. Brian Kelly’s efforts on the recruiting trail did not go unnoticed, as his Irish program ranked 14th among some of the best schools in the nation on the recruiting trail.
During this 5-year span, the Irish averaged the 13.6th best class in the country, with a high of 10th in 2018 and a low of 17th this past cycle. Just because you have a high ranking doesn’t always equate to success on the field, but it sure helps. This years National Champion LSU was 4th over the five year span, while their opponent Clemson was 5th.
The 2021 class currently has 8 commits, many of them viewed as some of the best prospects in the nation. Many recruiting guru’s have the class ranked inside the Top 5 at the moment, with many other high-level prospects considering joining the class at a later date. Kelly and his staff are working hard to make sure some of the most elite prospects end up in South Bend and getting their 5-year average to climb higher than where it currently sits.