Cornerback. Done.

Tight end. Done.

Kicker and punter. Done.

Quarterback. Done, although it never really started considering Notre Dame signed standouts each of the last two years.

So, what positions remain earmarked as high priorities for the ND football staff?

The answer falls somewhere between few and many. And the positions that would carry the most importance would be left tackle, wide receiver and defensive end.

In what is considered a subpar year nationally for offensive linemen, Notre Dame is ahead of the game with three commitments, the headliner being Chicago-area product Chris Watt, who this summer picked the Irish over Ohio State.

The big prize remaining is Fayetteville, N.C. tackle Xavier Nixon, who was expected to visit LSU last weekend before going to Florida this weekend. Nixon is expected to announce his choice at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, which will be played Jan. 3 in San Antonio.

Nixon, however, isn't the only O-line target. And Watt isn’t the only Windy City prospect ND has targeted as the Irish are pursuing tackle Pat Ward. Ward doesn't come as highly regarded as Nixon, but he is considered a four-star prospect (on a five-star scale).

A year after Irish coach Charlie Weis added wide receiver depth and quality with Michael Floyd (already No. 2 on the depth chart), Deion Walker and John Goodman, the goal this year is to land a legitimate deep threat.

Sophomore Golden Tate, perhaps the team's fastest player, continues to make the transition from high school running back to college wide receiver. A burner (think SEC-quality speed) would augment Notre Dame's offense, and some big names remain uncommitted.

Notre Dame is involved with Rueben Randle of Bastrop, La., and Shaquelle Evans of Inglewood, Calif. If geographic history plays a role, Notre Dame would figure to have a better shot at Evans. The Irish have seven scholarship players on their 85-man roster who come from California, none from Louisiana. Evans has scheduled a visit to Notre Dame the weekend of the Sept. 27 Purdue game.

One player who recently left the Irish board is Jamal Patterson of McDonough, Ga. Patterson picked Stanford, although a name to keep an eye on is Markeith Ambles, a teammate of Patterson at Henry County High. Ambles, a junior, already has received a number of offers.

The most talked-about name in terms of Irish targets at defensive end has been Anthony LaLota of The Hun School in Princeton, N.J. Notre Dame is one of seven finalists for LaLota and has been considered among the leaders, although Michigan and Virginia are pushing hard.

Notre Dame has two things going for it in its pursuit of LaLota. LaLota’s teammate, nose tackle Tyler Stockton, committed to ND the weekend of its spring game. And Weis is a New Jersey native himself, and he’s enjoyed tremendous success in the Garden State since taking the Irish job in 2005. He’s signed a number of Jersey players, and, in addition to Stockton, has received verbal commitments this year from Somerville running back Theo Riddick and Verona linebacker Carlo Calabrese.

Weis and his staff continue to pursue two of the nation’s premier linebackers — Manti Te’o of Honolulu and Jelani Jenkins of Maryland. Te’o, who plays at Punahou School, may be making a name for himself, but he has a long way to go to catch another Punahou product. Barack Obama is a 1979 graduate of the school.

NCAA recruiting rules prohibit Weis or his coaches from publicly commenting on a recruit until the player has signed a national letter-of-intent. Signing day is Feb. 4.

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