Notre Dame Football Recruiting: 5 Targets to Help You Forget About Arik Armstead

The news that 4-star defensive end recruit Arik Armstead decided to commit to Oregon over the weekend certainly wasn't music to the ears of many Notre Dame fans, who were hoping that the coveted California native would make the pilgrimage to South Bend to play his college ball. However, given the type of 2012 recruiting class that coach Brian Kelly is assembling, the loss of Armstead may not turn out to be all that significant of a blow.

Kelly has experienced some great success on the recruiting trail during his time at Notre Dame, and it looks like his 2012 class will be the best one yet. 

With three of the top recruits in the country—QB Gunner Kiel, CB Tee Shepard and DT Sheldon Day—already on campus and a few more blue-chip prospects expected to join them over the summer, Notre Dame's 2012 class is shaping up to be one of college football's best by the time it's all said and done. 

So, while losing out on Armstead isn't great news, here's a look at five top recruits that Notre Dame is still in play for that could make Irish fans forget about him. 

WR Deontay Greenberry (Washington Union HS, California)

Deontay Greenberry has been committed to Notre Dame since last spring, and he hasn't wavered on his decision since, even though some Pac-12 schools like USC and Arizona State have made a run at him.

The 6'3'', 185-pound Greenberry is one of the top receivers in California history, and with his type of size, speed, hands and leaping ability, he's going to be an absolute matchup nightmare for any college cornerback to have to deal with.

Yes, the 4-star prospect is still somewhat raw and he needs to refine some of the basic facets of his game, but with a little coaching and some work in the weight room, Greenberry has the potential to turn into the type of physical "beast" receiver that fans love to watch. 

S Elijah Shumate (Don Bosco Prep, New Jersey)

A few weeks ago, Notre Dame picked up a huge commitment from one of the top safeties in the country: Elijah Shumate. 

Shumate's the type of safety who could come to South Bend and immediately join the competition to fill the void that Harrison Smith left.

Shumate is a big, physical and rangy defender who can fly around and make plays all over the field.

The 4-star safety would be a perfect fit for Notre Dame's defense, and he's got the type of talent to be an immediate contributor. All Irish fans have to hope for now is that Shumate disregards late pushes from schools like South Carolina, stays true to his word and sticks with his plan to play ball in South Bend. 

WR Nelson Agholor (Berkley Prep, Florida)

Over the past few weeks, Brian Kelly has probably had a few dreams about all of the things he could possibly do with a super-athletic receiver like Nelson Agholor in his offense. 

Agholor is the type of rare explosive playmaker that can shift how an opposing defense has to game plan, as he's the type of receiver that has to be feared on every single snap. 

The 6'2'', 180-pound 5-star recruit is reportedly deciding between five final schools: Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and USC.

That's certainly some stiff competition in the race to land his services, but if Notre Dame can somehow reel in the coveted Nigerian native, Agholor has the chance to be an instant star in South Bend, and he may even turn out to be the 2012 version of Sammy Watkins.

WR Davonte Neal (Chaparral HS, Arizona)

Another highly-touted receiver recruit that has Notre Dame listed as one of his finalists is Davonte' Neal out of Chaparral High School in Arizona. 

Neal is one of the fastest and most electric players in the country, and he would add an instant spark to Notre Dame's passing attack. Landing him won't come easy, though, with schools like Oklahoma, Ohio State and Arkansas all going after him hard. 

If Kelly can somehow land the 5-star speedster, the coach will definitely deserve some tremendous praise. 

CB Anthony Standifer (Crete Monee, Illinois)

CB Anthony Standifer may not be the type of blue-chip star prospect like some of Notre Dame's other top targets, but he's a talented player in his own right, and he fills one of the Irish's biggest needs. 

The former Michigan commit is one of the best prospects in the state of Illinois this year, and he's been rumored to be favoring the Irish. But he first has to clear up an academic issue before he can enroll in school at South Bend. 

The 6'0'', 180-pound Standifer has the type of intriguing size and athleticism that you look for in a potential future starting cornerback, and if he ends up selecting Notre Dame, he could end up making some serious noise in fall camp.