Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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2016 RECRUITING ISSUE DONTÉ VAUGHN CORNERBACK 6-3 • 190 WHITEHAVEN H.S. MEMPHIS, TENN. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 20 7 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 299 19 4 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 31 12 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 245 15 6 MEASURABLES • At The Opening Regionals in Atlanta this past summer, he posted a time of 4.88 in the 40-yard dash. • Vertically leaped 32.8-inches at the same event. STATISTICS • Top performer for a defense that allowed just 13.6 points per game during his senior season, registering 40 tackles, 12 passes broken up and four interceptions. • Returned two interceptions for touchdowns. HONORS • Named to the 2015 American Family Insurance All-USA Tennessee first team as a defensive back. • Earned a spot on the Tennessee Sports Writers Association all-state first team as a defensive back after both his junior and senior seasons. • Picked by Examiner.com as a Class 6A first- team all-state defensive back as a senior. • Chosen by the league coaches as the 2015 Region 4 6A Defensive Player of the Year. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Played in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game, which pits the best players from Memphis and Shelby Counties, and inter- cepted a pass in the contest. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on Oct. 12, 2015. • Chose Notre Dame over Auburn, LSU, Miami, Tennessee and Ole Miss. • Had offers from Auburn, LSU, Miami, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Missouri, North Car- olina, Texas A&M and Wisconsin. • Primarily recruited by linebackers coach Mike Elston. His secondary recruiter was defensive backs coach Todd Lyght. • Made his official visit to Notre Dame on Sept. 5, 2015, for the Texas game. • Took two unofficial trips to Notre Dame last summer, one in June and one in July. NOTABLE • Born Oct. 12, 1997. 2016 PROJECTION • Notre Dame simply does not have a player with his size and skill set, which will make it hard to not find a role for him during the 2016 season. THEY SAID IT • Head coach Brian Kelly (courtesy UND.com): "Donté brings the length and athleticism you want but rarely find in a defensive back. Under Coach Lyght's development, I am confident that Donté will have a bright future at Notre Dame." • Defensive backs coach Todd Lyght: "Tremen- dous athlete, great size, great speed. … He's the type of player that can take a wide receiver out of the game. Very, very physical, great at block de- struction. … Really excels at man-to-man coverage. "I think his playmaking ability, his ability to at- tack the ball in the air at the highest point really gives us a chance to create a lot of turnovers defensively. He's the type of guy that can really change the game from the cornerback position." • BGI football analyst Bryan Driskell: "Vaughn has exceptional size and length for the cornerback position. He lacks the speed desired, but his long arms, physicality and quickness help overcome his lack of an ideal 40-time. Vaughn is exceptionally rangy, checking in at 6-3 last summer at The Open- ing Regional in Atlanta."