4. Shaquelle Evans
6-0, 202, Wide Receiver
Inglewood, Calif. (Inglewood H.S.)

Here’s another player with mixed reviews from the recruiting poohbahs and another player who is facing a daunting depth chart climb.

Notre Dame returns eight of its nine top receivers, including starters Golden Tate and Michael Floyd, and two prodigies who didn’t see the field because of the logjam last year — Deion Walker and John Goodman.

Evans, though, has the speed to get into the mix. But does he have the physical maturity? The toughness? The ability to block?

“There’s a lot of disagreement about how good he is,” SuperPrep’s Allen Wallace said. “He’s not as good as Floyd or Tate, but I think he’s good enough to get into their rotation.”

5. Tyler Stockton
6-1, 290, Defensive Tackle
Princeton, N.J. (The Hun School)

Stockton comes in at an area of glaring need, but he is seen as more of a project that prospect. The fact that he enrolled early could change his timetable and the perception of him.

The standout golfer should at least be able to push for enough backup minutes in 2009 that his golf game will suffer, but the bigger need was for an edge pass-rusher.

“Tyler Stockton is a good player,” Lemming said. “But Notre Dame needed difference-makers at this position in this class, and a lot of them. They do have (sophomore-to-be) Ethan Johnson, but they need seven or eight of him. For all of Charlie Weis’ recruiting successes, defensive line continues to be Notre Dame’s biggest weakness and biggest failure.”

6. Nick Tausch
6-1, 180, Kicker
Dallas, Texas (Jesuit High School)

Before Brandon Walker’s late-season renaissance (13-of-17 on field goals after a 1-of-7 start), Tausch looked like an automatic contender to start, even if he couldn’t match Turk’s bench press or linebacker-ish 40 speed (4.7).

He may have to wait now, but Tausch at least can provide Walker with everyday competition and perhaps could work his way into kickoff duties, given that Notre Dame had just one touchback from Ryan Burkhart last season (and zero in 2007). Only Eastern Michigan and Oklahoma State had fewer in 2008. And arch-rival USC recorded 48 of them.

More news

Joe Raymond / AP

Who will be the starting QB?

After Notre Dame's Blue and Gold game, it appears to be a three-way race for the starting QB position. Keith Arnold breaks down this race and each area of the offense as he projects the opening day starting lineup.

A Blue and Gold glimpse

CFT: ND AD confident playoff will have room for Irish

Headlines

• Label

CFT: Notre Dame QB Rees pleads not guilty

Irish: Rees, Calabrese face uncertainty after arrests

CFT: Rees arrested, charged with resisting officer

Irish: DE Lynch quits Irish football program

Kelly throws more at his four quarterbacks

CFT: Miles keeps digging his own hole on Kiel

Irish: Former ND QB Blair Kiel passes away at 50

Irish: David Robinson's son headed to ND