Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/219972
football recruiting Significant Six: Irish Focused On Elite Prospects To Close Out 2014 Haul By Tom Loy W ith 19 prospects committed in the 2014 class, Notre Dame is likely to land six additional recruits on or before National Signing Day, Feb. 5, 2014. While there are a number of targets left on the recruiting board, here's a look at six recruits that top the wish list and an evaluation of where Notre Dame stands with each. DT Matt Elam 6-6, 350, Elizabethtown, Ky. (John Hardin) 247Sports Ranking: Five-star recruit, No. 1 player in Kentucky, No. 2 defensive tackle in the nation and No. 7 overall prospect in the land. The Breakdown: Alabama, Kentucky and Notre Dame are the final three for the mammoth defensive tackle. Elam has taken official visits to a two of the three schools, with the Kentucky trip in December and will likely take one more unofficial visit to all three schools prior to Signing Day. Notre Dame is trying to get him to be the immediate replacement for All-American nose guard Louis Nix III, and they are selling him on early playing time in South Bend. DB John "JuJu" Smith 6-1, 200, Long Beach, Calif. (Poly) 247Sports Ranking: Five-star recruit, No. 2 player in California, No. 2 athlete in the country and No. 14 overall prospect in the nation. The Breakdown: This recruitment is likely going to come down to two schools — Notre Dame and USC. The standout defensive back took an official visit to South Bend in October and saw the Irish beat the Trojans. The uncertainty at head coach is hurting USC, but the Trojans are his childhood favorite. Irish assistant coach Mike Denbrock has handled Smith's recruitment tremendously well and will be tough to beat down the stretch. DT Thomas Holley 6-6, 350, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Abraham Lincoln) 247Sports Ranking: Five-star prospect, No. 1 player in New York, No. 4 defensive tackle nationally and No. 24 overall recruit in the country. The Breakdown: This recruitment is simple — get Holley back to South Bend for an official visit in December and Notre Dame's chances at landing the five-star recruit increase significantly. Holley will not select the Irish if he doesn't make a return trip. He and his uncle were on campus this past summer, and they raved about