Charlie Partridge has already identified an underrated Notre Dame recruiting target with massive upside on the defensive line
There is a new underrated defensive line recruit for Notre Dame fans to know.
The moment that Notre Dame football hired defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, his impact was felt from a talent acquisition perspective. During the second week of the transfer portal chaos, head coach Marcus Freeman, Partridge, and the Fighting Irish staff were able to sign former Alabama defensive end Keon Keeley, and defensive tackles Tionne Gray (Oregon) and Francis Brewu (Pitt). In the blink of an eye, an underwhelming process transformed a defensive line group that needed a bump.
Known as an outstanding high school recruiter, Notre Dame fans are now patiently waiting to see the impact he has on that side. Partridge appears to have already found a bit of a diamond in the rough, something he excelled at during his previous stops. The Irish extended an offer recently to 2027 Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas defensive end Wyatt Smith, an extremely interesting player with a bizarre recruiting background. Partridge and the staff are clearly trusting their own evaluations with a player like Smith.
It is uncertain whether Smith is going to be a top target for Notre Dame or whether he is just another talented player to continue building out a strong board. With Partridge’s history of finding underrated recruits and getting the most out of them, it is hard not to trust his evaluations. If the Irish were to push for a player like Smith, however, it would come with some pushback from the Notre Dame fanbase.
If he is a player that the team thinks can help them, then you take him without thinking twice about it. I am curious to see where things go from here with Smith, a player who has a good chance of moving up recruiting rankings quickly heading into his senior season.
Wyatt Smith’s recruiting background
Smith is one of the rare cases of an underrated recruit on an elite program like St. Thomas Aquinas. The 6-6, 230-pound defensive end has yet to be rated by any of the major recruiting platforms. Despite that lack of media recognition, Smith is still generating interest from several college football programs. Some of Smith’s top offers so far include the Fighting Irish, Nebraska, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Purdue, among several others.
As a junior, Smith turned in an outstanding season for St. Thomas Aquinas. In 15 games, Smith managed to collect 115 total tackles, 24 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks. He led the team in each of those categories, while also posting another 33 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and three pass breakups. When you combine the raw size with outstanding production, it is tough to understand why Smith has seemingly gone so underappreciated in recruiting circles.
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