The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have talent to work with at the QB position, but the future is anything but clear. Malik Zaire has fantastic potential and will likely start in 2015, and young guns DeShone Kizer and Brandon Wimbush are both talented enough to leave their mark on the program.
Still, the Notre Dame faithful know there's a long distance between potential and results. 4-Star Everett Golson hasn't lived up to expectations for a variety of reasons, and 5-Star Gunner Kiel's transfer proved that even the best players are far from predictable.
Even with three young studs on the roster, Brian Kelly knows he'd be foolish to stop bringing in top QB talent. With that in mind, the Class of 2016 has several big names that Notre Dame's coaching staff is already monitoring closely...
3. Dwayne Haskins
Haskins is a pro-style QB from Maryland who Brian Kelly has been keeping tabs on for some time now. He isn't the finished product yet, but Haskins is a natural winner who radiates confidence, and coaches love his poise in the pocket.
While the Irish have been a big fan for some time, they might have lost ground with QBs coach Steve LaFleur's departure for the Atlanta Falcons. LaFleur has been Haskins' primary recruiter, and while him leaving doesn't rule out the Irish, it certainly won't help them land a player already leaning toward Ohio State.
2. Jawon Pass
Pass is a Georgia native with off-the-charts potential. Standing 6'5 and weighing in at 213 pounds, Pass is a dual-threat QB who can make NFL throws, but also make tacklers miss with astoundingly polished footwork.
Notre Dame is in his second tier of schools, but ND TEs coach and recruiting ace Scott Booker is on the case. LaFleur's departure for the NFL is not expected to have a major effect on Pass's recruitment, since Booker has been his primary recruiter from the outset.
1. Shea Patterson
The #3 pro-style QB in the Class of '16 is a popular guy these days - a number of top programs have prioritized him at once, leading to visits to Texas A&M and USC plus in-home visits from LSU and Arizona coaches all in the last few weeks. Notre Dame is high on Patterson's list, though, and ND was the only school he (unofficially) visited for a game this past season (the 31-0 shutout win over Michigan).
A cool, collected presence who can make plays with his arm or his feet, Patterson is an absolute dynamo on the field who makes plays happen long after they've looked doomed. Despite being listed as a pro-style QB, Patterson can move exceptionally well and is both clever and elusive on the run.
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