Notre Dame Football: Breaking Down Irish's Newest Commitments

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In just two short weeks, Notre Dame football nearly doubled the size of its recruiting class of 2016.

The Irish landed five commitments in 14 days, building up a class that once held just a half-dozen members to an 11-player group. Notre Dame added defensive back Jalen Elliott and wide receiver Kevin Stepherson on June 19 during the Irish Invasion camp on campus, and defensive end Jamir Jones pledged four days later during a midweek visit. Safety Spencer Perry, who decommitted from Florida following the Irish Invasion, gave his verbal to Notre Dame on Monday.

And how could Irish fans forget offensive lineman Parker Boudreaux, who committed to Notre Dame on Thursday during a video in which he hauled a 16,000-pound bus.

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VIDEO: 2016 recruit Parker Boudreaux pulls a 16,000-lb bus to announce his commitment http://t.co/iBvGagwffj pic.twitter.com/FwXrTSLdzw

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 2, 2015"

Notre Dame is riding a summer surge much like it did in 2014, when the Irish hauled in seven commitments in June, as well as one at the end of May and one at the beginning of July.

“It’s been a nice run, especially in June,” Irish247’s Tom Loy said. “It was a big month for them.”

Elliott is slotted as the No. 40 athlete and No. 577 overall player in the class of 2016. Though he’s been used elsewhere at Lloyd C. Bird High School in Richmond, Virginia, Elliott profiles as a versatile defensive back with the Irish, who think Elliott could play safety and/or cornerback, per Loy.

Credit: 247Sports

“Notre Dame was in it early,” Loy said. “But having parents who both attended Virginia Tech and a dad who played ball for the Hokies, that was a tough battle.”

Across the line of scrimmage, Stepherson is the No. 102 wide receiver in the country and a 3-star prospect from Jacksonville, Florida. The 6’0”, 180-pounder tallied 33 receptions for 756 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2014. The Irish believe Stepherson could play in the slot or on the outside, according to Loy.

Credit: 247Sports

“After seeing all these kids live, Stepherson was probably the biggest pickup,” Loy said. “In terms of his overall talent, he was the top player at the Irish Invasion. He was dominant.”

Jones, the brother of Irish nose tackle Jarron Jones, earned his Notre Dame offer and responded with a commitment on June 23.

Credit: 247Sports

“You could tell that he really appreciates what Notre Dame can do for him,” Loy said. “He came all the way out here and camped.”

Six days after Jones committed, Perry pledged to the Irish, as well. The No. 29 safety in the country, Perry hails from Bradenton, Florida, and is teammates at IMG Academy with Irish running back commit Tony Jones Jr. Perry decommitted from Florida three days after the Irish Invasion camp.

Credit: 247Sports

“Notre Dame loves his size. They see him playing safety, not cornerback,” Loy said. “He’s a guy that could come and really make an impact in run support, especially for his size and physicality.”

Boudreaux, meanwhile, joins offensive line commits Tommy Kraemer and Liam Eichenberg, combining to form a strong haul for offensive line coach Harry Hiestand. Boudreaux, an Orlando, Florida, native, is slotted as the No. 13 guard in the country. While Kraemer and Eichenberg have the potential to fit at tackle, Boudreaux profiles nicely as an interior lineman.

“Boudreaux is a true guard. He’s an inside guy,” Loy said. “He’s a mauler. If you’re looking for physicality on the offensive line, then you don’t need to look much further than Boudreaux.”

For good measure, Notre Dame added a commitment from class-of-2017 tight end Brock Wright, the top-ranked player at his position, last Friday.

And while June was fruitful for the Irish, Loy said July could be a major month in Notre Dame recruiting, as well. Loy said he’s keeping tabs on wide receiver Chase Claypool, all-purpose back Damian Alloway and defensive end Adetokunbo Ogundeji this month.

Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting stats and information courtesy of 247Sports.com and all quotes obtained firsthand. Star ratings reflect 247Sports composite rankings.

Mike Monaco is the lead Notre Dame writer for Bleacher Report. Follow @MikeMonaco_ on Twitter.