Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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62 MARCH 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY DAVID MCKINNEY Michael Young has never listened to his doubters. Young, a three-star wide receiver out of Destrehan (La.) High, isn't the most highly rated or often talked about re- cruit in Notre Dame's class, and he knows that. Even if he were however, Young said he would still be on a mission to prove he belongs in big-time college football. "I would always have a chip on my shoulder whether I was a five-star or a two-star," Young said. "Mainly be- cause I'm just a competitor, period. I want to show you that I'm the best every time I'm on the field or off it. I've always had that drive to be the best. Not being a highly publicized recruit, it definitely puts a chip on my shoulder. "I definitely will work to show that stars really don't mean anything," he added. "And that I'm just as competi- tive as the next guy." According to Young, the motivation to do that comes from his parents and the rest of his family, who have had high expectations of him from the be- ginning. "From the time I was a little boy, they always put it in my head that I could be whatever I want to be and I could be something special," Young said. "They always held me to a high standard, and they never let me get be- low average, whether it was in school, sports or anything." Young comes from a football family. Most notably, Young is the nephew of former LSU and Indianapolis Colts running back Joseph Addai. "Being around those people, it mo- tivated me to do what I want to do and try to be the best at it," Young said. "That's where I get my motiva- tion from, and I'm glad that's where it comes from. "I'm in a great position right now and I couldn't be happier." The Louisiana talent said that while growing up, he worked hard to live up to the standards his family set for him, and focused on making perfection the norm. "It's a routine thing where with schoolwork, I have to make A's and B's," Young said. "If I get a C, I'm mad at myself. They don't even have to tell me I need to pick it up. I'm hard on myself. "Them always being on me and making sure I make the best decisions in life, they just helped me out a lot. I'm more than thankful. I like the per- son I'm becoming and it's mainly due to them." Repaying his family for making him that person would be nearly impos- sible, he explained. "Even if I happen to make it to the NFL, I don't think there's a dollar sign that could amount to what they've given me," Young said. "I'll try my hardest, but I don't think any amount could ever suffice." ✦ MICHAEL YOUNG WIDE RECEIVER 5-10 · 170 DESTREHAN H.S. SAINT ROSE, LA. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ — 71 20 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 89 24 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 76 14 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 43 34 MEASURABLES • At the Nike Football The Opening Regional in New Orleans on April 10, 2016, ran a 4.67-second 40-yard dash, clocked a 4.01-second shuttle drill and recorded a 39.1-inch vertical jump. STATISTICS • Hauled in 35 passes for 507 yards and six touchdowns despite missing four games during his senior season. Helped Destrehan go 11-1 and advance to the Louisiana High School Athletic As- sociation 5A state semifinals. • As a junior, compiled 641 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. HONORS • Tabbed as a first-team wide receiver on the Louisiana District 7-5A squad in both 2015 and 2016. • Received preseason All-Metro New Orleans Area honors before his senior year. • Ranked as the No. 18 player in the 2017 New Orleans Times-Picayune Nifty 50. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Participated in Nike Football The Opening Re- gional in New Orleans on April 10, 2016. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on July 20, 2016, over Texas A&M and Oregon. • Held 22 total offers. • Took his official visit to Notre Dame on Oct. 15, 2016, for the Stanford game. • Did not take any other official visits. NOTABLE • Born Feb. 11, 1999. • His uncle, Joseph Addai, was a running back at LSU from 2001-05, and rushed for 2,576 yards and 18 touchdowns for the Tigers. He also spent six seasons with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts (2006-11). • Became the second Louisiana player to sign with Notre Dame during the Brian Kelly era, joining rising junior defensive lineman Jerry Tillery. 2017 PROJECTION • Notre Dame returns talent at wide receiver, but Young's toughness, athleticism and top-shelf ball skills could make him hard to keep off the field. THEY SAID IT Head coach Brian Kelly: "As a slot receiver, somebody that can really do a number of things for us inside and out. Great football at his high school in particular. We think he has the skills nec- essary to come in and push and compete at that position. We're really pleased with the receivers." Wide receivers coach DelVaughn Alexander: "He's very talented with the ball and very explo- sive. I'm looking forward to working with him because he does a great job of understanding what his team is about and being a team leader. He's a playmaker. "He's unique in that he has great vision and he can extend plays after contact. I think he's an extremely hard worker, I think he has great values, and I think he has determination to be great." BGI football analyst Bryan Driskell: "Young is everything you want in a slot receiver. He's al- ready a good route runner with the potential to be outstanding. He catches the ball extremely well, and his ability to catch the ball with his hands as a senior despite playing all year with a busted up hand was quite impressive. "He works well against the zone, and has the speed and elusiveness to make big plays after the catch. He is a physical player for his size and is a strong blocker, traits that could help him push up the depth chart very early on." Average Is Not A Word Michael Young Keeps In His Vocabulary Young is the No. 20 player in Louisiana and the No. 71 wide receiver in the nation according to Rivals. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM