After months of going back-and-forth, committing and then decommitting, five-star quarterback Gunner Kiel (Columbus, Ind./East) has finally found a home.
In a statement released b the University of Notre Dame, Kiel has official joined the Irish football team as an early enrollee and a member of the Class of 2012.
The Notre Dame coaching staff certainly worked hard to land Kiel and its persistence appears to have finally paid off.
Notre Dame appeared to target Kiel and Ohio standout Maty Mauk (Kenton, Ohio/Kenton) very early in the process as its top quarterback prospects in the Class of 2012. In July, Kiel committed to Indiana despite receiving offers from programs like Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee, USC, and Wisconsin. Kiel’s brother Dusty was slated to be Indiana’s starting quarterback this past fall and the in-state Hoosiers scored a major recruiting coup when Kiel made his shocking commitment.
As Indiana’s season began to implode Kiel decided to re-open his recruitment and once again considered Notre Dame. His brother, Dusty, has since left the Indiana program after its 1-11 season.
After Kiel re-opened his commitment, three programs quickly rose to the top of Kiel’s list. Notre Dame, LSU, and Vanderbilt emerged as the leaders for Kiel and each program received a visit for the five-star quarterback. Two days after Christmas, Kiel pulled off a bit of a stunner when he turned down the in-state Irish to commit to LSU.
It appeared Notre Dame would miss out on the best in-state player in this class. But for Notre Dame and its pursuit of a top quarterback in the Class of 2012, the third time was the charm. Kiel apparently had a last-minute change of heart and instead of beginning classes today in Baton Rouge he will be in South Bend for his first day of classes at Notre Dame.
Kiel ranks as either the nation’s No. 1 (Scout.com, 24/7) or No. 2 (Rivals, ESPN) quarterback in this class. The Army All-American passed for 2,517 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading Columbus East to a 12-2 record and the semi-finals of the Indiana High School Football Playoffs. Kiel passed for 7,462 yards and 89 touchdowns during the past three seasons.
During his career at Columbus East Kiel, played for Bob Gaddis, one of the top coaches in the state of Indiana. Columbus East ran a shotgun-based spread offense that will help Kiel make a bit of an easier adjustment to the Notre Dame offense.
As an early enrollee, Kiel gives the Irish another talented young player at the quarterback position. Notre Dame is likely going to have another open quarterback competition this spring and Kiel will now be in the mix along with incumbent Tommy Rees, sophomore Andrew Hendrix, and talented freshman Everett Golson.
It remains to be seen how much Kiel’s last-minute decision for Notre Dame will impact the rest of the class for the Irish. Landing arguably the best quarterback in the country certainly won’t hurt the Irish as they look to finish this class off with players like Nelson Agholor, Josh Garnett, Brian Poole, Anthony Standifer, and former commit Ronald Darby.
Here is my evaluation of Kiel:
Kiel is widely considered the No. 1 quarterback in the country, and it doesn’t take long to see why. Kiel has prototypical size, with an impressive 6-foot-4 and 215-pound frame. He is a strong football player that is able to hold up in the pocket under pressure and is able to lower his shoulder and run over defensive players in space. Kiel throws a gorgeous deep ball. He can throw the ball well over 50 yards in the air, and he does so with good velocity. The ball does not float when he throws it deep and he does a great job leading his receivers vertically. His deep ball reminds me of the kind of deep ball that Jimmy Clausen threw at Notre Dame. Kiel possesses a very quick release, which is ideal for a spread offense. He does a nice job keeping a good base in the pocket, keeping his feet active, and staying in position to immediately throw the football as soon as he makes the proper read. Kiel is also a confident player and often tries (successfully I might add) to fit the ball into tight windows. He attacks the middle of the field just as aggressively as he attacks the perimeter. For a young quarterback he shows a natural understanding of reads, progressions, and where to go with the football that is beyond his years. Considering his pedigree, and the fact he is coached by one of Indiana's best offensive minds in Bill Gaddis, it is not surprising. His arm strength is good, but there are some perimeter throws that he does not make as easily as I would like to see, but that improved as a senior. He has the tools, but there are times when Kiel tries to use too much arm and not enough of his body on those throws. As he learns to use his core a bit more when throwing over the middle and to the perimeter he will get more zip on those tougher throws. Kiel is not a runner, but he can run. He is not a player that is going to cause teams to drastically adjust their game plans to account for his ability to run the football, but if he sees a run lane inside or gets to the perimeter he can make a play with his good overall athleticism. Kiel’s running ability allows him to effectively move the chains with his legs, something that should continue at the next level. These traits should allow him to make a quick and smooth transition to a spread offense in college, something he runs in high school.
