Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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PREP PROFILES Notre Dame already has one pass rusher committed in its 2016 class in Charlotte (N.C.) Ardrey Kell four-star defensive end Julian Okwara, but it does not plan to stop there. The Irish coaches would like to take at least three play- ers in this recruiting cycle that can pres- sure quarterbacks, and they spent the spring evaluation period scouring the country for prospects. One of the new names to emerge is Su- wanee (Ga.) Collins Hill defensive end Tomon Fox, who added an offer from Notre Dame May 12. "I talked to coach Brian VanGorder on the phone for a while, and he told me they'd like to offer me a scholarship," Fox said. "He talked about how he saw me at practice and thinks I'm a pretty good player, and he told me about the background and history of Notre Dame. He said if I go there I'll have the best of both worlds with football and academ- ics, and that I wouldn't regret it. "It's definitely a highly prestigious school. I'm happy to get that offer, and they're definitely getting put into high consideration." Notre Dame has pursued dozens of recruits in the Peach State the last two years, but has only signed one — Car- rollton punter Tyler Newsome in 2014. The 6-3, 232-pound Fox already has a favorite in mind, although he made it clear he's still lis- tening to all who are interested. "Of course I'm still open to all schools, but one that is standing out is UNC," he said. "I've just built a relationship with the coaches, I'm re- ally cool with them, and they have both good academics and a great football pro- gram." One major factor the Irish do have in their favor is the prestige of a Notre Dame degree. Fox is weighing a career in sports medicine, although he's not 100 percent decided yet. "A good education is the most im- portant thing I'm looking for," he said. "I also want a school with good people, a good football program and a good coaching staff. I'm planning on commit- ting before the season, but if that doesn't happen it's okay." Fox was named third-team all-county by The Gwinnett Daily Post after finishing his junior season with 34 tackles, five stops behind the line of scrimmage and three sacks. — Jordan Wells Georgia Defensive End Adds Irish Offer TOMON FOX ✪ ✪ ✪ Collins Hill High School Suwanee, Ga. Status: Offered Class: 2016 Position: Defensive End Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 232 40-Yard Dash: 4.71 Rivals.com Rankings: No. 42 player in Georgia and No. 20 weakside defensive end nationally