Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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6-5, 225-pound Ogundeji, who wears size 16 shoes, that he's raw and needs plenty of work if he wants to reach his potential. It was a unique pitch and one that Ogundeji said separated the Irish from schools like Rutgers, California, Ore- gon and Pittsburgh, which also entered the picture with offers in the summer. "The one thing I really like about Notre Dame is that they are honest," Ogundeji said. "I'm not the type of per- son that likes talk. You can talk about me being good, but I want you to tell me the truth about how I can get bet- ter. Coach Gilmore told me straight up that he can help me get better not just on the field, but off the field too. That's why I really wanted to go to Notre Dame." Ogundeji's desire to be in South Bend was greeted with open arms by Gilmore and the rest of the Irish coaching staff, and while the three- star prospect knows that he won't be considered the star of the class, the 16-year-old said the rankings don't mean a thing to him. He knows he can be productive, and last season's numbers — 66 tackles, eight sacks and 15 pass deflections — provide such evidence. "I just feel like I have something to prove now," Ogundeji said. "I don't worry about the stars or anything like that, I worry about what I'm doing on the field, just doing my job as a player. "Not all players are going to be five- or four-star prospects. I just have to play my heart out. At the end of the day, if you do that, I feel like you're doing your job." ✦ Authentic Notre Dame Helmets by Authentic "Speed" Full-Size Display Helmets Riddell's ND "Speed" helmet features a large-size shell, special-order facemask worn by most of the star players who choose to wear the Speed, internal padding reflective of the "Speed Classic" design, and 4-pt. chinstrap. Official ND gold color. "Irish" bumper on front and back. Approx. 10" tall. Acrylic base attached for display purpose. $299 Helmets are made-to-order and dropshipped direct from the manufacturer. Please allow up to 48 hours to process your order. FREE S&H within Continental U.S. VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE www.BlueGoldOnline.com Back View Front View Style Item #6640-Gold or Style Item #6640-Shamrock