Second Coming at Notre Dame?

September 23, 2005
BY TAYLOR BELL

Notre Dame, USC and Tennessee are recruiting the No. 1 football player in the junior class, quarterback Jimmy Clausen of Westlake Village, Calif.
The 6-3, 200-pounder is so good, said Chicago-based recruiting analyst Tom Lemming, that he could have ranked No. 1 in this year's class. His older brothers, Casey and Rick, played at Tennessee.
"Clausen is in a class with the best quarterbacks I have seen in 27 years -- with Jeff George, John Elway and Dan Marino,'' Lemming said. "He is the best I've seen since [Florida's] Chris Leak three years ago.''
How does the recruiting of Clausen affect Morgan Park's Demetrius Jones, who has committed to Notre Dame? Jones has been promised by Irish coach Charlie Weis that he will play quarterback at Notre Dame and won't be switched to wide receiver.
"It will have no effect on Jones or Zach Frazer,'' Lemming said. Frazer, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., is another blue-chip prospect who committed to Notre Dame. "We don't know where Clausen is going. And every major college signs a quarterback each year.''
Lemming reminds that Brady Quinn, this year's starter, will return to Notre Dame next season. It will be left to Jones and Frazer to break into the Irish system.
Remember, at talent-rich USC, Mark Sanchez, who was one of the top five players in the nation last year, is red-shirting this fall. In 2006, he hopes to replace Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart. But USC still is recruiting other QBs.
"Quarterbacks must be careful about being the man,'' Lemming said. "If a quarterback has NFL aspirations, he must choose a college program that has a reputation for developing professional players.''
In the last 15 years, many of the top-rated quarterbacks in the Chicago area went to programs that didn't prepare them for the NFL and didn't have track records for developing NFL quarterbacks. The list includes Jeff Hecklinski, Zak Kustok, Matt Schabert, Owen Daniels, Walter Young, Quincy Woods, Brad Bower and Corey and Casey Paus.
Some made good decisions: Chuck Long, Mike Tomczak, Donovan McNabb and Kurt Kittner, for example.
"A lot of quarterbacks commit to a college and fall into a system rather than choosing a college that will develop their talent,'' Lemming said.
After considerable debate, Lemming singled out running back LeSean McCoy of Harrisburg, Pa., as the No. 1 senior in the nation. His second choice was quarterback Tim Tebow of St. Augustine, Fla.
"It is a year where I'm not sure who is No. 1,'' Lemming said. "There were no-brainers in the past -- Ben Olson, Maurice Clarett, Chris Leak, Adrian Peterson. Last year, it was down to Ryan Perrilloux and Callahan Bright. This year? Five or six kids could be No. 1.''
McCoy, who is built like Walter Payton, has nearly 60 scholarship offers. But his grades don't compare to his rushing statistics. He wants to attend USC, where he could succeed Reggie Bush. Miami also is in the mix.
Lemming said Tebow is the best of an outstanding crop of quarterbacks in the Class of 2006. At 6-2 and 220 pounds, he is built like a linebacker. He amassed 7,000 yards and 70 touchdowns in total offense last season. His season opener was on national television.
Home-schooled, Tebow is expected to choose Florida (his father is a Gators graduate) or Michigan.