Notre Dame worked its second flip of the week on the recruiting trail when former Colorado pledge Josh Bryan announced his commitment to the Irish. Rumors have been floating for a while that the Notre Dame staff had some interest in the 6’0″, 190-pound Californian, but in what was originally expected to be a tight class it didn’t look like the numbers would work out. With all the wackiness around COVID leading the NCAA to suspend the scholarship limit for next season, though, space was suddenly easier to come by. Nobody has any clarity on 2022 yet, although the assumption from most coaches is that the 85 limit will be back in place. Nonetheless, for one year every program will have a lot of flexibility.

Those of you who, like me, follow recruiting to an unhealthy level may already be familiar with Chris Sailer. For those who aren’t, Sailer runs arguably the most highly-regarded specialist camp in the country and maintains his own list of specialist recruit rankings. He has Bryan as a “six-star,” which is a Power 5 freshman starter, the #1 kicker, and the #35 punter in the 2021 class. Yes, he can also punt – he’s a better placekicker right now, but that’s good flexibility to have available.

Here’s Sailer’s scouting report on Bryan:

Josh is simply a phenomenal high school kicking prospect. A great athlete with big time college potential. He hits a pure ball on field goal off the ground. He gets big time lift on his ball and has 60+ yard range. His kickoffs are excellent, D1 ready. He drives the ball deep in the end zone with 4.0+ hang time. Also a capable punter. He is a major competitor that thrives under pressure. Josh continues to prove that he is the best kicker in America in the Class of 2021. I look forward to seeing what the future holds. A fine young man that is always a pleasure to work with. One of the hardest workers out there. Josh is a scholarship pick without a doubt. Big time prospect.

Recruiting Service Rankings

Sailer — 6 star (6.0 rating), #1 kicker

247Sports Composite — 3 star (.8003 rating), #2198 overall, #7 K, #177 in CA

247Sports — 2 star (79 rating), NR overall, #9 K, #304 in CA

Rivals — 2 star (5.4 rating), NR overall, NR K, NR in CA

ESPN — Not evaluated

Irish Sports Daily — Not evaluated

Cohort

In addition to Notre Dame and Colorado, Bryan holds offers from Air Force, Army, Navy, and Yale. It’s worth pointing out here that many programs, even the bluebloods, prefer to use walk-ons for the specialist positions. Brian Kelly obviously has had a different approach at Notre Dame; given the quality of his group of scholarship kicker signees – Kyle Brindza, Justin Yoon, and Jon Doerer – and how much some of those blueblood programs have been hurt by kicking woes, I’d say it’s a smart approach to take. As far as Bryan’s offer list, I would just highlight the Yale offer and his reported 4.08 GPA; clearly this is a kid who is likely to handle the academic rigor of Notre Dame.

Highlights

Junior season:

Sophomore season:

I dunno. He, uh, kicks the ball really hard. Actually, I was impressed by his play as a linebacker here – not that he has a future there at the next level, but that it shows impressive athleticism. I mean, a placekicker who had 123 tackles, 4 sacks, and 2 picks as a sophomore? You have my attention.

Impact

If Doerer does indeed return for 2021, Bryan will likely take a redshirt. I would imagine he’ll take a four-game redshirt, perhaps taking a few extra points and kickoffs in games that get out of hand. If Doerer doesn’t return, I think Bryan will step right into the starting role on placekicks and kickoffs. \I would expect him to be our starting kicker for four years whether the clock starts in 2021 or 2022.

Welcome to the Irish family, Josh!