And Weis sets another record for the Irish. Two Mormons in two years. The way Utah and BYU have played lately, this is a recruiting pipline I am excited to see ND open.
Mark | Email | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 12:11 pm | #

For a guy they say might be a step slow, Badger sure covers a lot of ground in his highlight video.

He sure seems to know where he's going. When was the last time ND recruited a true safety and not some HS QB/LB/WR/RB that gets converted to safety?
atepesm | Email | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 1:27 pm | #

It's not always about how fast you get there, but what you do when you arrive. :)
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 1:42 pm | #

I would not put too much into the Scout/Rivals/ESPN rankings of a player like Badger. These services downgrade everyone who doesn't come out of a recruiting hotbead like Florida or Texas, although Timpview is establishing itself as quite hotbed for BYU bound players. He looks like a very solid player in my mind.

Beating out a team like Stanford or BYU for a recruit does not sound too shabby considering the classes they have been/are brining in these days.
Adam Nettina | Email | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 1:58 pm | #

atepesm,

I can tell you with absolute certainty that Harrison Smith played safety in high school. He also played some offense but he was a true safety at Knoxville Catholic High School.
Knoxville Irish | Email | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 1:59 pm | #

I'm apologizing in advance for what I'm about to do. I can't resist...

Here's hoping the Stanford coaches don't BADGER him about the switch!

*rimshot*

Alright, I swear that'll never happen again. Just couldn't pass up the chance to elicit a groan from the entire BGS community.
baIrish | Email | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 3:05 pm | #

oh boy...apology accepted. :-)
borromini | Email | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 3:15 pm | #

Look for one or more CB/S commits in by August. ND is hard on the heels of yet more talent.
Thundershaker | Email | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 3:58 pm | #

Notre Dame commits should hit the combines and camps to up their ranking.
I dont see Badger at Linebacker.

Give him a year and hell be ready to play. When he hits the other players it reminds me of Zibby.
Mexican Leprechaun | Email | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 5:08 pm | #

Looks a lot like Zibby in the way he covers ground and lays the wood to the receiver. Solid pick-up, not spectacular, but should keep the blue-collar attitude at safety for another four years.
WyoMike | Email | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 6:49 pm | #

It's nice to have a safety that seems to really like football. The best part of the highlight reel is hearing the spectators say 'ow' after every play.
indy | Email | Homepage | 07.01.09 - 9:47 pm | #

I would rather have a team of underrated blue-collars than overrated primas with U.of M offers. It seems that BC and MSU have been stockpiling them for the past decade and beating us with their will to win and taking advantage of any slack. (Stanford is also trying for this direction...we will see what happens.)
Gold Wave | Email | Homepage | 07.02.09 - 1:00 am | #

Erik '04: It's not always about how fast you get there, but what you do when you arrive. :)


You're missing the critical step of getting to the right there. As atepesm mentioned, I'm all for trading some speed for some brains in our secondary. I've screamed "You *#^@# moron!" a lot more than "You slow *#^@#" at our safeties & CBs over the last four years.
obediah | Email | Homepage | 07.02.09 - 12:24 pm | #

One thing that ESPN & rivals don't take into account when ranking their players is heart. If this kid is a gamer when it come to playing on Saturdays it will be well worth it. These prospects are still kids don't forget. I just hope the recruits stay true to their word.
NOEL | Email | Homepage | 07.02.09 - 3:12 pm | #

Well, we could build a large wooden badger...
NDDL99 | Email | Homepage | 07.03.09 - 9:42 am | #

On the safety chart you left out Ray Herring (SR), Kyle McCarthy (SO), Sergio Brown (SR). Not nearly so bad. But young help is needed!
Ska | Email | Homepage | 07.03.09 - 5:23 pm | #

Ray Herring is back for his 5th year this year, so won't be around for 2010. Sergio I think is out of eligibility as well. Don't know about KM, but I'm pretty positive I read an article about how he has this last year to prove to NFL scouts that 2008 wasn't a fluke and to greatly improve his draft stock.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 07.03.09 - 6:33 pm | #

Little Zeke, another hard hitter quick to the ball carrier.
MayoGalway | Email | Homepage | 07.05.09 - 10:51 pm | #

Re speed and when/how you get there, Holtz said it best (about fast lineman):

"The thing with quick linemen is it just means they can get to the wrong spot faster."

Or, about Lee Becton, "He's the slowest big play back I've ever coached."

The point's not just physical talent, it's also can they play the game?

About Badger, like the rest of these recruits, the answer (for now) is, "We'll see ..."
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 07.06.09 - 5:08 pm | #