Signing Day Central: Notre Dame

Head Coach: Brian Kelly

Total number of commitments: 23

Notre Dame looks like it will have its best recruiting class in at least the last three years, which was the season that the Irish made it to the BCS title game. If things break right for Brian Kelly on National Signing Day with a number of uncommitted 5-stars, the Irish could end up topping the rating of that 2013 class as well.

More than half of the current class (13 of 23) is rated 4-star or higher. Even more remarkable, nearly one-third of the class initially committed to another school. Irish coaches were able to flip seven recruits, nabbing players who had originally given verbals to Alabama, USC, Arizona State, Virginia Tech, Florida, Washington State and Western Michigan.

The Irish may not be done. They were counting down the hours to signing day while trying to get another Alabama commit — 5-star Demetris Robertson — to jump to the Irish. Notre Dame went to the extreme of parking a team equipment truck in front of his house at the end of last week.

Taking recruits is only half of the battle, however. Notre Dame has also managed to play defense, making it through signing day without having a single recruit decommit from his Notre Dame pledge.

Notre Dame also has five members of the class already on campus as early enrollees, including the crown jewel of the class — 5-star linebacker Daelin Hayes — and 4-star defensive end Khalid Kareem.