Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BY ANDREW IVINS Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) High three-star safety Devin Studstill might not have the most stars next to his name, but don't tell Brian Kelly and the rest of the Irish his coaching staff that. Notre Dame made it clear through- out the recruiting process that Studstill was one of the staff's top overall tar- gets on the board, and when the hard- hitting safety gave a verbal pledge to the Irish Dec. 15 it was viewed as more than just some commitment. To Notre Dame, it was a matter of lock- ing up what could eventually be the next star in the secondary. "If you asked me for the strength of his game — I think it's that he's just physical," Palm Beach Gardens head coach Rob Freeman said. "To me, he's the prototypical safety and what col- lege coaches are looking for now. "He has no problem getting down in the box and making tackles. He can also cover space, and in this day in age with all the spread offenses, he has the right skill set to be an exceptional player." Notre Dame agrees. The Irish offered Studstill the spring before his junior season. At the time, it looked like the 6-1, 183-pound Studstill Notre Dame Gets Its Top Safety Target COMMITMENT PROFILE DEVIN STUDSTILL Studstill, a three-star prospect from Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) High, was offered by Notre Dame the spring before his junior season, and picked the Irish over Texas, North Carolina, Miami and West Virginia. PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS