Transfers are inevitable. So are suspensions, and injuries, and guys that simply don’t improve vs. those that thrive. And then if you’re really good, you leave early.

And it all counts in the end.

An apt measure of given recruiting class’s impact after it exits campus en masse is to simply look at the Top 10 contributors.

Nothing to do with recruiting rankings, or even the NFL—just how they produced how often while under the Dome.

Those classes, either recruited by or coached in large part by Brian Kelly over his nine seasons at the helm, are listed in my personal order below—your logical dissent or relative agreement is welcomed.

(The individual players are also ranked in my order throughout, though I didn’t split hairs in that exercise. For the sake of reference and a nod to depth, my choice as the 11th top contributor that just missed the cut is listed in parenthesis.)

BEST OF THE BEST

How to delineate between 2009 and 2013 considering both housed three all-time program greats at their positions—then followed with strong depth through the Top 10?

Well the 2012 group finished its career in the BCS Championship game rather than floundering all over the field at 4-8. Admittedly, that four-win season was due in part to the reality that Jaylon Smith and Will Fuller were too good to stay and play more college ball—but I needed to break the tie somewhere. (And Te’o and Eifert chose to stay.)

2009: Manti Te'o, Tyler Eifert, Zack Martin, Theo Riddick, Cierre Wood, Chris Watt, Zeke Motta, Dan Fox, Carlo Calabrese, and Robby Toma (LS Jordan Cowart/P Ben Turk).

2013: Jaylon Smith, Mike McGlinchey, Will Fuller, James Onwualu, Isaac Rochell, Cole Luke, Tarean Folston, Durham Smythe, Torii Hunter, Corey Robinson (Max Redfield/Steve Elmer).

**The 2009 class was of course recruited by Charlie Weis but it developed wholly under Brian Kelly and his staff.

NEXT IN LINE…AND RISING

Admittedly, the presence of Josh Adams and/or Equanimeous St. Brown this season would’ve strengthened the 2015 class’s collective case. The group gained a Top 10 performer in walk-on Chris Finke. Moreover, 2015 ends its Top 10+ much stronger than does the 2014 group.

The current juniors (2016) have a playoff berth and full season to surpass not only the ’15 crew, but potentially each of the two touted above them as well.

2015: Te’von Coney, Josh Adams, Jerry Tillery, Miles Boykin, Justin Yoon, Dexter Williams, Brandon Wimbush, Equanimeous St. Brown, Chris Finke, Alize Mack (Shaun Crawford/Asmar Bilal/Trevor Ruhland/Nick Coleman).

2014: Quenton Nelson, Drue Tranquill, Sam Mustipher, DeShone Kizer, Alex Bars, Nyles Morgan, Greer Martini, Tyler Newsome, Jonathan Bonner, Nic Weishar (Andrew Trumbetti/Nick Watkins/Jay Hayes).

2016: Julian Love, Ian Book, Chase Claypool, Khalid Kareem, Julian Okwara, Troy Pride, Daelin Hayes, Jalen Elliott, Tommy Kraemer, Liam Eichenberg (Tony Jones…Kevin Stepherson/Deon McIntosh).

**None of the three above has completed its collegiate journey—with only the ultimate goal remaining.

SOLID, BUT…

Just not deep enough. Kelly’s 2012 group suffered five transfers including three five-star players (either 24/7, Rivals, or Scout) from a mere 17-player haul. It added USC’s Amir Carlisle along the way.

2012: Sheldon Day, Ronnie Stanley, KeiVarae Russell, C.J. Prosise, Romeo Okwara, Elijah Shumate, Chris Brown, Amir Carlisle, Jarron Jones, Scott Daly (Mark Harrell).

**Day, Russell, and Shumate all contributed heavily to the cause in 2012 as true freshmen as did Chris Brown on one particularly important post route. With the exception of the injured Jones, each of the Top 10 was a key starter in 2015 en route to the Fiesta Bowl.

CLASS ON THE FLY…AND THE ASTERISK

Myriad suspensions, transfers, university violations, plus a *Team MVP that walked on…this 2011 crew isn’t an easy class to place. Or rank from within…

2011: Stephon Tuitt, Nick Martin, Matthias Farley, Everett Golson, *Joe Schmidt, Ben Koyack, Troy Niklas, DaVaris Daniels, Cam McDaniel, Kyle Brindza (Jarrett Grace/George Atkinson/Aaron Lynch/Ishaq Williams).

**There are four team captains from the 14 players listed above…but only seven that completed four seasons of football at Notre Dame.

2010: T.J. Jones, Louis Nix, Prince Shembo, Bennett Jackson, Tommy Rees, Christian Lombard, Danny Spond, Austin Collinsworth, Kona Schwenke, Justin Utupo (Daniel Smith).



**Kelly’s “Class-on-the-fly” of 2010 furnished two handfuls of key contributors to his 12-0 season three years later. But both depth and star power were in short supply. Jones, Nix, Shembo, Jackson, Lombard, and Spond all started for the 2012 squad and Rees played an integral role.

IN PROGRESS

Notre Dame’s 2017 class (current sophomores) has just begun to scratch the surface…but reaching a Top 10 after the initial nine choices was a stretch.

— 2017 (Only what has been produced to date): Robert Hainsey, Jafar Armstrong, Kurt Hinish, Cole Kmet, Aaron Banks, Michael Young, Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, Brock Wright (Jordan Genmark Heath/Drew White/Josh Lugg).

— And for fun, a first look at 2018: Jayson Ademilola, Houston Griffith, Tariq Bracy, Bo Bauer, Shayne Simon, Paul Moala, Kevin Austin, Justin Ademilola, Jarrett Patterson, Jahmir Smith (Phil Jurkovec).