Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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42 NOV. 20, 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID MCKINNEY There's an old adage about not purchasing the first car you test drive, but what if that car just feels right? That's what happened for North Fort Myers (Fla.) High three-star cornerback Joseph Wilkins Jr. dur- ing his official visit to Notre Dame for the Wake Forest game Nov. 4. Notre Dame was the first school to host Wilkins on an official visit, and though he had a few others planned down the road he'll no longer be tak- ing those. The 6-2, 175-pound Wilkins be- came the 19th member of Notre Dame's 2018 class Nov. 6 after realiz- ing that Notre Dame was the best car — or college — he would test drive. "They always say you don't want to buy the first car you look at, but I feel like Notre Dame is that [Mer- cedes] Benz," Wilkins said. "If I'm going car shopping, you can't get better than a Benz, and you can't get better than Notre Dame. "I don't need to see anybody else's school." Though Wilkins said coaches from other programs are already contact- ing him in hopes of convincing him to take those visits, they won't be happening. "Of course I've got other coaches telling me, 'You never got to look at my school and you're jumping the gun,' but I really stand firm on my decision," Wilkins said. "Obviously I just made it, but I still stand firm on my decision." Coming into the visit, Wilkins had Notre Dame as his leader, but wasn't planning to make a commit- ment while on campus. While he was sitting in Notre Dame Stadium and watching the Irish notch a 48-37 win over Wake Forest, he visualized him- self in the blue and gold, and the idea started to creep into his mind. A dinner meeting with the coach- ing staff Sunday night erased any remaining doubt about South Bend being the right place for him. "The game atmosphere was awe- some, so that kind of put it in my head," Wilkins said. "Then on Sun- day, I was just talking to all the coaches and getting the rundown. It was really the whole visit." Wilkins also got to spend time around some current Notre Dame defensive backs, which ensured him even more that a commitment was the right choice. "It kicked off with the game, and I loved the game, and then after I got to talk with the defensive backs and hang out with them," Wilkins said. "I got their opinion on school. They all told me they loved it and would do it again if they had the chance. "You can't get better football, and you can't get a better education. It's just perfect." Wilkins gives Notre Dame a key commitment at a position of need. The Irish didn't sign any cornerbacks in the class of 2017, and didn't have any committed in the class of 2018 before he jumped on board. Through eight games playing cor- nerback as a senior, Wilkins has re- corded 36 total tackles, two intercep- tions and five pass break ups. On offense, he added 20 receptions for 443 yards and six touchdowns at re- ceiver, his main position throughout his football career. In fact, Wilkins competed at both the Miami Rivals Three-Stripe Camp and Nike Football's The Opening Mi- ami Regional this summer as a wide receiver. At the Opening Regional, Wilkins did not run the 40-yard dash, but did register a 33.2- inch verti- cal jump, a throw of 37 feet in the power ball toss and a 4.32-second pro-shuttle drill. Wilkins' time of 4.32 seconds in the shuttle placed him 14th out of 44 defensive backs at the event and 17th out of 54 wide receivers. He also had the 16th-highest vertical jump among the defensive backs. With two football positions to han- dle, Wilkins hasn't been able to de- vote all his energy to developing as a cornerback. Rivals Florida recruit- ing analyst Rob Cassidy said once that becomes his main focus, Wilkins could grow into a solid defensive player. "He hasn't really specialized in anything," Cassidy said. "He's about 6-foot-2, so if he can hone those cor- nerback skills when he starts to spe- cialize at Notre Dame, he's got the size to be a special kind of guy down the road." ✦ FILM ANALYSIS Strengths Joseph Wilkins Jr. brings excellent length to the cornerback position, possessing long arms and height … Quality all-around athlete that shows good foot quickness, impressive body control and the ability to get to full speed quickly … His combination of athletic traits allows him to play the game with easy move- ments … Is more than willing to mix it up in the run game and deliver big hits on receivers … Could play cornerback, safety or wide receiver at the next level. Areas For Improvement At just 175 pounds, will obviously need to add weight and strength to his frame … Add- ing lower body strength will be priority No. 1, which should help improve his speed and explosiveness … Is a bit underdeveloped from a technical standpoint, so learning the finer points of cornerback play will be a must early in his career. — Bryan Driskell COMMITMENT PROFILE JOSEPH WILKINS JR. "You can't get better football, and you can't get a better education. It's just perfect." WILKINS ON WHY HE CHOSE NOTRE DAME Irish Land First 2018 Cornerback Wilkins, a three-star prospect, committed to Notre Dame during his official visit for the Wake Forest game Nov. 4. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS. COM