Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Daniel is looking for a school with a strong academic focus, and he's always shown interest in the Irish. Notre Dame offered the five-star talent Feb. 5, and he is another prospect expected to camp in South Bend later this summer. LINEBACKERS 2014 LBs: 15 Projected Take: 3 The late addition of Army All-American inside line- backer Nyles Morgan was significant for Notre Dame. It provides speed and size, and it always helps adding an All-American to the class. In 2013, five-star outside linebacker Jaylon Smith was the All-American, and he performed superbly in year one at Notre Dame. Morgan is also expected to contribute early and often for the Irish. Target: Jashon Cornell, 6-4, 260, Saint Paul, Minn. (Cretin Derham Hall) — Notre Dame has fared well at Cornell's high school in the past. Irish freshman wide receiver James Onwualu, along with current NFL wideout Michael Floyd, offensive lineman Ryan Harris, fullback Rashon Powers-Neal and tight end Marcus Freeman, all Cretin Derham Hall grads, attended Notre Dame during the past decade. The Irish coaching staff has a strong relationship with that school and is the favorite to land the consensus five-star Cornell in 2015. DEFENSIVE BACKS 2014 DBs: 14 Projected Take: 4 Notre Dame has a need at the position and the room to bring in one of the nation's best defensive back classes in 2015. Nick Watkins was a vita pickup at cornerback in 2014, but they will need to add a few more cornerbacks and safeties in 2015 to get the necessary depth in the secondary. Target: Minkah Fitzpatrick, 6-0, 185, Jersey City, N.J. (St. Peters Prep) — Alabama, Florida State, Mich- igan, Notre Dame, Penn State and South Carolina are in the mix to land the standout at cornerback. Fitzpatrick tried to take a trip to South Bend in No- vember, but the timing didn't work out. Due to his interest in attending a school with elite athletics and academics, Notre Dame will get a visit from Fitzpatrick at some point. It remains to be seen whether that will come this summer or during his senior season. SPECIALISTS: 2014 Specialists: 3 Projected Take: 0 or 1 Notre Dame brought in Semper Fidelis All-Ameri- can punter Tyler Newsome in the 2014 class. He was primarily recruited as a punter, but he is also a kicker. He will likely compete for the starting job at both po- sitions in year two in South Bend. A placekicker will probably be offered in the 2015 class, but if New- some shows enough in that area in practice, the Irish could use that scholarship for another position. ✦ 247Sports rates Saint Paul (Minn.) Cretin Derham Hall standout Jashon Cornell as a five-star recruit, the top player in Minnesota, the No. 2 weakside defensive end nationally and the No. 19 overall prospect in the land. PHOTO COURTESY 247SPORTS