Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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44 SEPT. 26, 2020 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED FOOTBALL RECRUITING BY MIKE SINGER N otre Dame has three early commit- ments in the 2022 class, including Grand Rapids (Mich.) Catholic Cen- tral linebacker Nolan Ziegler, who Rivals ranks as a three-star recruit and the No. 10 player in the state of Michigan. Ziegler is the lone com- mit on defense thus far, but there are several players whom Notre Dame has impressed. Blue & Gold Illustrated takes a look at those prospects. SEBASTIAN CHEEKS LINEBACKER • 6-2, 205 Evanston (Ill.) High Rivals Rankings: Four-star talent, No. 3 player in Illinois, and No. 12 outside linebacker and No. 97 overall player nationally The Skinny: Notre Dame offered Cheeks July 17 and shot up to the top of his list. There will be tough competition for him, though. He's one of the country's hottest prospects and continues to pick up new scholarship offers, including Texas on Sept. 10. Cheeks thinks the world of Notre Dame defen- sive coordinator Clark Lea and defensive analyst Nick Lezynski, who would be his position coaches as an inside linebacker for the Fighting Irish. Head coach Brian Kelly has been in contact with Cheeks as well. "When they talk about me at backer, they think I can make plays all over the field, just being ver- satile and getting in the backfield," Cheeks said. Cheeks plans to stay patient with his recruiting process and wants junior tape out there before making a decision. Illinois has pushed back high school football to next spring. TYSON FORD DEFENSIVE END • 6-6, 250 St. Louis John Burroughs School Rivals Rankings: Four-star talent, No. 3 player in Missouri, and No. 6 strong-side defensive end and No. 63 overall player nationally The Skinny: Notre Dame offered Ford April 18, and defensive line coach Mike Elston has done a great job staying in consistent communication with the stud prospect. Their relationship has grown strong, which has helped the Irish give itself a great chance to land Ford. Michigan, Michigan State and Missouri are considered Ford's other top options. "Coach [Mike] Elston says that Notre Dame will be a great place for me," Ford said. "He thinks I'd fit in there really well. With the football team, I can fit in there too because they want aggressive players who want to win." Ford hopes to visit these schools after the dead period lifts, which would allow prospects to take recruiting trips again. NIKAI MARTINEZ CORNERBACK • 5-10, 170 Apopka (Fla.) High Rivals Rankings: Four-star talent, No. 21 player in Florida, and No. 20 cornerback and No. 171 overall player nationally The Skinny: Martinez visited Notre Dame last November for the Virginia Tech game, but the Irish decided at that time not to offer him a scholarship. Irish cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens was not on the job at that time, but decided to tender him during a phone conversation Sept. 1. The Irish will battle with Clemson, Florida, Geor- gia, Tennessee and others for the cornerback. Mar- tinez visited South Bend from Florida, showing how much interest he has in Notre Dame. "I really liked the school during my visit," Mar- tinez said. "It was a really cool atmosphere and environment." As a sophomore in 2019, Martinez recorded 56 tackles (43 solo), four interceptions (bringing back one for a touchdown), one fumble recovery and a blocked field goal. TORIANO PRIDE CORNERBACK • 5-11, 183 St. Louis Lutheran North Rivals Rankings: Four-star talent, No. 5 player in Missouri, and No. 18 cornerback and No. 149 overall player nationally The Skinny: Notre Dame defensive backs assis- tant coach Kerry Cooks and Mickens have been in contact with Pride, who raved about the Irish in an interview with Blue & Gold Illustrated. "Coach Mickens made it clear he was offering me on and off the field," said Pride, who received a tender from Notre Dame Aug. 22. "He said he liked my film a lot, and since then he and I talk every day or every other day." Landing the top prospects from across the coun- try is what will help the Irish get closer to winning a national title, but with that comes beating out other top programs. Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Oklahoma, Penn State and Texas A&M have ten- dered Pride since he landed the Fighting Irish offer. The Missouri corner already has connections at Notre Dame — he is close with fellow St. Louis na- tive and current Irish running back Kyren Williams, who attended nearby St. John Vianney, where he and Pride got to know each other. ROBBY SNELLING LINEBACKER • 6-3, 208 Reno (Nev.) McQueen Rivals Rankings: Four-star talent and No. 23 out- side linebacker nationally The Skinny: Snelling is one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2022 class. He committed to the Stanford baseball program back in the summer of 2019. At that point, Snelling had no idea he'd ever get looks for football. He played his first year of varsity ball as a sophomore in 2019 and posted 79 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, four hur- ries, two interceptions, three pass deflections and two forced fumbles from his hybrid strong safety position. Snelling hasn't given a verbal to play both sports in Palo Alto, Calif., and by all indications, he wants to play both sports at the next level. Notre Dame offered Snelling Aug. 10, and he has enjoyed conversations with Lea, Lezynski and recruiting coordinator Brian Polian. Snelling has high interest in the Fighting Irish. ✦ Evanston (Ill.) High's Sebastian Cheeks, the nation's No. 12 outside linebacker and No. 97 overall pros- pect in the junior class per Rivals, is taking a strong liking to Notre Dame. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Five Defensive Recruits To Watch In The 2022 Class