Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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FOOTBALL RECRUITING (Wash.) Graham-Kapowsin four-star offensive tackle Foster Sarell, Los An- geles Cathedral four-star defensive end Hunter Echols and Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) three-star safety Am- ari Carter all to be on hand. Each one of those prospects is con- sidered a priority for the Irish, but they won't be the biggest name for Notre Dame fans to know. That in- stead falls to Norcross (Ga.) four-star defensive end Robert Beal. Beal — who is ranked by Rivals as the nation's No. 3 weakside defensive end and No. 62 overall prospect — was at one time committed to Notre Dame, but he decided to reopen his recruitment back in February citing family reasons for the breakup. While it's unclear where the Irish stand on the board heading into the visit, Beal's return represents part of Kelly's vision for the ever-evolving Irish Invasion. This past National Signing Day, Kelly explained that while the major- ity of the focus on the now annual event falls on the current recruiting cycle, he also wants his staff to im- press the juniors and sophomores that make it to campus in hopes of gaining an early edge. Beal happens to be an underclassman that was at last year's camp and now wants to get back. "We want to use the Irish Invasion as something that's a step towards a year to two years out — the future stars for Notre Dame," Kelly said. "It's not just the immediate stars that are coming on campus, but what's going to be coming in the future as well. So it's your futures game." And Notre Dame is expecting plenty of top 2018 prospects to make the trek to campus to compete, but they won't be the only ones getting a look from Kelly and his coaches. DEFENSIVE ENDS APLENTY Last year, defensive backs coach Todd Lyght had more safety and cor- nerback prospects at the Irish Inva- sion than he knew what to do with. This year, defensive line coach Keith Gilmore will be the one scrambling to get everyone through drills. In addition to Beal and the 6-4, 220-pound Echols — who is com- mitted to UCLA and ranked as the nation's No. 17 weakside defensive end — the Irish are expecting Madi- son (Ala.) James Clemens four-star defensive end LaBryan Ray, Atlanta Westminster three-star defensive end Cortez Alston and Barrington (Ill.) High three-star defensive end Jack- son Perkins to all work out. Ray, who named a top 12 in April that included Notre Dame along with Alabama and Auburn, is probably the biggest long shot of the bunch to sign with the Irish, but the 6-4, 260-pound end continues to state that he likes the out-of-state program be- cause of assistant coach Autry Den- son (who recruits the area). Rivals rates him as the No. 12 strongside defensive end in the country. Alston is a 6-3, 250-pounder that has seen his stock take off in re- cent months with offers from Notre Dame, USC, Cal, Michigan State and