Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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FOOTBALL RECRUITING tionally well to the weakside position, where his combination of power and quickness makes him a matchup nightmare on the edge. CARLO KEMP Boulder, Colo. (Fairview) Measurables: Measured in at 6-2½ and 262 pounds at The Opening regional in Chicago. Rankings: Rivals ranks him as a four-star recruit and the nation's No. 9 weakside end and No. 203 overall player … Rivals, ESPN and Scout list him as the top player in Colorado. Statistics/Honors: Over the last two seasons, has racked up 132 tackles, 31 tackles for loss and 12 sacks … Earned first-team 5A all-state honors after his junior and sophomore seasons. Recruitment: Notre Dame got involved with him late in the summer and has not backed off, de- spite commitments from four other ends … Has a final four of Notre Dame, Michigan, Colorado and UCLA, but the Irish and Wolverines are considered to be the frontrunners … Officially visited Michigan Sept. 25 and Notre Dame Oct. 10, when the Irish hosted Navy … Plans on wrapping up his recruitment in the next month. BGI's Take: Kemp has good quickness off the line and is a solid all-around athlete, but it is not so much the athleticism that makes him such a highly coveted recruit. What makes him so productive and such a valuable prospect is his intensity, toughness and instincts. He plays with a controlled rage and passion, which is a big reason why Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, want him so badly. Kemp is a naturally powerful player with a great punch and a stocky build that allows him to an- chor at the point of attack. These traits make him an ideal fit at strongside end, but also project well to the defensive tackle position held by senior Sheldon Day. When Notre Dame goes to its 3-4 looks, Kemp shows the traits to play at end and the pass rushing linebacker position. This versatil- ity is needed in the Notre Dame defense. He is also a smart football player that makes quick reads, a trait that helps him overcome his lack of ideal speed. ✦