Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/783750
52 MARCH 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY LOU SOMOGYI L a s t J u n e w h e n Jonathan MacCollis ter stepped out of his car and set foot on the Notre Dame campus for the first time to at tend the school's Irish Invasion camp, he im mediately saw a famil iar face by accident. "My former team mate [at Bishop Moore in Orlando, Fla.] Parker Boudreaux just hap pened to be walking down the sidewalk and saw me," MacCollister said. "He knew I was coming up, but didn't know I was on campus yet. I was just about to text him when he was very first person I saw there. "I definitely felt at home, and Notre Dame felt like a bigger version of Bishop Moore. I guess I took that as some kind of sign." In 2015, Boudreaux — now a guard and potential center, too, for the Irish — and MacCollister helped lead Bishop Moore to the Florida Class 5A state title, the school's first such championship since 1970. About four years ago, it looked like Mac Collister would join Boudreaux along the offensive line before transforming his body. MacCollister 's high school career began as a freshman at Lake Mary Prep, but when the school dropped football he transferred to DeLand High, where he was primarily a 265pound offensive lineman. However, he felt unfulfilled. "I just wanted a bet ter environment for ed ucation, and wanted a team that was hungry to go get a championship," MacCollister said. The decision was made to enroll at Bishop Moore in Orlando, Fla., where several former teammates from LMP also matriculated. It became at least a 45minute commute oneway every day from DeLand, and often required MacCollister to rise between 4 and 5 a.m. every day to be in time for workouts and power lifting. He streamlined his body to where his 63 "Big Bird" frame is now in the "225 to 228pound" range, although his official Notre Dame biography has him at 244. While helping Bishop Moore to a 253 ledger the past two years, MacCollister said he saw more action at tight end — which is where Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, Oregon and UCLA recruited him — than defensive end. Reigning national champ Clemson pegged him for de fense, and that is where Notre Dame recruited him to play on the edge. MacCollister has already had dis cussions with new defensive coordi nator Mike Elko about his future role. "Coach Elko told me I have versa tility to play both end positions, but as of now they're looking at me for the drop end," MacCollister said. "As my body changes, if I get to 285 I'll be at strong end, and if it tops out at 245 where I am at my best, they will keep me at drop end. "I was hurt by [former defensive line] Coach [Keith] Gilmore getting fired because I was close to him, but it never factored into me wanting to decommit." Just like at Bishop Moore, he will be entering an environment centered on education and hungry to return to prominence. ✦ Notre Dame Was The Easy Choice For Jonathan MacCollister MacCollister was ranked the No. 2 senior in the 2017 Central Florida Super60 by The Orlando Sentinel. PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS JONATHON MACCOLLISTER DEFENSIVE END 6-3 • 244 BISHOP MOORE H.S. DELAND, FLA. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ — — — ✪ ✪ ✪ — 37 70 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 24 74 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 88 136 MEASURABLES • Recorded a 325-pound pause-press in competi- tive weight lifting during his junior year. STATISTICS • Led Bishop Moore to an 11-2 record and the regional finals of the Class 5A playoffs as a senior in 2016. Registered 42 total stops (28 solo), seven tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, and also caught 21 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns as a tight end. HONORS • Named to The Orlando Sentinel's All-Central Florida first team and rated as the newspaper's No. 2 senior in the 2017 Central Florida Super60. • Selected as an Associated Press Class 5A All- State first-team selection. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Selected to participate in the inaugural 2016 Florida-Georgia Showdown Dec. 30 in DeLand, Fla. Team Florida won the game 22-14. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on June 17, 2016, over offers from Auburn, Clemson, Miami and more than 30 other schools. • Took his official visit to Notre Dame Dec. 9-11 for the Echoes Awards banquet. • Did not take any other official visits. NOTABLE • Was a team captain for two years at Bishop Moore. • High school teammates with current Notre Dame lineman Parker Boudreaux. • Family friends with former Notre Dame offen- sive lineman Bruce Heggie. 2017 PROJECTION • MacCollister will likely get a redshirt season to develop physically and improve his technique. THEY SAID IT Head coach Brian Kelly: "Jonathan MacCollister played mostly at the tight end position out of Bishop Moore High School. He's long, athletic. Call him Big Bird. "He's a very athletic player that we're going to play on the outside. He's a guy that we think has the length, the athleticism that can play the defen- sive end position." Defensive line coach Mike Elston: "Another young man that's just a great fit from a great home and a great school. It aligned with him the moment he came on campus. He was fired up to get the scholarship offer. "He came to campus and fell in love, and I fell in love with him. I love Jonathon. He's going to be a great asset for us." BGI football analyst Bryan Driskell: "MacCollis- ter's technique is extremely raw, but he has a lot of tools to work with. He has an inconsistent burst off the line, and his hand play lacks refinement. That's obviously the drawback, and he's a long way away from being a guy who can earn a lot of snaps. "The good news is once his fundamentals match his athletic skills, MacCollister could be produc- tive. He can flash an excellent burst off the line and good closing speed. He has an excellent frame and right now he projects best to the strongside position." Rivals national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell: "Big defensive end who could grow into an inside presence if needed. Has excellent length and can cross over inside as well on pass rushing moves. He's very strong at the point of attack."