Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/499410
BY ANDREW IVINS Charlotte (N.C.) Ardrey Kell four-star defensive end Julian Okwara's recruit- ment ended it where it first began. Okwara, who is the brother of cur- rent Notre Dame senior defensive line- man Romeo Okwara, first met the Notre Dame coaching staff when he was mov- ing his older sibling into the dorms three years ago. The Irish coaches told Julian then and there, in the quads of campus, that one day they would be recruiting him. "They said I had big hands and big feet," Julian said with a laugh. Well it turns out, that those hands and feet were exactly what the coaches wanted. Julian was offered a scholarship by Notre Dame Feb. 20. He flew up to South Bend March 27 and spent three days with his brother in the dorms. That's where he claims he realized that he was ready to be Irish. "I felt like everything was going right," Okwara said. "I wanted to get everything over with because I knew where I was going. I talked it over with my family, and I felt like it was the right thing to do. "I just loved everything the coaches told me about Notre Dame. Just being up there on my visit, I felt like I was part of the team with the coaches talking to me all the time, going through meetings, hanging out with my brother and going to class with him — it just felt right." Okwara committed to Notre Dame April 14, picking the Irish over his other four finalists: Georgia, Clemson, Ole Miss and Michigan. He was originally planning to announce his decision April 30, but that's when Romeo kind of got in the way. Call it a case of brotherly love. With the football team down to its final two spring practice, Romeo met with the media April 10 to discuss the offseason. He tried his best not to talk about Julian or field questions on the recruitment, but he couldn't resist the temptation when asked about where his brother was looking to go to school. "He's leaning towards Notre Dame Romeo & Julian: Irish Legacy Follows Brother To ND COMMITMENT PROFILE JULIAN OKWARA Okwara, who is the nation's No. 16 outside line- backer and No. 179 overall player according to Rivals.com, will follow in the footsteps of his brother Romeo and play at Notre Dame. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM