Notre Dame Football: Top 5 Prospects of the 2009 Recruiting Class

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame enjoyed another banner recruiting year in 2008-2009 landing quality players on both the offense and defense end of the ball. Though the Irish will be returning 15 starters from last year's team, this new band of recruits can help the team improve from their 7-6 record of a year ago. Here then are Notre Dame's top five prospects from the recruiting class of 2009.

Manti Te'o (LB)

The 6-2, 225 lbs Te'o is a five star recruit that hails from Hawaii. Heavily recruited by several top schools including USC, Oregon and BYU, Manti committed to Notre Dame in February of 2009. A strong, agile and fast linebacker, Te'o is a ferocious tackler who can close fast on a ball carrier, or blitz a quarterback with equal ease. Te'o's had a sensational Senior season in which he collected 129 tackles, 11 sacks and 3 interceptions. Look for him to quickly work himself into the starting lineup at Notre Dame.

Cierre Wood (RB)

Notre Dame ran by committee last season and it looks like Wood can only help an offense that averaged 3.3 yards per carry. Rated a top 100 prospect by both Scout.com and Rival.com, Wood is a 6-0, 200 lbs recruit with 4.5 speed in the 40, who enjoyed a tremendous prep career at Oxnard in Santa Clara California where he rushed for over 5,200 yards and scored 87 total touchdowns. Wood committed to play for Notre Dame in April of 2009 bypassing USC, Florida and Auburn (among others) in the process.

Shaquelle Evans (WR)

Evans a 6-1, 205 lbs receiver with 4.4 speed committed to the Irish in November of 2008. Aside from having the size and explosiveness that most program covet in a receiver, Evans also has a great pair of hands, runs precise routes, and has the leaping ability (and wing span) to win more than his fair share of jump balls. It's a safe bet that Evan will begin to contribute to the passing game before QB Jimmy Claussen is done with school.

Tyler Stockton (DL)

At 290 lbs, Stockton is already the big body type of player who can take up space in the middle. Though not tall at 6-1, Stockton is nevertheless explosive and gets a great jump off the line. He can use both strength and finesse to get by a tackler, and he will be the type of player that can disrupt an offensive game plan if he gets the chance.

Zach Martin (OL)

Martin is a 6-5, 275 lbs prospect that is athletic, energetic, and capable of playing on both sides of the ball. An intelligent player, Martin possesses good lateral movement, and is capable of blocking down field for his ball carrier. Zach gets a lot of drive off his legs and he will be a tremendous asset to Notre Dame's running game.

Sources:

www.rivals100.rivals.com/viewprospect.

www.insider.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting