Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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PREP PROFILES Josh Ross might have ties to Michi- gan, but just because his brother James is a senior linebacker for the Wolver- ines doesn't mean that the Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary's standout is a certainty to ink with the Maize and Blue. It's actually the opposite. R o s s , w h o i s ranked as the No. 10 outside linebacker in the class of 2017 by Rivals, said after the first practice of his junior season in August that he has Notre Dame just as high as Michigan on his short list of schools, and that he wants to explore all of his options. "I really, really like Notre Dame," Ross said. "I like Michigan a lot, but I'm not a lock to go there, at all. I'm still looking at what school fits me the best." And that school could very well be Notre Dame. Ross took an unofficial visit to South Bend in May, and was offered a scholar- ship after defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder sat down with him and out- lined a plan for how he could utilize the linebacker at the next level. "That was real special," Ross said when asked about the meet and greet that included a chalk talk session. "I ac- tually have had a real interest in Notre Dame ever since I was little. I went with my brother on his visit [to Notre Dame]. We went to the meeting, and they actu- ally had my little league highlight tape on the big screen. That meant a lot to me, and I have liked them ever since. "But talking to Coach VanGorder really, really made me like them more because he's a really good coach." Notre Dame re- cruited the elder Ross out of high school, but lost out down the stretch to the Wolverines. The younger Ross said it was an experi- ence watching his brother visit multiple schools and talk to coaches, and that's what has drawn him to the Irish. Notre Dame has extended just a hand- ful of offers to linebackers for the next recruiting cycle, and that has made Ross feel like a priority. "It's sweet," he said. "That means a lot to me." Ross recorded 123 tackles for a St. Mary's team that won a Michigan Divi- sion 3 state title last year, and he was tabbed as a MaxPreps second-team sophomore All-American. — Andrew Ivins Top-250 Linebacker With Michigan Ties Likes Notre Dame JOSH ROSS ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ St. Mary's High School Orchard Lake, Mich. Status: Offered Class: 2017 Position: Linebacker Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 219 40-Yard Dash: 4.78 Rivals Rankings: No. 4 recruit in Michigan, and No. 10 outside linebacker and No. 166 overall prospect in the country