Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2019 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1133608
98 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW LINEBACKERS • Recorded 79 tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception as a senior while helping lead Penn High School to a 13-2 re- cord and the Class 6A state championship game. • Selected as the Indiana Defensive Player of the Year and an All-USA Indiana first-team performer by USA Today. • Named the state's Mr. Football Defensive Back by the Indiana Football Coaches Association. • Listed as a three-star recruit, the No. 8 player in In- diana and the No. 49 safety in the country by ESPN. JEREMIAH OWUSU-KORAMOAH • ROVER Jr. • Hampton, Va. Ht.: 6-1½ • Wt.: 215 • Played in two contests in 2018 before undergoing foot surgery. • Redshirted in 2017 and spent the season on the scout team. • Notched 71 total stops, 13 tack- les for loss, seven interceptions and five forced fumbles during his senior season at Bethel High School. • Earned a spot on the 2016 Virginia All-State first team. • Rated as a four-star recruit, the No. 15 prospect in Virginia and the No. 28 safety nationally by ESPN. SHAYNE SIMON • BUCK So. • West Orange, N.J. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 230 • Finished the 2018 seasons with four tackles and one pass de- fended in nine games played. • Compiled 55 tackles, 15 stops for loss, three sacks and five in- terceptions during his senior year at St. Peter's Prep. • Played both ways in high school, and led the team in catches (53), receiving yards (848) and receiv- ing touchdowns (six) during his senior campaign. • Named to the NJ.com and USA Today New Jersey All-State first team. • Picked up 2017 Defensive Player of the Year and All-Area accolades from The Hudson Reporter. • Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and recorded one tackle and broke up one pass. • Rated as a four-star talent, the No. 3 player in New Jersey, and the No. 5 outside linebacker and No. 48 overall prospect in the country by 247Sports. DREW WHITE • BUCK Jr. • Boca Raton, Fla. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 225 • Competed in four games last year and made eight tackles. • Compiled 177 total tackles, 116 solo stops and 18.5 tackles for loss while helping St. Thomas Aquinas High School win three straight 7A state titles. • Led the team in tackles (107), solo stops (63), as- sists (44) and tackles per game (8.2) as a senior. • Selected to the USA Today 2016 Florida All-State first team and picked to the Associated Press Class 7A All-State second team. • Regarded by 247sports as a three-star prospect, the No. 38 talent in Florida and the No. 14 outside linebacker in the nation. NEWCOMER JD BERTRAND • MIKE Fr. • Roswell, Ga. Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 200 • Racked up 278 tackles, 37.5 stops for loss and 22.5 sacks during his high school career at Blessed Trinity. • Named the 2018 Atlanta Journal-Constitution 7-AAAA Defensive Player of the Year. • Landed on the Georgia AAAA All-State first team as a senior. • Ranked as a three star, the No. 40 player in Geor- gia and the nation's No. 27 inside linebacker by Rivals. ESPN and 247Sports gave him a fourth star. OSITA EKWONU • BUCK Fr. • Charlotte, N.C. Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 220 • Was a dual threat in high school, recording 90 tackles on defense while adding 765 yards and 12 scores on the ground. • Named the 2018 Greater Charlotte Football As- sociation Linebacker of the Year. • Tabbed a four-star recruit, the No. 9 player in North Carolina, and the No. 15 inside linebacker and the No. 232 overall prospect nationally by Rivals. JACK KISER • ROVER Fr. • Royal Center, Ind. Ht.: 6-1½ • Wt.: 212 • Finished his high school career with prolific statis- tics on both sides of the football, recording 3,771 passing yards, 59 passing touchdowns, 7,364 rushing yards, 139 rushing touchdowns, 424 total stops, 20 interceptions, nine forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries. • Named the 2018 MaxPreps Small Schools Na- tional Player of the Year and the 2018 Indiana Mr. Football. • Landed on the USA Today Indiana All-State first- team defense in 2017 and 2018. • Ranked by 247Sports as a four-star talent, the No. 5 player in Indiana, and the No. 13 outside linebacker and No. 191 overall player in the nation. MARIST LIUFAU • BUCK Fr. • Kalihi, Hawai'i Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 205 • Finished with 40 tackles, nine stops behind the line of scrimmage and eight sacks during his se- nior season at Punahou High School. • Tabbed as a first-team selection for the 2017 and 2018 all-state defensive squad. • Awarded the 2018 Interscholastic League of Ho- nolulu Defensive Most Valuable Player. • Regarded by Rivals as a three-star prospect, the No. 6 player in Hawai'i and the nation's No. 36 outside linebacker. 98 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW After cross-training at rover and Buck linebacker as a freshman last season, Shayne Simon transitioned exclusively to an inside linebacker role during the spring. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL