Notre Dame Football: Ranking 3 biggest recruiting misses of Brian Kelly era

3. Blake Barnett, QB

First on the list is Blake Barnett, a five-star quarterback with a world of potential and a vast array of options at his disposal. Initially committing to Notre Dame in November of 2013, Barnett would decommit in June, 2014 following an unofficial visit with Oregon.

While many speculated that this was a result of Oregon’s pursuit of Barnett after missing out on Kyler Murray, he would ultimately enroll at Alabama for the 2015 season. After being beaten out for the starting job by Jalen Hurts, Barnett would finish his 2016 season in junior college. Once transfer regulations were satisfied, Barnett committed to and later enrolled at Arizona State.

Barnett would attempt only five passes for the Sun Devils before transferring again to South Florida. Finally granted an opportunity for a full season, Barnett combined for 20 total touchdowns and 11 interceptions, by far the most efficient production of his college career. However, Barnett would start only three games in 2019, burning away his final year of eligibility.

While Barnett didn’t quite live up to his five-star projection, it’s natural to consider what could have been had Barnett followed through with his commitment to Notre Dame. While DeShone Kizer enjoyed a statistically sound year for the Irish in 2016, Barnett’s scheduled first year as a starter would be the same one in which the Irish went 4-8, their worst finish in nearly a decade.