Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/587814
UNDER THE DOME Shepard (who recently had to quit football), standout Cal defensive backs Shaq Thompson (a first-round pick as a ju- nior) and Bryce Treggs, UCLA receiver Jordan Payton and star North- western defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo. Among the 15 official visitors, only Washing- ton's KeiVarae Russell, who arrived as a slot receiver/running back prospect before moving and starting at corner- back as a freshman for the 12-1 Irish, is with Notre Dame. That week the conver- sation centered on ev- erything — the recruit- ing visits, Notre Dame's first home night game in 21 years, new gold hel- mets, piped-in music for the first time — except the game itself. After two USC posses- sions, the score was 14-0 in favor of the Trojans, who went on to win 31-17. Recruiting can create some over-extensions, but a strong return on that investment helps cure them. ✦ Three Questions Entering the USC game Oct. 17, Notre Dame had commitments from 16 prospects in the class of 2016, a number expected to grow by at least six by time the ink dries on National Signing Day Feb. 3. Blue & Gold Illustrated recruiting editor Andrew Ivins answers some of the most frequent questions. 1. How does Notre Dame finish at defensive back? The Irish currently have five defensive backs committed but have positioned themselves to take one to three more. The priority appears to be at safety, where Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) High three-star athlete Devin Studstill is the top target. Studstill, who is ranked as the No. 43 athlete in the country, was in town for the USC game. Notre Dame will continue to battle Miami for him. Should the Irish find a way to lock up Studstill, the focus would then turn to adding a top-flight cornerback. The staff welcomed Los Angeles Loyola four-star cornerback David Long to South Bend for the Navy game and had Pittsburgh Central Catholic four-star cornerback Damar Hamlin in for the USC game. The Irish would gladly take either to pair them with Studstill. 2. Will the staff sign a pass-rushing defensive end? One of the biggest concerns for Notre Dame faithful every cycle is finding speed rushers that can get to the quarterback. While the Irish already hold commitments from a few different ends, none of them are on the same level as Farmington Hills (Mich.) Harrison four-star defensive end Khalid Kareem, who decommitted from Alabama Oct. 14. Kareem totaled 18 sacks as a junior and visited Notre Dame for the USC game. He doesn't have a timeline in place for a decision, but the Irish look to be the team to beat. 3. Who is the top realistic target flying under the radar? Ann Arbor (Mich.) Skyline five-star linebacker Daelin Hayes is a household name, but he isn't the only five-star prospect that could land in South Bend. Savannah (Ga.) Christian School five-star athlete Demetris Robertson, who visited for the Texas game, continues to give strong reviews about the Irish and has indicated that he would like to return to campus for an unofficial visit before making a decision in January. — Andrew Ivins