Brian Kelly, Notre Dame Poised to Go on Huge Recruiting Run

Don't look now, but Notre Dame's got the recruiting train rolling.

With the Irish flipping blue-chip quarterback Brandon Wimbush away from Penn State and head coach James Franklin, Brian Kelly is displaying just a little bit of that inner-honey badger swagger, reminding even big-time programs like the Nittany Lions that Kelly and the Irish staff can do what it wants when it comes to recruiting. 

That Kelly was able to flip Wimbush on the worst game-day weather in South Bend imaginable says something. It also reminds football fans that when Notre Dame is winning, they're the recruiting world's worst nightmare. 

Most years, selling the "40-year decision" that comes with a Notre Dame degree works for some impressive prospects. But selling four decades of success off the field after four years of elite college football on it? That's an offer too tough to turn down.

Wimbush fills a key need in the Irish recruiting class, finally replacing Blake Barnett as the offensive centerpiece to the 2015 class.  The 18th commit in a class that 247Sports ranks 11th in the nation, Wimbush also likely serves as a turning point, with the Irish staff set on closing this cycle with elite prospects, who may or may not be committed to another program. 

That the Irish are 5-0 and in the playoff-hunt conversation only helps spread their message. And if you're looking for clues as to how Kelly and his staff plan on closing out this class, just look back at the run they made in the 2013 cycle, building off the Irish's undefeated regular season. 

Entering October, the Irish sat at 18 commitments, a more-than-impressive group headlined by Jaylon Smith. But from there, the Irish closed with a flourish by adding six key blue-chippers, all surprises to pick Notre Dame. 

That Kelly and his staff would win the services of cornerback Cole Luke had to be considered a shocker. The Arizona product took official visits to Oklahoma and Texas but ended up in South Bend. His two interceptions last week against Stanford gave Irish fans a glimpse of what the young cornerback can do. 

From there, the Irish staff landed one of its biggest fish, getting a commitment from elite running back Greg Bryant. The Army All-American was committed to Oklahoma and had his choice of schools from all around the country, but recruiting coordinator Tony Alford convinced Bryant that South Bend was the place for him. 

Joe Raymond/Associated Press

Bryant wasn't the only blue-chipper to flip to the Irish. Safety Max Redfield decided at the Under Armour All-American Game that he'd rather go to Notre Dame than USC, stepping away from his commitment to the Trojans. Tight end Durham Smythe walked away from Texas to come play for the Irish. 

Closing the class with late commitments from running back Tarean Folston and elite defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes, the Irish went from having a great recruiting class to one that some viewed as the best in the nation.

(Of course, Vanderdoes never stepped foot on campus, an interesting U-turn that left many questions unanswered.)

If that look back tells us anything, it's that this Irish coaching staff will be aggressively recruiting all the way until signing day in February. We saw that last weekend, with top prospects Equanimeous St. Brown and Frank Buncom joining Wimbush on official visits. The Irish also hosted Florida State commit Calvin Brewton and Alabama pledge Mekhi Brown, making their pitch to both.  

The Irish staff has long circled top, uncommitted prospects Soso Jamabo, Tevon Coney and Porter Gustin. They're also after UCLA commitment Aliz'e Jones, a high school teammate of Irish commit Nicco Fertitta. That leads to some speculation that Wimbush could flip one of his teammates, 5-star cornerback and Alabama commit Minkah Fitzpatrick, one of the top cover prospects in the cycle. That the staff is still pushing on this cycle while working hard on 2016 prospects gives you an idea that Kelly and his recruiting staff are a well-oiled machine. 

All is fair in love and recruiting. (Or at least, I think that's how it goes.) And with scholarship numbers tight and a young roster looking even better in 2015, you can't blame Kelly for trying to seize the moment, building a roster that could produce a lot of wins—and headaches for opponents—in the coming years.