Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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any distractions in the months lead- ing up to his arrival at college, Neal and his family agreed that transfer- ring to a different school would allow him to focus more and he returned to the Phoenix school district, which is where he started his high school ca- reer at Cesar Chaves, and will finish out high school at Central. He feels the transition has helped In an effort to separate himself from WR DAVONTE NEAL cal jump … Plans on majoring in sports broadcasting … Volunteered as a middle school mentor and served as a youth football coach as a senior in high school … His father, Luke, was with the Los Angeles Rams organization in the early 1990s, serving on its practice squad for one and half years. Rankings: Listed by ESPNU as a five-star recruit, the top athlete in the land, the No. 1 prospect in the him to the point where it will also make switching to a college environ- ment easier to handle, and he is ap- preciative of his parents providing that level of guidance. "My mom is the one that always let's me know it's going to be okay when I'm down, and my dad moti- vates me to work through things," said Neal. "It's two different kinds of love that I need, and they both have always been there every step of the way with me. I thank God every day for them being in my corner. "I especially wouldn't have made the best decision, which is Notre Dame, without my father being active in the recruiting process and helping guide me through all of it." ✦ 5-10 · 175 · Central · Phoenix Notable: Born on June 16, 1993 … Runs a 4.37-second 40-yard dash and possesses a 35.5-inch verti- West region and the nation's No. 8 overall player … Ranked as a four-star player, the top prospect in Arizona, the nation's No. 6 athlete and the No. 53 overall recruit in the land by 247Sports … Tabbed by Scout.com as a four-star prospect, the No. 5 cornerback in the land and the country's No. 74 overall player … Rated as a four-star player, the No. 3 prospect in Arizona, the No. 17 wide receiver in the land and the No. 107 overall recruit by Rivals.com … Listed as the No. 3 player in the Far West and No. 6 athlete nationally by SuperPrep … Identified by Tom Lemming as the No. 8 wide receiver in the country and the nation's No. 67 overall prospect. Statistics: Rushed for 1,317 yards and 14 touchdowns ,while reeling in 62 catches for 1,113 yards and Petersburg, Fla. … Had two receptions for 16 yards and one touchdown (four yards) and three kickoff re- turns for 85 yards (long of 35 yards) … Named offensive MVP of the U.S. Army National Combine in 2011. Brian Kelly's Comments: "Davonte was an electric playmaker in high school and was capable of mak- following his senior season … Selected as the Gatorade Player of the Year in Arizona as a junior and senior … Listed as an ESPNHS first-team All-American as a kick returner for 2011. All-Star Games And Camps: Participated in the 2012 Under Armour All-America Game Jan. 5 in St. ing the big play any time he had the ball in his hands. He excelled as a receiver, as a running back and as a returner. … I imagine we'll use him in a similar fashion here." Cesar Chavez High School Teacher/Mentor Ray Pino's Comments: "He's got a hunger to win, and he takes that to the field every time he plays. … He's a well-rounded player that is a great example for aspiring collegiate athletes." ballplayer in the open field. … He'll be the perfect tool for Notre Dame. He brings a lot of speed to the class, and he's one of the best open-field runners I've seen in the past year. He's not a real big guy, but he makes up for it with his ability." Favorite Part Of Notre Dame Visit: "Hanging out with Tom Lemming Of Prep Football Report: "He's an exciting 16 scores, in his senior campaign. Led Chaparral to a 14-1 record and its third consecutive state title … Defensively, notched 31 tackles and 12 pass breakups as a cornerback … On special teams, averaged 39.0 yards on kickoff returns with three touchdowns and averaged 26.6 yards per punt return with two scores. Honors: Named to the Parade All-America team as a senior … Tabbed as a SuperPrep All-American the guys on the team and learning that once you get into Notre Dame you're in a position to succeed. … I got to talk to [former Irish wide receiver] Michael Floyd a lot which was helpful, and I'm not worried at all about handling the bal- ance of football and academics when I get there because of the resources they provide." Why He Chose Notre Dame: "The academics, the football program is on national television every Saturday and it's a situation where if I'm at Notre Dame and I can't play football anymore, I know I'm at a place that can provide me with a great opportunity." Scouting Report: Great speed and elusiveness … Ideal option for the slot receiver position due to precision on routes and catching ability, but also able to line up wide in one-on-one situations to make a play downfield … Type of player that thinks touchdown every time the ball is in his hands, making him quite the challenge, regardless of measurables, to take down … Yards after catch is a trait that the Irish look for while recruiting skill-position players, and he fits that mold. 2012 Projection: Despite being recruited by the Irish as an athlete initially due to his strengths in all three phases of the game, the quickest way to the field will be at the slot receiver position, where he will have an opportunity at landing a contributing role early. The 5-10, 175-pound Neal fits Notre Dame's mold for the slot receiver/running back position and also gives the Irish an option in the secondary if needed. PHOTO COURTESY LUKE NEAL www.BLUEANDGOLD.com APRIL 2012 41