Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - Luck of the Irish: John O'Farrell and Notre Dame (TCY/FOF)

Big Six · 02-03-2010, 07:27 PM

South Bend Tribune, February 9, 2007

Notre Dame lands another top recruiting class
Only Michigan’s rates better, according to TCY Today

SOUTH BEND— Determining which high school football players have the best potential for collegiate greatness is, at best, an inexact science. Many highly touted recruits never realize their immense potential; many lesser-known high school players emerge into collegiate stars.

That being said, the ability to lure large numbers of the nation’s most prized recruits to your campus is a skill any college football team would love its coach to possess.

Right now, the hottest recruiter in the land might be John O’Farrell. TCY Today recently released its list of the top recruiting classes in the nation, and O’Farrell’s Fighting Irish placed second. Only Michigan’s class ranked higher.

In three seasons, O'Farrell has recruited classes that ranked first, fifth, and second in the nation.

O’Farrell landed five of the top ten players in the country, according to one set of rankings. North Carolina running back Edgar Pearson, Virginia receiver Ricardo Josephson, Pennsylvania defensive end Kirk Ferderer , and Maine linebacker Shane Lebow were all among the nation’s most coveted recruits. O’Farrell even lured quarterback Donovan Shelton out of the Wolverines’ backyard.

“Notre Dame is targeting a certain kind of player,” said recruiting guru Shane Richards. “They’re going after the best players in the country who are also outstanding students, and they’re landing almost everybody they’re pursuing.”

Notre Dame’s success on the recruiting front hasn’t yet paid off in the form of national championships or BCS bowl berths. However, it’s hard to argue with O’Farrell’s commitment to making sure Notre Dame football players are truly student athletes.

Here are the 16 members of the latest Notre Dame recruiting class:

Code:

NAME                 POS   HT    WT    HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
Joe Bradley          CB    6-0   169   Wadsworth, OH/Wadsworth
Roman Durham         OLB   6-0   224   Wilson, NC/Beddingfield
Emmanuel Everett     DE    6-3   240   Bedford, IN/Bedford-North Lawrence
Kirk Ferderer        DE    6-2   236   Linesville, PA/Linesville-Conneaut-Summit
J.T. Grismore        G     6-5   283   Rockford, IL/Auburn
Ricardo Josephson    WR    6-0   192   Newport News, VA/Warwick
Shane Lebow          ILB   6-1   224   Fairfield, ME/Lawrence
Devin Malek          OLB   6-1   216   Oswego, NY/Oswego
Winston Oliver       TE    6-5   219   Deming, NM/Deming
Ross Patterson       G     6-4   289   Prince Frederick, MD/Calvert
Edgar Pearson        RB    5-11  180   Kings Mountain, NC/Kings Mountain
Chris Petruzziello   G     6-1   276   Quakertown, PA/Quakertown Community
Aaron Seaver         DE    6-3   239   Duncan, SC/James F. Byrnes
Donovan Shelton      QB    6-1   192   Centreville, MI/Centreville    
Andy Terrell         T     6-6   288   Las Cruces, NM/Onate
Zack Woolford        QB    6-1   205   Hebron, IL/Alden-Hebron
 
Name                POS   NRank  ByPos  StRank  ByPos   GPA    SAT  Major
Joe Bradley         CB     907    54      40      3    3.91   1280  Business
Roman Durham        OLB     70     4       4      1    3.69   1390  Music 
Emmanuel Everett    DE      34     7       1      1    3.87   1510  Marketing
Kirk Ferderer       DE       5     1       1      1    3.52   1430  Differential Equations
J.T. Grismore       G       14     1       1      1    2.96   1000  Geology
Ricardo Josephson   WR       3     1       1      1    3.81   1440  Jurisprudence
Shane Lebow         ILB      7     2       1      1    3.51   1350  Art
Devin Malek         OLB     30     1       2      1    3.20   1170  Medicine
Winston Oliver      TE     183     2       2      1    3.52   1270  German
Ross Patterson      G       25     2       1      1    3.52   1310  Nursing
Edgar Pearson       RB       2     1       1      1    3.51   1410  Random Number Theory
Chris Petruzziello  G      140    10       9      2    3.43   1400  Algebra
Aaron Seaver        DE      36     8       2      2    3.56   1410  History
Donovan Shelton     QB       4     1       1      1    3.35   1220  French
Andy Terrell        T       16     5       1      1    3.66   1470  Jurisprudence
Zack Woolford       QB      93     7       7      1    3.56   1450  Economics

02-03-2010, 07:27 PM	#74
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	*South Bend Tribune, February 9, 2007* Notre Dame lands another top recruiting class Only Michigan’s rates better, according to TCY Today SOUTH BEND— Determining which high school football players have the best potential for collegiate greatness is, at best, an inexact science. Many highly touted recruits never realize their immense potential; many lesser-known high school players emerge into collegiate stars. That being said, the ability to lure large numbers of the nation’s most prized recruits to your campus is a skill any college football team would love its coach to possess. Right now, the hottest recruiter in the land might be John O’Farrell. TCY Today recently released its list of the top recruiting classes in the nation, and O’Farrell’s Fighting Irish placed second. Only Michigan’s class ranked higher. In three seasons, O'Farrell has recruited classes that ranked first, fifth, and second in the nation. O’Farrell landed five of the top ten players in the country, according to one set of rankings. North Carolina running back Edgar Pearson, Virginia receiver Ricardo Josephson, Pennsylvania defensive end Kirk Ferderer , and Maine linebacker Shane Lebow were all among the nation’s most coveted recruits. O’Farrell even lured quarterback Donovan Shelton out of the Wolverines’ backyard. “Notre Dame is targeting a certain kind of player,” said recruiting guru Shane Richards. “They’re going after the best players in the country who are also outstanding students, and they’re landing almost everybody they’re pursuing.” Notre Dame’s success on the recruiting front hasn’t yet paid off in the form of national championships or BCS bowl berths. However, it’s hard to argue with O’Farrell’s commitment to making sure Notre Dame football players are truly student athletes. Here are the 16 members of the latest Notre Dame recruiting class: Code: NAME POS HT WT HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL Joe Bradley CB 6-0 169 Wadsworth, OH/Wadsworth Roman Durham OLB 6-0 224 Wilson, NC/Beddingfield Emmanuel Everett DE 6-3 240 Bedford, IN/Bedford-North Lawrence Kirk Ferderer DE 6-2 236 Linesville, PA/Linesville-Conneaut-Summit J.T. Grismore G 6-5 283 Rockford, IL/Auburn Ricardo Josephson WR 6-0 192 Newport News, VA/Warwick Shane Lebow ILB 6-1 224 Fairfield, ME/Lawrence Devin Malek OLB 6-1 216 Oswego, NY/Oswego Winston Oliver TE 6-5 219 Deming, NM/Deming Ross Patterson G 6-4 289 Prince Frederick, MD/Calvert Edgar Pearson RB 5-11 180 Kings Mountain, NC/Kings Mountain Chris Petruzziello G 6-1 276 Quakertown, PA/Quakertown Community Aaron Seaver DE 6-3 239 Duncan, SC/James F. Byrnes Donovan Shelton QB 6-1 192 Centreville, MI/Centreville Andy Terrell T 6-6 288 Las Cruces, NM/Onate Zack Woolford QB 6-1 205 Hebron, IL/Alden-Hebron Name POS NRank ByPos StRank ByPos GPA SAT Major Joe Bradley CB 907 54 40 3 3.91 1280 Business Roman Durham OLB 70 4 4 1 3.69 1390 Music Emmanuel Everett DE 34 7 1 1 3.87 1510 Marketing Kirk Ferderer DE 5 1 1 1 3.52 1430 Differential Equations J.T. Grismore G 14 1 1 1 2.96 1000 Geology Ricardo Josephson WR 3 1 1 1 3.81 1440 Jurisprudence Shane Lebow ILB 7 2 1 1 3.51 1350 Art Devin Malek OLB 30 1 2 1 3.20 1170 Medicine Winston Oliver TE 183 2 2 1 3.52 1270 German Ross Patterson G 25 2 1 1 3.52 1310 Nursing Edgar Pearson RB 2 1 1 1 3.51 1410 Random Number Theory Chris Petruzziello G 140 10 9 2 3.43 1400 Algebra Aaron Seaver DE 36 8 2 2 3.56 1410 History Donovan Shelton QB 4 1 1 1 3.35 1220 French Andy Terrell T 16 5 1 1 3.66 1470 Jurisprudence Zack Woolford QB 93 7 7 1 3.56 1450 Economics Last edited by Big Six : 02-03-2010 at 07:29 PM.