FOOTBALL RECRUITING
BY ANDREW IVINS
N
ew Notre Dame recruiting coordina-
tor Mike Elston's first Junior Day is
expected to come with plenty of star
power, and most of it will be at one
position.
Blue & Gold Illustrated has confirmed
that four Rivals250 defensive ends plan
to be on campus the weekend of March
21 for Notre Dame's first major recruit-
ing weekend under the direction of
Elston.
Darien (Ill.) Hinsdale South's Josh
King, Farmington Hills (Mich.) Harri-
son's Khalid Kareem, Fort Wayne (Ind.)
Wayne's Auston Robertson and Cam-
den (N.J.) High's Ron Johnson have all
stated that they plan to be in town for
Junior Day. It's believed to be the first
time in the Rivals.com era that four Ri-
vals250 defensive linemen will all be on
campus at the same time — a coup in
Elston's first shot at running the show.
King, who is ranked as Rivals.com's
No. 1 prospect in Illinois and No. 4
strongside defensive end in the coun-
try — is Notre Dame's top target on
the board at his position. He has stated
numerous times that he wants to play
college football close to home.
If he elects to look elsewhere, there
are still plenty of options at defensive
end for the Irish, and that's where Ka-
reem, Robertson and Johnson come into
play. Notre Dame is expected to sign
a minimum of two pass rushers this
cycle, which makes the trio of other visi-
tors just as much of a priority as King.
Kareem, whom Rivals.com lists as
the No. 5 prospect in Michigan and the
Junior Day Rush: Irish
Expecting Four Rivals250
Defensive Ends To Visit
Farmington Hills (Mich.) Harrison four-star defen-
sive end Khalid Kareem is one of four Rivals250
defensive ends expected to visit on Junior Day
March 21. The one-time Michigan State commit is
considering the Irish.
PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM
