Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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PREP PROFILES Speed is important when recruiting the wide receiver position, and Niceville (Fla.) High four-star wide receiver Eli Stove has plenty of it. The 6-1, 178-pounder has been clocked at 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Partly due to his impres- sive time, the Notre Dame staff extended an offer Nov. 3 and made it clear that he will be a top priority going forward. "I was really sur- prised by the offer," S t ove s a i d . " M y coach told me that they have had in- terest in me for a while and that they wanted to offer sooner, but they had to make sure my academ- ics were in order. When they looked at all that and every- thing looked good, they offered me. "When I messaged with the coaches on Twitter, they said that I was a guy they re- ally wanted. They said that my speed and quickness made me a guy they really like, and they think I fit in with what they are looking for at wide receiver." Notre Dame joined Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Mississippi State, Tennessee and many others that have al- ready offered the elite junior prospect. "I'm in no rush to make a decision or even narrow things down," Stove said. "It's just too early for all that. I want to research these schools, take visits and see which school fits me best. I also want to get to know the coaches better. I want to go some- where with coaches that I'm comfortable with." Although he just picked up an offer from the Irish, Notre Dame is a school that has always stood out to Stove. Even with- out a visit to South Bend, he knows all about the his- tory and tradition on campus. " N o t r e D a m e is a great school," Stove said. "There are so many good play- ers who have gone there, and they've had some good receivers too. I just think that's a school that has already had a lot of suc- cess, and they are getting back to the top again this year." As a sophomore, Stove caught 32 passes for 431 yards and three touchdowns. He also carried the ball 46 times for 275 yards and five touchdowns. — Tom Loy Notre Dame Offer Catches Top WR Target By Surprise ELI STOVE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Niceville High School Niceville, Fla. Status: Offered Class: 2016 Position: Wide Receiver Ht.: 6-1 · Wt.: 178 40-Yard Dash: 4.42 247Sports Rankings: No. 73 overall player in the land, No. 12 wide receiver in the country and No. 10 recruit in Florida "NOTRE DAME IS A GREAT SCHOOL. THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD PLAYERS WHO HAVE GONE THERE, AND THEY'VE HAD SOME GOOD RECEIVERS TOO." STOVE