Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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FOOTBALL RECRUITING BY BRYAN DRISKELL T he preseason transfers of class of 2014 recruits Jhonny Williams and Kolin Hill, combined with the loss of 2015 commit Bo Wallace, has left Notre Dame with some depth issues at defen- sive end moving forward. That lack of depth made the position one of vital importance in the 2016 recruiting class. After some early misses, the staff has rebounded and put together a strong four-man class that includes a pair of younger brothers of current Notre Dame defensive linemen. The Irish are not done, with two more standout ends still considering the school. Here is a breakdown of the defensive linemen on the board for Notre Dame. COMMITMENTS JAMIR JONES Rochester, N.Y. (Aquinas Institute) Measurables: Checked in at 6-3 and 227 pounds at The Opening Regional in Columbus, Ohio. Rankings: Listed as a three-star prospect and the No. 2 player in New York by Rivals. Statistics/Honors: Heading into the last week in October, had caught 21 passes for 479 yards and seven scores … Defensively, had posted 51 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hurries … As a junior, he was named first-team Class AA all- state as a utility player. Recruitment: The brother of Notre Dame nose guard Jarron Jones received offers from Boston Col- lege, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Connecticut and Rutgers prior to making his decision for the Irish … Camped at Notre Dame in June … Impressed the Irish staff and received an offer while on campus, and committed the day he was offered. BGI's Take: During his prep career, Jones has played quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, defensive end and linebacker. Over the last year, he has added at least 25 pounds, which has made him a more effec- tive defender by improving his power. He has broad shoulders and a great frame, which should allow him to continue to add the size and strength needed to grow into a defensive end. The Aquinas standout shows a good first step off the edge, and as a senior he has shown the ability to get off blocks and make plays on the football. Jones has also improved his aggressiveness and motor, al- though learning to be more assertive is needed. He is instinctive and comfortable in space, but he has some hip stiffness that will likely keep him playing closer to the line of scrimmage in college. KHALID KAREEM Farmington Hills, Mich. (Harrison) Measurables: Listed at 6-4 and 257 pounds by Rivals. Rankings: A consensus four-star recruit … Rated as the No. 135 overall player nationally by ESPN, No. 176 by 247Sports and No. 264 by Scout … ESPN ranks him as the No. 2 player in Michigan. Statistics/Honors: Racked up 33 sacks over the last two seasons, including 15 through nine games in his senior campaign … Earned Associated Press Divi- sion 1-2 all-state special mention honors as a junior. Recruitment: Made a brief commitment to Michi- gan State in February, but quickly backed out be- cause he wanted to take more visits … After those visits, he picked Alabama … Notre Dame continued to pursue him and got him on campus for an official visit Oct. 17 … Committed to the Irish less than a week later. BGI's Take: Kareem is an ideal fit for the Notre Dame defense. His body type and game are similar to current Irish starting strongside end Isaac Rochell. He has a thick build, long arms and the potential to be a 280-pound edge player. His game is about Big Board: Defensive Line