Notre Dame Football Recruiting: Loss of Alex Anzalone Isn't End of the World

It's never fun to lose a top recruit, but Notre Dame fans shouldn't exactly be freaking out about it, either.

Four-star athlete Alex Anzalone decommitted from Notre Dame on Thursday and committed to Florida after the Fighting Irish were spanked by Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game, 42-14, via ESPN. The move prompted Notre Dame to slide down two spots in ESPN's class rankings, ceding the top honor to the Gators.

Then again, having the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation isn't that bad.

Even after losing their July commit, the Fighting Irish still sport 5-star outside linebacker Jaylon Smith and 17 4-star recruits, according to ESPN. That includes nine commits in the ESPN top 150, from running back Greg Bryant and athlete Max Redfield to offensive tackle Hunter Bivin and wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr (the son of the Detroit Tigers outfielder).

That's not all. Brian Kelly still has some work to do. The Fighting Irish are currently looking at 5-star defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes and 4-star receiver Sebastian LaRue, who both decommitted from USC. Notre Dame is also a potential landing spot for 4-star defensive end Torrodney Prevot, who has committed to the Trojans but is looking around. (via ESPN)

While the thumping at the hands of the Crimson Tide was a wake-up call for Notre Dame, there is still plenty to look forward to in South Bend. Kelly has already built an impressive recruiting class and there could be more on the way.

Looking at the big picture, the Fighting Irish went undefeated in the regular season and could return up to seven starters on offense and eight starters on defense. They not only have some promising youngsters coming in, they have a good mix of veterans who have championship experience (although losing Manti Te'o and Tyler Eifert will hurt).

While the 2012-2013 campaign came to a screeching halt, this is just the beginning of what could be a lengthy run for the historic Notre Dame football program.

What are your thoughts?