Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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PREP PROFILES At 6-2 and 240 pounds, Chesapeake (Va.) Indian River four-star linebacker Jaquan Yulee is one of the more phys- ically-gifted, college-ready recruits at his position. What's even more impres- sive is that he's only a junior in high school. The talented pros- pect has offers from Clemson, North Car- olina, Notre Dame, M i c h i g a n , N o r t h Carolina State and many others. How- ever, three schools hold the early edge. " U N C , N o t r e Dame and Clemson are my top three," Yulee said. "I don't have one leader, but all three make up my top group. "With Notre Dame, outside of the aca- demics and football-related stuff, I have a little Irish in me, so that's cool. Plus, I have a good relationship with the staff, and I can see myself growing under those guys." Notre Dame entered the mix with an of- fer Aug. 20. Yulee's initial reaction to the tender was the excitement of potentially following in the footsteps of one of his favorite college players. "When I first got the Notre Dame offer, I just thought about Manti Te'o, who ended up with the San Diego Chargers," Yulee said. "I just thought to myself, 'Wow, I could be just like that guy.' "I loved watching him play linebacker at Notre Dame. He was an animal. He was real aggressive, and he was a leader. I try to play the same way out there." As a student-ath- lete that carries a 3.5 GPA in the class- room, Yulee insists that academics will play a major role in his decision. He and his family have the "football isn't for- ever" mindset. "Academics are going to be the first priority and the big- gest priority," Yulee said. "I want a school that has a sports medicine major. I know that Notre Dame, Virginia, UNC and most of the others that have offered me have that major. I'm also looking at playing for a winning program and a team with a coaching staff that can help me become a better player. "The only thing that won't be an issue is distance. I don't mind leaving home. I'd like to find a place where my family can still comfortably travel to the home games, but I have to find the best fit for me." Through nine games this season, Yulee has racked up more than 100 tackles and scored three defensive touchdowns (two on interception returns). — Tom Loy Irish Are In Top Three For Four-Star Virginia Linebacker JAQUAN YULEE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Indian River High School Chesapeake, Va. Status: Offered Class: 2016 Position: Linebacker Ht.: 6-2 · Wt.: 240 40-Yard Dash: 4.69 247Sports Rankings: No. 188 overall player in the nation, No. 8 inside linebacker in the coun- try and No. 4 prospect from Virginia