Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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72 MARCH 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED PREP PROFILES Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter 's Prep has been kind to Notre Dame in recent years. In the 2015 class, the Fighting Irish were able to flip Ri- vals100 quarterback Brandon Wim- bush — who is expected to be the program's starting quarterback in 2017 — from Penn State. Then last summer, the coaching staff secured commitments from 2018 defensive linemen Jayson and Justin Ademi- lola. The Irish took a step toward add- ing another St. Peter's Prep product in January, when they offered 2018 three-star linebacker Shayne Simon. The 6-2, 195-pounder — who is rated as the No. 11 prospect in the Garden State and the No. 18 outside linebacker nationally by Rivals — re- ceived the offer from defensive line coach Mike Elston Jan. 19. It was an offer Simon called "special" and was hoping to see come his way at some point. "They don't offer too many peo- ple," Simon said of the Irish. "To be given that opportunity is big. I was hoping it would come, but when it finally came I was just happy and thankful." Notre Dame is a program Simon already had interest in and it only grew upon earning the offer. "I've always been interested in Notre Dame," Simon said. "But the offer helps because I know they are interested in me." In January, Simon told Blue & Gold Illustrated what stands out to him about Notre Dame is its "exceptional academics as well as elite athletics." "I'm going to try and get up there as well to see if I can really see my- self there," Simon said of the Irish program. The Ademilola twins had dis- cussed Notre Dame with Simon be- fore and will likely try and get their high school teammate to potentially be their college teammate. "They were happy for me," Simon said of the Ademilola twins' reaction to his offer. "They want me to meet the other commits. "It would be nice [to play with them in college]. I enjoy playing with them now and it would be great to do so in the future." Notre Dame is recruiting Simon at the "rover" position in new Irish defensive coordinator Mike Elko's defense. Simon said it is similar to what he already does for St. Peter's Prep. During his junior season, Simon recorded 55 tackles, four intercep- tions and three sacks, according to MaxPreps. — Corey Bodden Miles Jones, a three-star 2018 ath- lete out of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage, has his eye on Notre Dame early. Jones — the No. 33 athlete in the class of 2018 according to Rivals — was scheduled to take an unofficial visit to Notre Dame Jan. 13-15, but called off the trip due to bad weather. The three-star said he has been in touch with Irish running backs coach Autry Denson and is eager to get the visit rescheduled. "I've been talking to him for about three weeks," Jones said. "We've been talking about me trying to get up there. We've been talking about junior day and when I can come up." Jones said he's been impressed by not only talking to Denson, but also from studying his Irish career. "I've seen his highlights," Jones explained. "He was a pretty good running back. He's also a great guy. He sends me motivational quotes all the time." That relationship with Denson, coupled with the history of Notre Dame, has Jones high on the Irish. "Just the tradition," he said of what has him interested in Notre Dame. "They've been around for a long time. They're just one of those schools that people talk about." Jones added that the trip from Florida to South Bend is one he hopes to make soon, because he's curious to see what Notre Dame is all about after seeing them play on TV so many times. "I've been watching them for a long time, and I'm just interested," he said. "When you watch a team for so long, you get interested and want to find out more about them." An offer from Notre Dame is yet to come for Jones, but he does cur- rently hold offers from Georgia, Mis- sissippi State, West Virginia and a few others. If that Irish offer were to even- tually come though, Jones said it would be huge for him. "That would be really big for me," he stated. "I've known people that have gone there and I've been con- necting with them for a while now. I've been watching them for a long time, so that would be really big for me to get an offer from them." — David McKinney Irish Offer 2018 Garden State Linebacker Florida Athlete Is Looking At Notre Dame "I'VE KNOWN PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE THERE AND I'VE BEEN CONNECTING WITH THEM FOR A WHILE NOW. I'VE BEEN WATCHING THEM FOR A LONG TIME, SO THAT WOULD BE REALLY BIG FOR ME TO GET AN OFFER FROM THEM." JONES ON NOTRE DAME SHAYNE SIMON ✪ ✪ ✪ St. Peter's Prep Jersey City, N.J. Class: 2018 Position: Linebacker Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 195 Rivals Rankings: No. 18 out- side linebacker nationally MILES JONES ✪ ✪ ✪ American Heritage Plantation, Fla. Class: 2018 Position: Athlete Ht.: 5-9 • Wt.: 166 Rivals Rankings: No. 33 athlete in the country