April Recruiting Update

The new coaching staff is leaving its mark on the recruiting trail. The 2018 class is currently one of the best in the country and many 2019 athletes are taking notice as well. The staff just held its first sophomore day, and I hope it becomes an annual event. It gives athletes a chance to develop relationships with the coaching staff at a younger age which will help as they mature throughout their high school careers. The new coaching staff is certainly exploring new horizons, and positive buzz is surrounding the campus.

I want to use this article to talk about the 2018 class as it stands today. We have yet to go into detail about many of the newer commits. After Notre Dame’s Junior Day in early February, the staff received some great news with a pair of commitments on February 13th. The first one was from four-star Kalon Gervin, a cornerback prospect from Cass Technical Academy in Detroit, Michigan. Cass Tech sends many of their star football players to the University of Michigan making his commitment a surprise to some, but those close to Gervin have stated Notre Dame was always the school for him. The mix of high academics and big time football won out once he stepped foot on campus. The second pledge came from four-star safety Derrick Allen. Notre Dame defensive coordinator, Mike Elko, developed a great relationship with Allen while at Wake Forest, and that relationship carried over when he accepted his role at Notre Dame. Allen is an extremely gifted athlete, and his defensive position at Notre Dame is still up in the air. It is believed that the coaching staff would like to see him at safety, but the possibility of playing corner or even Rover have been tossed around. Allen is one of the best defensive players in the 2018 class and a consensus top 100 player.

The good news kept on rolling the very next day when Notre Dame received a verbal from another Junior Day attendee, three-star offensive tackle Cole Mabry from the Tennessee high school ranks. Mabry doesn’t have a huge offer list, but when Harry Hiestand offers it is important to take notice. Mabry is on the smaller side right now weight wise, only weighing 265 pounds, but his 6’6 frame suggests he has plenty of room to add good weight before he steps on Notre Dame’s campus as a freshman. Mabry is certainly a candidate to earn a fourth star after he hits the camp circuits and grows into his body more.

Notre Dame received two more commitments in February, both from wide receivers. Both of these players bring traits that are needed, but they are much different players at the position. The first commit came from three-star Micah Jones from nearby Illinois. Jones is a guy that the staff evaluated for a long time, and it was up in the air if he held a committable offer from the staff. He is a very raw prospect and does not possess top level speed, and many believe he could actually develop into a tight end in the future. Jones, 6’5, definitely has ideal height to become a reliable possession receiver and has room to improve athletically. The second wide receiver commit came from four-star speedster Braden Lenzy from Oregon. This is the first time the staff has dipped into the state of Oregon since they locked up a commitment from defensive end Ethan Johnson several years ago, and Lenzy looks like the real deal. He is one of the fastest players in the 2018 class, and Notre Dame fans are drooling over the Will Fuller comparisons. Lenzy also has the ability to play on the defense side, and is a more rounded athlete than Fuller coming out of high school. His upside is off the charts.

The most recent commitment came from another projectable offensive lineman with limited offers, this time from three-star John Dirksen from Ohio. Dirksen has more bulk than Mabry at this point, weighing in at a healthy 305, but much like Mabry, I see a fourth star coming his way before this cycle is over. Both of these guys were top targets of Harry Hiestand and should only receive more attention and offers soon.

The new staff has definitely done a much better job with establishing talent, getting that talent to campus, and leaving a lasting impression on that talent quickly. Junior Day was as big of a success as it has ever been, and the positive buzz around Notre Dame right now is rubbing off on many 2018 and 2019 recruits specifically. Add a strong season on the field, and this class can finish in the top three very easily. Stay locked into @NDDomerDaily and the Golden Domer Daily recruiting staff @LasVegasIrish09 and @IrishDaily10 for all of your recruiting updates.