Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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prep profiles Notre Dame In The Mix For Five-Star California Safety Long Beach (Calif.) Long Beach Poly visits for the schools that are harder to athlete John Smith, who goes by the get to." nickname "Juju," While some profirst started heargrams are recruiting John Smith ing from Notre Smith as a receiver, ✪✪✪✪✪ Dame in midNotre Dame sees him Long Beach Poly February, and the as a safety first. Long Beach, Calif. interest level grew "Coach Denbrock Status: Offered rather quickly told me defensive Position: Safety with an offer folback, but I told him Ht.: 6-1 · Wt.: 200 lowing just a week initially I wanted to 40-yard dash: 4.6 later. play offense in col247Sports Ranking: No. 2 "Coach [Mike] lege," Smith shared. player in California, the nation's No. 2 athlete Denbrock said "But I feel defensive and the country's No. 19 overall prospect they're strongly back may actually be interested in me, better for me at the and they're going to keep coming after next level because of my frame and my me hard because they'd love for me to strengths, but he told me they would just be an early commit for them," the 6-1, see when I got there. I like that I'd have 200-pound five-star player said. "Right the option of being on either side." now, my interest in Notre Dame is really Smith is in favor of using all five of his high." official visits, but he hasn't locked any in Smith has five programs that stand at this time. out to him the most at this stage of his "This is a life experience," he said. recruitment. "Add the fact that I get to see these "Notre Dame, Michigan, USC, UCLA places for free, and it's a no brainer that and Ohio State," he listed. I want to use all five. But I'm only going The California native has yet to take to visit schools that I'm really interested many visits, and he's eager to get the in —I don't want to waste anybody's opportunity to do so. time." "As of right now I don't have anything The touted prospect plans on taking set up, but I'm really looking forward to his time in the decision process. it," Smith said. "I know I will definitely "I'll most likely commit after the coltake one to Notre Dame, but it will prob- lege football season," Smith continued. ably be during the season as an official "I want to wait and see how the teams visit because it's hard to get to schools are doing on the season and how they that are farther away on unofficials. react to everything." "I'm planning on saving my official — Jason Sapp