Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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2015 RECRUITING ISSUE JOSH BARAJAS OUTSIDE LINEBACKER 6-3 · 212 ANDREAN H.S. VALPARAISO, IND. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 180 13 2 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 10 2 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 108 8 1 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 51 5 1 MEASURABLES • Bench presses a max of 315 pounds. STATISTICS • Helped Andrean to a state-runner-up finish in Class 3A as a senior by notching 98 stops, 10 tackles for loss, seven sacks and an interception despite missing four games due to a broken fin- ger, a subsequent infection and surgery. • Compiled 92 tackles, five sacks and two inter- ceptions while helping Andrean to the Class 3A state championship during his junior campaign. HONORS • Tabbed as the No. 1 overall prospect in the Midwest by Scout.com. • Received first-team all-state accolades from the Associated Press after his senior campaign. • Selected to the 2014 Indiana Football Coaches Association Top 50 all-state team. • Earned a spot on the 2014 American Family Insurance All-USA Indiana squad. • Named the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-area performer by the North- west Indiana Times as a senior. • Named to the Butkus Award (nation's best prep linebacker) watch list as a senior. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Jan. 3 in San Antonio, helping the West defeat the East 39-36. Made just two tackles in the game, but impressed with his range and athleticism all week in practice and was tabbed by Rivals.com as one of 10 players whose stock was on the rise. RECRUITMENT • Committed to the Irish on May 30, 2014. • Originally pledged to Penn State in March 2014. • Also received offers from Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee and Wisconsin, among others. • Primary recruiter at Notre Dame was defensive line coach Mike Elston. • Official visit to South Bend was for the Football Awards Show on Dec. 12, 2014, plus he made un- official visits on March 1, 2014 and June 18, 2014. • Also made unofficial visits to Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State and Penn State. NOTABLE • Born on April 4, 1997. 2015 PROJECTION • Needs to bulk up 15-20 pounds, but his range and athleticism could make it tough to keep him off the field at Sam linebacker and/or on special teams. THEY SAID IT Brian Kelly's Comments: "Very active athletic linebacker, a winner … an extremely athletic player at his position. We were looking for a guy that could potentially play on the outside and run and give us length and size, and Josh certainly can do that for us." Tom Lemming Of Prep Football Report: "He's an outstanding athlete with a nose for the ball. He's got big-play capability. In northwest Indiana the competition is only okay, but he runs very well at linebacker and can surprise a lot of people. He can play either inside or outside, but has more of an outside frame." Andrean Head Coach Phil Mason's Comments: "There's a completely different attitude about this kid on and off the field. He's really fiery on it, and calm and humble off of it. He gets really emotional and intense, and he really thumps people out there. "He's not your typical high school linebacker that makes a nice tackle. He's extremely physical and knows how to unload. He can really bring it. We've seen him take some people out of the game with his hits. He's a load." Why He Chose Notre Dame: "I believe there isn't anywhere else you can get this level of academ- ics, football and tradition."