Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com JUNE/JULY 2021 53 FOOTBALL RECRUITING Notre Dame wants to finish its 2022 offensive line class strong and will have four key blockers on campus for the June 18 weekend. Whitefish Bay (Wis.) High's Joe Brunner, Rivals' No. 9 offensive tackle and No. 58 overall recruit nationally; Hammond (Wis.) St. Croix Central's Carson Hinzman, the top center and No. 82 overall player in the country per Ri- vals; Fond du Lac (Wis.) St. Mary's Springs' Billy Schrauth, Rivals' No. 2 guard and No. 114 overall prospect in the land; and Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne's Aamil Wagner, the No. 29 tackle and No. 198 overall prospect in America per Rivals, will all be on campus. The Irish's top competition for Brunner, Hinzman and Schrauth seems to be Wisconsin, while they are in a battle with Ohio State for Wagner. Notre Dame landed a pledge from West Des Moines (Iowa) Valley's Eli Raridon, Rivals' No. 22 tight end in the country, on May 2, and may be closing in on a commitment from At- lanta Westminster's Holden Staes, a four-star player and the No. 14 tight end nationally per Rivals. Both pros- pects will officially visit for the June 18 weekend, and we predict both will sign with the Irish come December. Longtime Irish target Nicholas Sin- gleton, the No. 9 running back and No. 126 overall prospect nationally ac- cording to Rivals, from Shillington (Pa.) Governor Mifflin Senior will make his third trip to South Bend. Notre Dame is battling with Alabama, Penn State and others for the four-star ball carrier. Rivals ranks Katy (Texas) High wide receiver Nicholas Anderson as a three-star prospect, while ESPN views him as the nation's No. 61 overall re- cruit. The 6-4, 183-pounder is likely leaning towards the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame will also host a pair of top-of-the-board defensive prospects in Las Vegas Bishop Gorman's Cyrus Moss, Rivals' No. 2 weak-side defen- sive end and No. 80 overall prospect in America, and Pleasant Hill (Iowa) Southeast Polk's Xavier Nwankpa, the No. 8 safety and No. 84 overall recruit nationally per Rivals. Safeties coach Chris O'Leary and Co. will look to make up ground on Ohio State for Nwankpa, while it's anyone's guess as to where Moss is leaning. Oregon may be the current favorite. Evanston (Ill.) High's Sebastian Cheeks, the No. 12 outside linebacker and No. 109 overall player in the country per Rivals, was scheduled to officially visit June 18, but he may be moved to a different weekend. JUNE 25-27 Notre Dame has three commits scheduled to visit for the June 25 week- end. Denison (Texas) High's Jadarian Price, the nation's No. 5 running back and No. 230 overall prospect per Ri- vals; Chantilly (Va.) High's Aiden Gob- aira, a three-star recruit and Rivals' No. 28 weak-side defensive end in the country; and Corona (Calif.) Centen- nial's Jaden Mickey, a four-star talent and Rivals' No. 35 cornerback nation- ally, will all meet the Irish coaching staff and each other for the first time. For Notre Dame to close the gap on the likes of Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State, it will need to land elite offensive weapons such as Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei's CJ Williams and Highlands Ranch (Colo.) Valor Christian's Gavin Sawchuk. Williams, who Rivals ranks as the nation's No. 3 wide receiver and No. 27 overall player in the country, may be favoring the Irish but will also take June trips to Ohio State and Texas. It appears to be a Notre Dame-Oklahoma battle for Sawchuk, Rivals' No. 2 running back and No. 44 overall player in America. Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha safety KJ Winston, a Rivals three-star recruit, is expected to officially visit as well. Penn State looks to be the Irish's big- gest threat for the 6-2, 190-pounder. Arlington (Texas) Martin's Ernest Cooper, a three-star recruit and Rivals' No. 35 strong-side defensive end in the land, is scheduled to use an official to Notre Dame for the June 25 week- end, but we wouldn't be surprised to see that trip end up canceled. Lynchburg (Va.) Liberty Christian's Zach Rice, Rivals' No. 3 offensive tackle and No. 17 overall recruit nationally, also locked in his official visit to see Notre Dame that weekend. North Car- olina is considered the leader for the five-star recruit, but the Irish will get his last visit and have a puncher's chance. Other prospects to keep an eye on who could set up June official visits include Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith's Sherrod Covil, a four-star talent and the No. 22 safety nationally per Rivals; West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West's Jyaire Brown, a four-star Ohio State commit who is listed as the nation's No. 121 player and No. 15 cornerback by Rivals; and Richmond (Va.) St. Christopher's Andre Greene Jr., a four-star recruit and the No. 30 receiver in America. ✦ Who's Next To Commit? Pittsburgh Central Catholic DT Donovan Hinish: We could see him popping anywhere from May to July. He is considered a strong Fighting Irish lean. His older brother, Kurt, is a fifth-year senior interior defensive lineman for Notre Dame, and we see Donovan continu- ing the family legacy in South Bend. Atlanta Westminster TE Holden Staes: We are eye- ing an early May commitment date for the four-star pass catcher. Staes' game resembles former Notre Dame tight end Tommy Tremble and both are from the Atlanta area. Naples (Fla.) High CB Devin Moore: The Irish are the unofficial favorite for the talented defensive back, but the likes of Alabama, Florida and Stanford are involved. Following his June 11-13 Notre Dame visit, there's a good chance Moore picks the Irish. Phoenix Brophy Prep CB Benjamin Morrison: Ala- bama and Notre Dame are considered by pundits as the top programs for the four-star prospect. The Irish are pushing hard for Morrison, and we like their chances to land him following his June 11-13 official visit, like Moore. Mission Hills (Calif.) Bishop Alemany LB Niuafe "Ju- nior" Tuihalamaka: He will also officially visit June 11- 13, and the word is that he will likely choose the Irish the following weekend on his father's birthday. — Mike Singer The Fighting Irish could be closing in land- ing a pledge from Atlanta Westminster tight end Holden Staes, who has been compared to former Notre Dame standout Tommy Tremble. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM