Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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42 OCT. 30, 2021 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED FOOTBALL RECRUITING BY MIKE SINGER O n Sept. 21, Phenix City (Ala.) Glenwood class of 2023 cor- nerback AJ Harris announced a top seven of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, North Carolina, Notre Dame and Ohio State. With scholarship offers from nearly 40 schools, cutting down his list was a quality-of-life decision. "Schools were continuing to reach out that weren't in my top 13, so I felt the need to make a top seven to make it clear these were the final schools I'm talking to," said Harris, who is ranked as the nation's No. 1 cornerback and No. 11 overall player by Rivals. On first glance, a player based in Alabama with southern powers on his short list may look like a long shot for the Fighting Irish to land, but that couldn't be further from the truth. "What they can do for me in every aspect of life," Harris said about why the Irish made his top group. "From the football to the academics, they'll make sure I'm taken care of on and off the field." FAMILY FACTOR Harris was born in California but moved to Germany when he was just 5 months old. His father, Daniel, served in the U.S. Army and was based in Ger- many until they moved to Columbus, Ga., when AJ was 9 years old. Earlier this year, they moved across the Ala- bama-Georgia border to Phenix City, Ala., to be closer to AJ's high school. AJ can still speak a little German, too. "I was surprised the other day with how much he remembered it when his mom was talking to him," Daniel Har- ris said. The close-to-home factor may not be as big for Harris as it is for other prospects in the South, considering he wasn't born and bred in SEC country. He still has a lot of family in Indiana, where his father grew up a big fan of the Fighting Irish. "Being from Indiana, it would natu- rally be Indiana Hoosiers, Indiana Pac- ers and Indianapolis Colts, but Gary, Ind., is so close to Chicago that I liked the Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls and Notre Dame football," the elder Harris said. "I was fed Notre Dame as a kid." Notre Dame cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens extended Harris a scholarship offer Feb. 26, which was a day Daniel Harris will never forget. "It was special," Harris' father added. "Everyone in the house celebrated it because they know how much of a fan I am. I told AJ that it's his show, but that we will definitely give Notre Dame a look." The Harris family got a firsthand look at Notre Dame in June. They knew Dan- iel would enjoy the trip to see his favor- ite college team. What was unexpected was the impact the visit had on AJ, who was blown away by Notre Dame. "When we went there, it was such a special visit for him," the elder Har- ris explained. "He was so surprised and shocked by the quality of the cam- pus, how proactive and welcoming the coaches were and the indoor facility. He was pleasantly surprised with how much it blew him away. "The briefing that they gave on the four-for-40 — that opened his eyes more than anything. At that point, we had already heard three or four different schools' pitch [during vis- its], but when he learned about the reach that Notre Dame has, he was blown away. The education is so im- portant." STRONG CONNECTION WITH IRISH COACHES The Notre Dame staff has not been shy in their pursuit of Harris. He talks with a member of the staff about two or three times per week and has daily text message commu- nication with them, too. "I get a real family-like feel from Coach [Marcus] Freeman, Coach Mickens and Coach [Brian] Kelly," said Harris. "I talk to everyone from the coaching staff. They really make me feel like a priority and that I can make an impact." AJ and his parents had a sit-down meeting with the Irish head coach dur- ing their June visit. "Coach Kelly has been active with me," Harris added. "He's different than me and my dad expected. He's very outgoing and a cool person to talk to. I wouldn't mind playing for him at all." The Harris family is looking to take a trip to Notre Dame in November. They've discussed making it out for the Georgia Tech game Nov. 20 and have nearly finalized their travel itinerary. "The atmosphere," Harris said when asked what he looks to see on game day visits. "That's what I'm looking for now. I know about the relationships — who is genuine and who is not. Now, I want to see the atmospheres of the schools." Harris doesn't plan on taking his recruitment the distance. He wants to decide on a school in December or January, so making sure he gets back on campus before then will be key for the Notre Dame staff. The Irish are already a favorite within his group of favorites. "They're a top-three school for me," Harris said. ✦ Notre Dame Looking To Pull Off Upset And Land Nation's No. 1 Cornerback In Class Of 2023 Notre Dame may seem at a geographical disadvantage for Phenix City (Ala.) Glenwood's AJ Harris, the nation's No. 1 cornerback and No. 11 overall player in the 2023 class per Rivals, but there's plenty going in the Irish's favor. PHOTO BY MIKE SINGER