Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com PRESEASON 2017 83 FOOTBALL RECRUITING and Ridgely (Md.) North Caroline defensive tackle Ja'Mion Franklin. To close out the 2018 class, land- ing additional edge help to go with Justin Ademilola, who is being re- cruited as a Drop end (hybrid defen- sive end/linebacker), is the priority. Two of the staff's top targets will be in South Bend when the Irish host Temple Sept. 2: Baltimore Gilman defensive end Thomas Booker and Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge defensive end Joseph Ossai. Booker, who is ranked as the na- tion's No. 212 overall player, visited Notre Dame in the spring and came away impressed with the school's mix of athletics and academics. The academic side will play a ma- jor role in Booker's recruitment, and Stanford and Notre Dame are the teams to beat with some seeing the Cardinal as the favorite. A decision could occur after visits to both pro- grams. Ossai, the No. 18 defensive end in the class of 2018, has a top three of Notre Dame, Texas and Texas A&M. The Sept. 2 visit will be Ossai's first to South Bend, providing the Irish a chance to pull the three-star out of the Lone Star State. Another top target expected in South Bend this fall is Blairstown (N.J.) Blair Academy defensive end Jayson Oweh. The four-star recruit made two trips over the summer to Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State, and appeared headed toward a summer decision. However, Oweh — who is listed as the No. 179 overall player nationally after a dominant summer — pushed back making his commitment to Jan. 1, the date of the Under Armour All- America Game. Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State will battle it out through the fall to add the high-up- side pass rusher. IMPACT OFFENSIVE LINEMEN Notre Dame added two offensive line commits early in the process with Brentwood (Tenn.) High tackle Cole Mabry committing in February and Maria Stein (Ohio) Marion Local tackle John Dirksen following suit the next month. It is not a deep year along the line, but Notre Dame is looking to add at least one more lineman and two if possible. Atlanta Pace Academy five- star guard Jamaree Salyer and Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep four-star tackle Nick Petit-Frere are the top two play- ers on the board. Salyer, who is ranked as the No. 1 offensive guard and No. 10 overall player nationally, has been to Notre Dame three times since the spring of 2016 and will return for a fourth trip Sept. 9 for the Georgia game on an of- ficial visit. Clemson and the Bulldogs are the perceived favorites for the talented interior blocker. Petit-Frere, who is rated as the No. 175 overall player in the country, made it to Notre Dame this spring and raved about the visit. The Irish are in a tight battle with Alabama, Michigan, Stanford, Ohio State and USC, among others. Two other interior players on the board are Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star guard Chris Murray and Salt Lake City East two-way line- man Sam Taimani, another four star. Murray, the No. 32 offensive guard in the class, landed an offer this sum- mer and will likely take an official visit this fall. Stanford is the per- ceived leader heading into the sea- son. Notre Dame is high on the list for Taimani after a summer visit, and he could play on either side of the ball for the Irish. Taimani is rated as the No. 211 overall player in the nation as a guard. SAFETY BLANKET Cornerback is a bigger priority in recruiting, but the staff is also look- ing to give Marietta (Ga.) Lassiter product Derrik Allen, the nation's No 5 safety and No. 82 overall player, a partner on the back end in the 2018 class. After signing Isaiah Robertson and Jordan Genmark Heath last cycle, and landing Navy transfer Alohi Gil- man, Notre Dame can be selective when it comes to safety recruiting. Safeties left on the board heading into the fall include Corvallis (Ore.) Crescent Valley athlete Talanoa Hu- fanga, the No. 57 overall player in the nation; Anaheim (Calif.) Servite product Julius Irvin, the No. 33 safety in 2018; D'Angelo McKenzie of San Jose (Calif.) Valley Christian, who is rated as the No. 76 player in Califor- nia; and local product Paul Moala of Mishawaka (Ind.) Penn, who holds additional offers from Iowa, Hawai'i, Indiana and others. Notre Dame sits in the best posi- tion with Irvin, McKenzie and Moala, but a good season in 2017 could pres- ent the opportunity to flip a talented player such as Jevon Holland of Oak- land (Calif.) Bishop O'Dowd, who is committed to Oregon and rated as the No. 44 safety in the class of 2018. ✦ Notre Dame is in the final three for Blairstown (N.J.) Blair Academy product Jayson Oweh, Rivals' No. 179 player in the country. PHOTO BY COREY BODDEN The Irish are battling several of the nation's best for Nick Petit-Frere of Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep, the country's No. 175 overall player according to Rivals. PHOTO COURTESY TIGERILLUSTRATED.COM