In Charlie Weis’s last season as Notre Dame’s head football coach, he landed a recruit of such importance that his impact on the program is still being felt, three seasons on. Manti Te’o was a linebacker and under Weis, that was a neglected position in a neglected unit. By the time his career was over, Te’o had led the Irish to an undefeated 2012 season, the National Championship Game, was the Heisman runner-up and walked away with more individual accolades than Audy Murphy. Today, there is every reason to expect Jaylon Smith will be better.
To understand how big a get Manti was, I believe it helps to work backwards.