Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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PREP PROFILES Virginia Beach (Va.) Ocean Lakes has top college prospects every year, a trend that will continue in 2016. Four-star cornerback Levonta Taylor, only a junior, has a loaded offer list that includes Flor- ida, Florida State, Michigan, Okla- homa and Penn State. Notre Dame jumped into the mix with an offer May 15. "That was just one of those big offers you want to get," the 5-10, 170-pounder said. "Notre Dame al- ways plays a hard schedule, they play the best of the best, and they are on national television. It's just a great school." Taylor was informed of the offer from the Irish by his head coach, but his phone conversation with Notre Dame tight ends coach and Virginia recruiter Scott Booker made it all sink in. "Coach Booker came by the school and told my coach that he loved my film and what I bring at cornerback," Taylor said. "He was telling me that Coach Booker liked my physicality, toughness and my ball skills. "When we talked on the phone, he told me all about why I should give Notre Dame a real look and come up for a visit. Coach said that it's the place to be for a kid like me, and he said that I'm a Notre Dame type of person." Taylor was hoping to make it to South Bend this summer, but his plans fell through. Taylor would like to come for a game this fall and see what a typical game-day atmosphere is like in South Bend. "It looks pretty s p e c i a l w h e n I watch on televi- sion," he said. "I want to see it in person. I'll look at my schedule and go from there. Get- ting to a game is a must before I make a decision." As one of the nation's premier junior prospects, Taylor was one of the few players his age to get invited to Nike's The Opening in Beaverton, Ore., this summer. The elite prospect camp al- lowed recruits a big stage to put their talents on display. "That was incredible," he said. "Ev- eryone you go up against is the best of the best. It was just crazy. I'm real con- fident in my abilities, and those guys made me work. I think I did my thing, but those guys all made it tough on me. I definitely got better from it." — Tom Loy Virginia Speedster Is Eager To Visit Notre Dame LEVONTA TAYLOR ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Ocean Lakes High School Virginia Beach, Va. Status: Offered Class: 2016 Position: Cornerback Ht.: 5-10 · Wt.: 170 40-Yard Dash: 4.41 247Sports Rankings: No. 49 overall player in the nation, No. 3 cornerback in the country and No. 1 prospect in Virginia