Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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PREP PROFILES Will Gragg of Pine Bluff (Ark.) High has 28 offers and only needs three more to have the entire Southeast- e r n C o n f e r e n c e c o v e r e d . L u c k y for Notre Dame, the highly sought after tight end has grown up a Fight- ing Irish fan. A l a b a m a , A u - b u r n , F l o r i d a S t a t e , G e o r g i a , LSU, Miami, Okla- h o m a , O r e g o n , P e n n S t a t e a n d Texas are among the programs that have offered the four-star recruit, and Notre Dame re- cently joined the fray. "Notre Dame is right there in the mix because I've grown up a Notre Dame fan," Gragg said. "I am a huge Tyler Eifert fan. He's been a huge role model of mine in the game." At 6-4, 245 pounds, Gragg is al- ready college-ready size, something that is unusual for tight end pros- pects. He is frequently used in the tight end screen game and down the seam on play-action passes. He has experience as a route runner with sharp clean breaks and beats line- backers. His versatility, high level of athleticism, size, pass-catching ability and in-line experience make him the type of tight end threat that the Fight- ing Irish has prided themselves on the last few years. "Coach [Bob] Elliot keeps telling me that that I fit what they are looking for because of my s i z e , m y s p e e d and how I'm not afraid to go to the m i d d l e , " G r a g g said. "Their style of play is what I like to play, and I like how they used Tyler Eifert. And they're winning which is a plus. "I know I can make an immediate impact. They use tight ends as big- time playmakers, and I think I can fill those shoes in well." Gragg mentioned that the SEC and Big 12 programs are pushing the hardest for him, but he hasn't had the time to narrow his choices down. "I want to make the right choice of the best academics and athletics, par- ticularly sports management," Gragg said. "I want to be comfortable and feel like I'm at home. I want to help my team win and be a productive player on the field." This summer, Gregg plans to visit several schools that are recruiting him, including Notre Dame, Florida State and Louisville. — Staci Gasser Irish Will Have To Fight For Touted Arkansas Tight End WILL GRAGG ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Pine Bluff High School Pine Bluff, Ark. Status: Offered Class: 2015 Position: TE Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 245 40-Yard Dash: 4.74 247Sports Rankings: No. 143 overall prospect, No. 6 tight end and No. 2 player in Arkansas