Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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52 MARCH 2021 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2021 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY TODD D. BURLAGE Trying to match the football legacy of his NFL father and namesake, Irish freshman Lorenzo Styles Jr. begins his journey at Notre Dame facing some unique challenges in a quest to find the football success Lorenzo Styles Sr. enjoyed in college and beyond. A versatile 6-0, 180-pound, put- him-anywhere type of athlete — and the second-highest rated player in the 27-man 2021 Irish recruiting class, per Rivals — Lorenzo Jr. was recruited to Notre Dame as an explosive and shifty slot receiver. The two-way standout at Pickering- ton Central High School near Colum- bus, Ohio, could even make an even- tual move to cornerback or safety. If Styles sticks at the position Notre Dame recruited him to play, he will be the fourth-highest-rated receiver the Irish have signed since Rivals launched its recruiting rankings in 2002. Rated as the No. 6 receiver and the nation's No. 55 overall player, Styles trails only Michael Floyd (No. 27 in 2008), Jordan Johnson (No. 28 in 2020) and Duval Kamara (No. 34 in 2007). Ironically, had Lorenzo Sr. not introduced his son to football, the story of Lorenzo Jr. might've taken a "track" away from Notre Dame. "I probably would've just ran track and tried to get a scholarship that way," Lorenzo Jr. said. A star Ohio State linebacker (1992-94) and a six-year NFL veteran (1995-2000) — Lorenzo Sr. was will- ing to sit back and let his son map his own athletic course. "I just decided I wanted to play football," said Lorenzo Jr., who grad- uated high school early and enrolled at Notre Dame in February. "My dad was never going to pressure me ath- letically. Dad saw the potential I had from a young age, and he helped me utilize it, and I took advantage of it." Lorenzo Sr. wasn't the lone fam- ily member who helped Lorenzo Jr. develop into a four-star prep player who chose Notre Dame over Ohio State, a school he visited countless times with his father, a celebrated alumnus. Current Pickerington High School junior Alex "Sonny" Styles — Lo- renzo's "little brother," and a bud- ding star athlete in the 2023 recruit- ing class — was never willing to cut any slack to his "big brother." Sonny — two grades younger than Lorenzo but at 6-4, 208 pounds, three inches taller and more than 30 pounds heavier — has been pushing big brother for years. "Even when Sonny was younger, he's just been bigger and crazy athletic. We've always been competing since a young age," Lorenzo Jr. explained. "Lorenzo is going to want me to come play at Notre Dame with him, of course, but he wants me to go wher- ever is best for me," explained Sonny, who not surprisingly already holds an Ohio State offer. "Just like our dad didn't push my brother to go to Ohio State, it'll be the same thing for me." ✦ Lorenzo Styles Jr. Embraces Namesake And Expectations Styles is the fourth-highest-rated receiver Notre Dame has signed since Rivals launched its rank- ings in 2002, checking in as the recruiting ser- vice's No. 55 overall player in the country. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM LORENZO STYLES JR. WIDE RECEIVER 6-0 · 180 PICKERINGTON CENTRAL H.S. PICKERINGTON, OHIO RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 55 6 2 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 247 44 7 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 132 18 5 STATISTICS • Caught 16 passes for 263 yards and two touch- downs during his senior season. • Also added 43 rushing attempts for 432 yards and three scores, plus three punt return touch- downs and a kickoff return score to help lead Pickerington Central to the Division 1 state title game, where it lost 44-3 to St. Xavier. NOTABLE • Born on Sept. 9, 2002. • 2020 Ohio Division I All-State Offensive Player of the Year and first-team offense. • 2020 MaxPreps All-State first-team offense. • 2020 Ohio Capital Conference-Buckeye Player of the Year and first-team offense. • 2020 Ohio All-Central District Division I Of- fensive Player of the Year and first-team offense. • 2019 Ohio All-Central District Division I first- team offense. • 2018 All-Central District Division I second- team defense. • His father, Lorenzo Styles Sr., played line- backer for Ohio State from 1992-94 before spending several years in the NFL. • His younger brother Sonny is a class of 2023 recruit who holds an offer from Notre Dame. • Intends to major in finance. RECRUITMENT • Earned his Notre Dame scholarship offer during the summer of 2018 after an impressive camp performance in South Bend. • Visited Ohio State and Notre Dame on sev- eral occasions, and spurned the local Buckeyes despite being a legacy prospect. • Committed to Notre Dame during a campus visit, which was the weekend when the Irish defeated USC in October 2019. • Recruited by wide receivers coach Del Al- exander and former Irish offensive coordinator Chip Long. • Michigan and others tried to flip Styles from his commitment, but he stayed true to the Irish. • Enrolled at Notre Dame in February. 2021 PROJECTION • Styles has excellent talent on both sides and could see playing time at either receiver or defen- sive back, and don't be surprised to see him as the punt returner in 2021. THEY SAID IT Rivals national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney: "Styles has impressive athleticism and playmaking ability, and he was used all over the field in high school whether in the slot, outside, lining up in the backfield and even at cornerback. That speed and athletic ability should be welcomed in Notre Dame's offense. Coach Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees will figure out all kinds of ways to get him the ball." National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming: "On offense, he runs crisp routes, shows good hands, has the ability to quickly get deep, and will fearlessly go over the middle. He has already become adept at beating man-to-man coverage and uses his long arms and strong hands to his advantage. Throw in his 4.4 speed and you've got yourself a go-to wide receiver. "On the defensive side of the ball, he shows good footwork, can make plays on the ball, and has the ability to turn and run with the best of them. Styles is a naturally explosive athlete with big-time skills."