Quarterback is always an important recruiting position for Notre Dame, but it is especially true in the 2023 class for a number of reasons.
The Fighting Irish need to add a game changer at quarterback in order to get closer to being a national championship squad. 2023 is also an absolutely loaded quarterback class, and Notre Dame must take full advantage by landing one of the top players.
Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees has gotten Notre Dame involved in some very talented signal callers. Here is the latest with where things stand and the direction Notre Dame is trending.
(Note: See below for explanation on Hot, Warm, Cool)
It's been almost a year since Notre Dame offered Moore (March 17, 2021), and from that moment it was obvious he was a must-get player for Rees and the Irish. The Irish coach has built a strong bond with Moore over the last year, and Notre Dame is putting the full court press on the five-star passer.
Although there have been attempts to put other players on the same level, there has been no doubt in my mind that Moore is the guy Rees wanted above all others. Pushing back a visit from another top prospect and not taking a commitment from another Top 100 passer is all the evidence you need to back up that claim.
Moore has not set a commitment date and he's still finishing up some visits, but Notre Dame sits in great position heading into spring practice.
Moore is ranked as a five-star recruit and the No. 6 overall player in the country on the 247Sports composite ranking.
Who was next in line after Moore has been up for plenty of debate, but in recent months it was Vizzina that emerged as that player. Notre Dame likes his combination of frame, arm talent and potential. In most year Vizzina would be a no-brainer QB1 target and must-get, but Moore's presence makes him No. 2 on the list.
Vizzina set up a visit to Notre Dame for this past weekend but the Irish coaches ultimately pushed that visit back. There are several factors, but there is no doubt that part of the reason was making it very clear who the No. 1 quarterback on the board is for the Irish staff.
There is still time for Notre Dame to get Vizzina back on campus if it doesn't feel as good about where things stand with Moore. Vizzina and many in his camp are quite high on Notre Dame, and my understanding is the Irish have been up front with him and no bridges have been burned.
Vizzina is a four-star recruit and the No. 51 overall player on the 247Sports composite rankings.
I've talked to multiple sources that indicated Arnold indicated a desire to commit to Notre Dame prior to his commitment to Oklahoma. His desire to take more visits and the fact the Irish staff wanted to play it out with Moore resulted in them telling him to wait.
Ultimately Arnold picked Oklahoma, but there has been communication about the Guyer standout still taking visits, including one to Notre Dame, but right now the program's focus is on other players higher on the board.
Make no mistake, Notre Dame liked Arnold quite a bit, and like Vizzina in other years he would have been a guy the staff jumped at the chance to land, but this is a unique year.
Arnold is a four-star recruit and the No. 40 overall player on the 247Sports composite rankings.
Should Notre Dame strike out with Moore and Vizzina there's a chance the staff could turn to Johnson. He's a dynamic athlete with a lot of potential, but right now he's as much of a runner as he is a passer and his game is still developing.
Johnson is currently a wait-and-see guy for Notre Dame, but he's a very talented player in his own right. He's one of my favorite quarterbacks in the class because he makes so many plays and he's a dynamic athlete that could actually play another position if QB doesn't work out.
Johnson is a four-star recruiting and the No. 162 overall player in the country on the 247Sports composite rankings.
Iamaleava has been linked with Notre Dame for some time but the Irish were never really a player in this recruitment. There are factors that were always going to make this one tough, and while both sides had interest in the other at points in this cycle he was never a strong option.
Iamaleava is a five-star recruit and the No. 7 overall player on the 247Sports composite rankings.
HOT BOARD KEY
Hot means things are really, really going well on both sides of the recruitment.
Warm means there is legit interest from both but not in the committing discussion yet.
Cool means one or both sides aren't high on the other or the prospect is a long way away from making a decision.
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Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense
Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board
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