Sizing up Notre Dame’s All-Early-Enrollee team, covering 17 years and 96 players

More than 17 years have passed, remarkably, since February of 2005, when former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis took a break from his Super Bowl prep as the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots to introduce his first Irish recruiting class.

Via video, and from underneath a portable tent and out of the rain in Jacksonville, Fla., Weis introduced a 15-man group that the On3 Consensus ranks as the 28th best in the country.

The class was highlighted by two of only seven four-star players: wide receiver D.J. Hord and tight end Joey Hiben.

Recently deceased offensive lineman Paul Duncan and former quarterback Evan Sharpley were also members of that 2005 class. 

Recognizing the urgency to fortify his roster, fast, Weis immediately lobbied the university to begin allowing January player enrollment. 

It was a practice Notre Dame resisted for many years, while other programs around the country were using it routinely.

Weis got his wish and early admissions were first used with his second recruiting class in 2006 when running back James Aldridge, offensive guard Chris Stewart and wide receiver George West enrolled that January. 

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Seventeen years later, 96 Irish players have now taken the January enrollment option. 

And per a story from Blue & Gold’s Mike Singer, at least 12 of the 20 recruits so far from the 2023 class — with more maybe to come — are planning early enrollment. 

Weis brought in a total of only 11 early enrollees during his four recruiting classes after the option was provided to him. 

And in the 12 recruiting years between 2006 and 2017, there were never more than five early enrollees from a single class, and 45 in total.

The January enrollment option has steadily gained steam to where Notre Dame welcomed no fewer than eight players in the five classes from 2018 to 2022. 

The 2021 class features the most EEs with 14, but plenty of time remains for the 2023 group to reach or eclipse that mark under first-year head coach Marcus Freeman. 

Quarterback Tyler Buchner and wide receiver Lorenzo Styles made the greatest impacts as true freshmen last season among the 2021 early enrollees. 

But surprisingly, few Irish players so far have parlayed early admission into an impactful freshman season. And only a small sample from this group has enjoyed sustained NFL success. 

Defensive lineman Jerry Tillery remains the only early-enrolled Irish player to become a first-round NFL Draft pick.  

So here’s a look at Notre Dame’s All-Early-Enrollee Team through 17 recruiting cycles. 

The “notes” section highlights players who turned their January arrival into an impactful freshman season. An asterisk denotes a Weis-era player and Italics recognize a NFL draft pick. 

This list does not include January transfers.

OFFENSE (Skill)

QB: Tommy Rees (2010)

RB: Kyren Williams (2019)

RB: Chris Tyree (2020)

WR: TJ Jones (2010)

WR: Lorenzo Styles (2021)

TE: Brock Wright (2017)

NOTES:

*As a true freshman, Rees became the starter when Dayne Crist was injured. Rees threw for 1,106 yards, 12 TDs and 8 INTs. Jimmy Clausen, who became the face of Irish early enrollment in 2007, is a legit honorable mention but had only seven touchdowns and six interceptions as a freshman.

*Buchner also needs to be recognized for finishing second on the team last season with 336 rushing yards with three touchdowns, and another 298 passing yards with three touchdowns through the air. 

*Tyree as a freshman finished third on the Irish with 561 yards from scrimmage and scored four touchdowns. The speedster also added 456 yards on 22 kickoff returns. 

*Jones had 23 receptions for 306 yards with three touchdowns.

*Styles played well down the stretch last season and finished 2021 with 24 catches, 344 receiving yards and one touchdown. 

OFFENSE (Line)

Aaron Banks (2017)

Robert Hainsey (2017)

Steve Elmer (2013)

Trevor Robinson* (2008)

Chris Stewart* (2006)

NOTES: 

*Robinson appeared in 11 games as a true freshman and parlayed his time at Notre Dame into a five-year NFL career.  

*Hainsey started four times and played in all 13 games as a true freshman. He became a third-round NFL Draft pick for Tampa Bay in 2021. 

DEFENSE (Front 7)

DE: Khalid Kareem (2016)

DE: Daelin Hayes (2016)

DT: Sheldon Day (2012)

DT: Jerry Tillery (2015)

LB: Ishaq Williams (2011)

LB: James Onwualu (2013)

LB: Te’von Coney (2015)

NOTES:

*With 13 total tackles — mainly on special teams — Coney leads this group in production as a true freshman.

*Tillery and Hayes each had 12 stops in their first seasons. Most of the others redshirted. 

DEFENSE (Secondary)

S: Zeke Motta* (2009)

S: Devin Studstill (2016)

S: Houston Griffith (2018)

CB: Gary Gray* (2007)

NOTES: 

*Before seeing his career fizzle and playing time slip, Studstill enjoyed a fine season as a true freshman with 38 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. 

*Griffith appeared in 11 games and made 14 tackles. Motta had 12 tackles his rookie season. 

SPECIALISTS 

PK: Kyle Brindza (2011)

P: Jay Bramblett (2019)

NOTES: 

*The only two kickers to ever enroll early made for a short candidate list but still provided two quality players. 

*Brindza became the Irish kickoff specialist in all 13 games as a freshman, forcing opponents into 12 touchbacks on his 71 attempts. 

*Bramblett’s 39.4 punting average as a true freshman placed him 89th in the country.