BY ANDREW IVINS
Rodney Saulsberry never thought
that Donté Vaughn would play for
a school that wasn't in the SEC. Af-
ter all, Memphis (Tenn.) Whitehaven
High was a school that had sent five
players to that conference in five
years.
When Notre Dame defensive coor-
dinator Brian VanGorder and defen-
sive backs coach Todd Lyght walked
into Saulsberry's office in early May,
the coach wasn't sure what to say.
VanGorder and Lyght where there
to see Vaughn, a 6-3, 215-pound cor-
nerback that held offers from Tennes-
see, Ole Miss, LSU, Auburn, Missis-
sippi State, Missouri and Vanderbilt,
but it wasn't clear at the time if there
was interest from the four-star pros-
pect in a school like Notre Dame.
Turns out, there was.
Vaughn, who is ranked by Rivals
as the No. 7 prospect in the Volun-
teer State and the No. 18 safety in
the country, committed to the Irish
Oct. 11. He said he chose Notre Dame
Irish Pull Cornerback
Out Of SEC Country
COMMITMENT PROFILE
DONTÉ VAUGHN
Vaughn, a four-star prospect at Memphis (Tenn.) Whitehaven, selected Notre Dame over offers from
Tennessee, Ole Miss, LSU, Auburn, Mississippi State, Missouri and Vanderbilt.
PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS
