Notre Dame Recruiting Wish List: Five Names to Put Irish in Top Five

Notre Dame is putting together one of the strongest recruiting classes in the country and already has a few high-profile prospects on the books with five-star tight end Ben Koyack, as well as recent additions such as four-star running back Justice Hayes and four-star defensive end Aaron Lynch.

But the Irish and new head coach Brian Kelly aren't done yet and could still land a few huge commitments to put this team over the top.

Right now they rank as the No. 8 recruiting class in the country and will need a little more support to crack the top five.

Let's take a look at the situation in South Bend and explore the options with five blue-chip prospects all considering playing their college ball at Notre Dame.

Land these five guys and the Irish take home a top-five recruiting class, guaranteed.

Notre Dame's Current 2011 Recruiting Class

Five-Star Commitments: 1 
Four-Star Commitments: 7 
Three-Star Commitments: 7 
Best Individual Prospect: Ben Koyack, TE 

Notre Dame has been busy the last few weeks with four commitments to close out July, including four-star running back Justice Hayes, rated as the No. 3 APB on Rivals, as well as four-star defensive end Aaron Lynch, rated top-10 at his position.

Expect the Irish to continue to rack in the talent, and don't be surprised if they end up as a top-five-rated class when it's all said and done.

They're one of the finalists for Kasen Williams, the No. 1 receiver in the country, and have a shot to bring in a few other five-star talents as well.

Considering Notre Dame already has Ben Koyack, a top-three tight end, as well as three offensive linemen rated in the top 10 at their positions, this is shaping up to be a very strong class down in South Bend.

Kasen Williams, WR

Kasen Williams is ranked as the top receiver in the nation by Scout. He's a big, strong receiver who runs very good routes and creates great separation downfield by overpowering and outmaneuvering defenders.

He's also so strong at the line of scrimmage that it's nearly impossible to jam him; when it's attempted, he usually makes the defender pay big time.

Because of his size and strength, he is one of the hardest players to take down, and when he gets loose in open space, he's a threat to take it to the house every time.

The hunt for Williams has been very active on all fronts, but the coveted receiver just narrowed down his top 10 list to five finalists, and the Irish made the cut. Joining them are Florida, LSU, Washington, and California.

Savon Huggins, RB

There's no one from the 2011 class who can juke quite like Savon Huggins. He has such a broad array of moves that you really never know what he's going to do on any given play.

When you watch him play, you immediately think Barry Sanders. He's got the vision, the balance, the change-of-direction ability, and simply the unwillingness to go down.

He's got such a good low center of gravity and body control that most defenders struggle to get a clean hit on him. Once he learns to block better and participate in the passing game, he'll be a compete back.

Huggins recently reduced his list of options to 10 schools with Notre Dame joined by Rutgers, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pitt, Stanford, Miami, Wisconsin, and Penn State.

Wayne Lyons, S

At 6'1", 190 lbs., Lyons has a natural frame that makes him look more like a linebacker than a safety when he's got his pads on; he certainly hits like a linebacker.

He'll need to work on his backpedal and man-to-man coverage skills, but the tools are there for him to develop into an outstanding playmaker. He's got a great pair of hands and is a very smart football player.

Lyons is a true quarterback of the secondary and will get his troops lined up quickly, calling out adjustments like someone born to play this position.

He's gone from 50 offers to a narrowed-down list of 14 finalists, and Notre Dame is right there in the mix. It's too soon to see who's out in front, but unfortunately he seems to be favoring the SEC schools.

Ishaq Williams, DE

One of the top defensive ends of the 2011 recruiting class, five-star recruit Ishaq Williams is an athletic freak with the potential to be a superb outside linebacker or strong safety on top of his skill along the defensive line.

He's long and rangy, runs a deceptively fast 4.7-second 40-yard dash, and is one of the most intense players you'll ever come across.

This guy doesn't just have a great motor; he's out for blood on every single play and won't stop until he makes something happen. That's the kind of aggression you love to see on the defensive side of the ball.

Williams has made visits to Notre Dame, Alabama, Pitt, Syracuse, Penn State, Maryland, and most recently Rutgers. He doesn't plan on committing until January, but consider the Irish a distinct possibility.

Ray Drew, DE

Ray Drew is not just a high school football star who's one of the best pure pass rushers in the country—he's also a licensed minister.

That speaks volumes about this young man's character.

Drew isn't the type of player you need to worry about causing problems off the field. He's a hard worker, a vocal player, and a natural leader.

He'll step in from day one and grind it out at 100 percent from the the minute the whistle is blown until the end of the day.

He's dominant when it comes to getting to the quarterback and has a great skill set of power and finesse moves.

In late July Drew said he was very interested in Notre Dame, but he changed his tune last week and left them out of his top eight. The Irish aren't out of the running, but they're definitely not favored to land him at this point.