FOOTBALL RECRUITING
— plans to announce his college deci-
sion June 7. Many believe that Michigan
State has the inside track for Robertson,
but Notre Dame is expected to make a
push in May.
The Irish will likely do the same when
it comes to Farmington Hills (Mich.)
Harrison four-star end Khalid Kareem
and Camden (N.J.) High four-star end
Ron Johnson. Kareem is ranked as the
nations' No. 13 weakside defensive
end, while Johnson is listed as the No.
5 weakside defensive end and No. 96
overall prospect in the country.
SAFETY
If there's one question mark entering
the spring evaluation period, it's in the
defensive backfield. Notre Dame will
lose at least three safeties after this
season and that number could grow
to four if junior Max Redfield were
to have an outstanding year and bolt
early for the NFL.
The Irish are well aware that the sec-
ondary will be depleted, and the staff
is expected to take five to six defen-
sive backs this cycle to compensate.
But while there is an opportunity for
immediate playing time, there hasn't
been much success to date recruiting
the position.
Notre Dame has offered 15 safeties
in the class of 2016, but not one of
them has visited campus the past few
months.
That trend will change in the sum-
mer with Smyrna (Tenn.) High three-
star Ikenna Okeke and Palm Beach
Gardens (Fla.) High three-star ath-
lete Devin Studstill expected to visit.
Okeke is ranked as the No. 11 prospect
in Tennessee and the No. 25 safety in
the country, while Studstill is the No.
51 recruit in Florida and the No. 48
athlete nationally. ✦
Rivals.com rates Fort Wayne (Ind.) Wayne standout and Irish target Auston Robertson as a four-star
recruit, the No. 2 player in Indiana, the No. 9 weakside defensive end in the nation and the No. 202 overall
prospect in the class of 2016.
PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM
