The week of May 5 – 11, we saw commitments from a pair of top prospects in Tosh Baker (Top 50) and Rylie Mills (Top 150, citing 247Sports rankings).

As substantial as that week was, the current week ups the ante when it comes to the on-field impact of the pair of prospects announcing their pledges, according to most.

On Thursday, the hands-down most important prospect left on the offensive board will announce his pledge in Chris Tyree. On the following day, it’s Braiden McGregor announcing his commitment who some believe is the top defensive recruit within Notre Dame’s reach.

When it comes to building a playoff-level football team, Tyree and McGregor are exactly the caliber of athletes needed to accomplish that goal.

On Chris Tyree

Speaking in very generalized terms about the 2018 and 2019 class running backs, Notre Dame has added three who fit a similar category – promising athletes in the low four-star, high three-star range with good but not great speed.

Not to talk down that group – they all have exciting potential in their own ways – but Chris Tyree is on a different shelf than they were.

While Notre Dame has quite literally added its top priority recruits at every offensive position group except running back, Tyree would complete the top-to-bottom accomplishment.

With Tyree turning down the opportunity to take an official visit to Alabama while Notre Dame appears to have regained the momentum Oklahoma once owned, I feel confident in my Crystal Ball prediction and from sources I’ve spoken with recently, they’re right there with me.

On Braiden McGregor

It’s true that Notre Dame added a pair of All-American defensive ends in the 2019 class while former 2018-class linebacker Ovie Oghoufo was lauded as ‘the next Julian Okwara’ by Brian Kelly.

Justin Ademilola seems to simply make plays every time he’s on the field and you have to be enthused about the commitment of Top 50-ranked drop end prospect Jordan Botelho (also citing 247Sports rankings). And don’t forget Alexander Ehrensberger, a physical freak at 6-foot-7, 240-pounds and counting.

Also true: very rarely does a defensive end like Braiden McGregor show up within reaching distance of Notre Dame.

Ask yourselves when was the last time a 6-foot-5-plus, 250-pound potential five-star defensive end from the Midwest have the Irish within his top few schools on his decision day?

If Notre Dame can pull off a pledge from McGregor after adding Tyree, the Irish would be checking off the top two categories of football – adding offensive firepower and a premium pass rush.

What we know is that McGregor loves what he sees in the people around Notre Dame, the relationships he has connected. That means current commits, coaches, and others are the types he wants to be around in college. Many felt the Rylie Mills commitment could help nudge McGregor to Notre Dame. Will that prove to be true?

We also know Michigan is his home state and program plenty of people around him are hoping he chooses. He’s visited Ann Arbor multiple times and also holds friendships with athletes around the program.

Some sources in the know I spoke with were taken aback by his decision date announcement on Sunday which meant those same sources didn’t know which school he’d be choosing. Some felt Notre Dame is likely, others like Michigan, and some are undecided.

Of course, his announcement came as he wrapped up his official visit to Florida, yet the Gators don’t appear to be anyone’s prediction.

For me, I think Notre Dame has a real shot at pulling off the win due to relationships he’s built with staff and commits like Mills, Drew Pyne, and Aidan Keanaaina. And unless I hear otherwise (and I most certainly could) sometime this week, I’ll be keeping my prediction on the Irish.

As always, Irish Illustrated will be watching these recruitments closely through the week. Stay tuned for updates as speculation will be off-the-charts through to Friday.

In the end, we’re talking about two athletes who would list as five-stars with 247Sports if National Signing Day were this week. With that, we might not see a more consequential week in this recruiting cycle.