Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/75050
FOOTBALL RECRUITING of the appeal for Notre Dame, and he's looking forward to getting to campus this summer. He also plans to visit Cin- cinnati, Penn State and Vanderbilt, but isn't prepared to cut down his list just yet with programs like Auburn, Geor- gia, Ohio State, Wisconsin and others showing interest. He has no timeline set on his college decision, but ex- pects the Irish to still be in the race. Victor Egu 6-3, 220 · Concord, Calif. (De La Salle) Junior Season: Helped team to its third straight CIF State Open Division title as a starting linebacker. 247Sports Ranking: Three-star player, the No. 125 recruit in California and the nation's No. 58 inside linebacker. Skinny: Egu is one of three players from his high school to have mutual interest in Notre Dame after listing the program among his four leaders with Arizona State, Arkansas and Vanderbilt following an Irish offer during the evaluation period, but he decided to give his pledge to the in-state Razorbacks. • Tight end Josh McNeil of Durham, N.C., also picked • Linebacker Brooks Ellis of Fayetteville, Ark., looked WORTH NOTING up an offer and listed the program among his 12 final- ists, but Notre Dame wasn't labeled as one of the visits he plans to take in June prior to making an announce- ment July 5 on ESPN during "The Opening," a Nike event in Beaverton, Ore. • Defensive end Tim Williams of Baton Rouge, La., expressed initial excitement about the offer from Notre Dame, but Alabama and LSU look to be the programs to watch until the end of his recruitment. from the Irish just two weeks after the initial contact, when his recruiter Alford brought defensive coordinator Bob Diaco down to see him. Deeb's offensive coordinator at American Heritage, Brad Campbell, coached with Alford at the high school level. Deeb's Catholic faith is important to him, which is part Skinny: Deeb was pleasantly surprised to land an offer to be offered by the Irish, with the others being defensive lineman Austin Hooper and fellow linebacker Michael Hutchings. Egu is seen as a versatile player that can contribute at inside or outside linebacker, but projects more as an inside player at this point. He plans to get out to South Bend this summer and hopes to do so with his two teammates that have also been offered. He listed Arizona State, Cal, Oregon and Washington as the four standouts prior to being offered by Notre Dame. Danny Mattingly 6-4, 215 · Spokane, Wash. (Mead Senior) Washington and the No. 38 outside linebacker nationally. Skinny: Mattingly had been waiting on an offer from Junior Season: Notched 70 tackles and five interceptions … Had five touchdown receptions as a tight end. 247Sports Ranking: Three-star recruit, the No. 4 player in the Irish, and West Coast recruiter Mike Denbrock deliv- ered the good news in early May. The tradition of Notre Dame was part of the pitch, and he had some familiarity with the program because he has family 30 miles outside of Indianapolis. He plans on heading to the Midwest late in the summer, and that trip will include a stop in South Bend. Mattingly, who is the nephew of longtime New York Yan- kees first baseman and current Los Angeles Dodgers man- ager Don Mattingly, has Notre Dame among five standouts that include Arizona State, Oklahoma, Oregon and UCLA. The Irish are recruiting him as an outside linebacker, with the potential to play tight end if needed. Ebenezer Ogundeko 6-4, 230, · Brooklyn, N.Y. (Jefferson) in New York and the No. 15 strongside defensive end in the land. Skinny: Notre Dame jumped to the top of Ogundeko's list after extending an offer in early May (see page 45). ✦ JUNE/JULY 2012 85 Junior Season: Registered 79 tackles and 11 sacks. 247Sports Ranking: Three-star prospect, the No. 2 player