ReRank Breakdown: 2007 Notre Dame Recruiting Class

Hits & Misses

Hit: Golden Tate (WR) — Originally ranked 45. Outcome: NFL Pro Bowl. Tate significantly exceeded expectations with a top-tier outcome label, demonstrating exceptional performance. Hit: Harrison Smith (S) — Originally ranked 209. Outcome: NFL Pro Bowl. Smith's outcome reflects a highly successful career, marking him as a standout from the class. Hit: Jimmy Clausen (QB) — Originally ranked 4. Outcome: NFL Starter. Clausen met and surpassed expectations as a quarterback, developing into a reliable NFL starter. Hit: Ian Williams (DL) — Originally ranked 198. Outcome: NFL Starter. Williams performed well above his initial ranking, earning a starting role in the NFL. Miss: Matt Romine (OT) — Originally ranked 49. Outcome: Contributor. Romine did not reach the level expected of a player ranked in the top 50, with a modest contribution during his college career. Miss: Andrew Nuss (IOL) — Originally ranked 247. Outcome: Contributor. Nuss's performance fell short of expectations for a recruit with his ranking, resulting in only a limited impact.

Development Story

The 2007 recruiting class for Notre Dame produced a notable number of high-performing players, particularly in the context of their original rankings. The class included several hits that significantly exceeded recruiting expectations, such as Golden Tate and Harrison Smith, both of whom achieved NFL Pro Bowl status. This indicates a successful identification of talent, especially among lower-ranked recruits. However, the presence of contributors and a few misses highlights a mixed outcome for some of the highly recruited players. While Jimmy Clausen and Ian Williams turned into NFL starters, others like Matt Romine and Andrew Nuss did not fully capitalize on their higher rankings. This variance suggests that while Notre Dame succeeded in developing certain players, there were also instances where the class underperformed relative to expectations.

Outcome Summary

Overall, the 2007 recruiting class for Notre Dame can be seen as having met expectations, with a few standout performances that bolstered the overall assessment. The S2S rerank moving down from 5 to 4 reflects a recognition of the mixed outcomes—while several players thrived, others did not quite meet the potential suggested by their rankings. The class demonstrated a blend of high-impact talent and moderate contributors, indicating a balanced yet imperfect recruiting cycle. Takeaway: The 2007 Notre Dame recruiting class showcased notable successes but also included some underperformance among its higher-ranked recruits.