Five-star WR Carnell Tate details why his mom had a change of heart about Notre Dame, conversation with Chansi Stuckey
One of the top players in the 2023 class is already intimately familiar with Notre Dame. But it took until his most recent visit to get one of the most important people in his life on board.
Five-star wide receiver Carnell Tate has visited South Bend seven times, with his most recent visit having come on March 15. Tate, who is a Chicago native but is currently a junior at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, joined The Lucky Lefty podcast this weekend — for the second time — with former Irish quarterback Malik Zaire to discuss the trip.
This time, the visit was largely driven by his mother, Ashley Griggs, who previously wasn’t exactly dying for her son to rep the blue and gold as a college football player. That may have changed during the visit.
“She loved it,” Tate said. “When we first went up to Notre Dame, she wasn’t really rockin’ with it.”
Tate had to convince her to go back, and now she’s a big fan, adding she really likes Notre Dame director of recruiting Chad Bowden.
So what led to the change of heart?
“This time she heard what the program can do for men after football, especially Black men, so that’s what she talked about a lot (after the visit),” Tate said.
The 6-2, 180-pound wideout said he was largely separate from his mother during the visit, as she made her way through the coaching staff getting to know everyone.
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Obviously, Tate was around and talking with the coaches as well, and he highlighted his conversation with new wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey.
“How do you feel about guys freshman year and how can you help me on the field?” Tate said when asked what he spoke with Stuckey about. “What do you teach and coach that transfers directly to the field and to the pros? Every coach is capable of getting you there, it’s about can you stay there?”
Per On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, Tate is the No. 3 receiver, No. 4 player from Florida and No. 18 player nationally in the 2023 class.
Where does Tate fit into the Irish offense?
The five star’s primary concern with his recruitment is the ability to play early and often. Thankfully for Tate, wideouts are becoming even hotter commodities with the rise of pass-heavy offenses across college football.
“A lot of the schools have said they need receivers,” Tate said. “The game is starting to change into an air game. (Coaches) are showing love to running backs, but not as much love anymore because they take so many hits. They say everyone is transitioning to a throwing offense, and that’s how you get to the next level. So I was definitely glad to hear that.”
The wide receiver room at Notre Dame certainly is not crowded, as the Irish will have just eight scholarship wide receivers this fall. That count includes incoming freshman Tobias Merriweather, and of note, four of the eight are fifth or sixth-year seniors.
But that situation, or the reverse — having a crowded wideout room — isn’t top of mind for Tate.
“A deep receiver class, it doesn’t matter too much,” Tate said. “At the end of the day, there are four receivers on the field, and there will probably be five (at times). Then there are injuries. But if you’ve got better receivers in there, they’re going to help you get better, and y’all are going to compete. You can take tools from them that add to your tools.”
Regardless of the final roster come 2023, Tate has a spot at Notre Dame. Will he take it?
