Blue and Gold Illustrated

FOOTBALL RECRUITING overall player and No. 16 wide receiver the country by Rivals, was one of the highest-rated recruits in the stands, but he was not the headliner for the week- end. That honor went to Savannah (Ga.) Christian School five-star athlete Demetris Robertson and Ann Arbor (Mich.) Skyline five-star linebacker Daelin Hayes. Robertson, who is ranked as the No. 1 athlete in the country by Rivals, arrived on campus Friday and stayed through Sunday for an official visit. He said the visit was everything he expected, and more. "It was great. I would say it was an 11 out of 10," Robertson said. The same can be said about Hayes and his game-day experience. The No. 3 outside linebacker in the country was a late addition to the visi- tors list, but he said it was well worth the three-hour drive to see the Irish for an unofficial visit. "From the moment I got on campus, I felt like I was a priority recruit," Hayes said. Here is a rundown of the notable visi- tors and where the Irish stand follow- ing the big recruiting weekend: ATHLETE DEMETRIS ROBERTSON Savannah (Ga.) Christian School The Irish rolled out the red carpet for Robertson, and the athlete couldn't get enough of it. The 6‑0, 180‑pound speedster had the chance to sit down with head coach Brian Kelly and associate head coach Mike Denbrock. He also was able to chat with junior wide receiver Will Fuller and meet former Notre Dame stars Michael Floyd and Golden Tate, who were in town for the weekend. "The atmosphere was great," Robertson said. "The coaches were outstanding, and they were very specific with how they were going to use me. They see me play‑ ing the same role as Fuller." Robertson — who Rivals also lists as the No. 7 overall player in the land — says he plans to see Stanford and Georgia before making a decision, but would like to get back to Notre Dame for another visit. LB DAELIN HAYES Ann Arbor (Mich.) Skyline Hayes — who is ranked as No. 1 recruit in Michigan and the No. 13 overall prospect in the country by Rivals — remains committed to USC, but the Irish are starting to trend up. The five‑star linebacker brought his mom with him on the unofficial visit and the two met with Kelly before kickoff. "She had a great time and is optimistic about the future," Hayes said. "I'm just excited to get back down for my official visit." The 6‑3, 254‑pounder will return Oct. 17 for the USC game. He's also considering taking a trip to Ole Miss. S DJ MORGAN Bellflower (Calif.) St. Johns Bosco Morgan didn't commit to Notre Dame, but the trip couldn't have gone any better for the nation's No. 22 safety, who was in town for an official visit. "It went great," Morgan said. "I like Notre Dame a lot. Just being there for a game atmosphere, it was amazing. It was very different and like no other trip before. "The fan base was awesome; one of them even called out my name [at the game] and I was just like, 'Wow this is crazy.' With the coaches, they are just great guys." The 6‑3, 200‑pound Morgan is also considering California and Colorado, but admits that a decision could be coming before the end of September. CB DONTÉ VAUGHN Memphis (Tenn.) Whitehaven Vaughn is one of Notre Dame's top targets in the secondary, and he was treated like one. The White‑

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