Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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32 DECEMBER 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED FOOTBALL RECRUITING Notre Dame is still in the hunt for a number of top 2018 recruits BY BRYAN DRISKELL H eading into the final weekend of the season, Notre Dame had 19 Class of 2018 commitments and the eighth-best recruiting haul in the country according to Rivals. Num- bers are getting a bit tight, but the Irish could find a way to get up to 25 signees in this class. In order to put the program one step closer to being a legit on-field national title contender, Notre Dame must finish off the class with more impact recruits. Below is a break- down of the top nine players remain- ing on the board for the Irish, accord- ing to Blue & Gold Illustrated. NICK PETIT-FRERE OFFENSIVE TACKLE • 6-5, 265 POUNDS TAMPA (FLA.) BERKELEY PREP Petit-Frere has good length, but what makes him an elite recruit is his athletic skills at the position. He has outstanding foot quickness, bal- ance and speed, which makes him dominant on movement blocks and in the screen game, and gives him the potential to be a great pass blocker. Petit-Frere explodes off the ball, plays with good pad level and shows impressive leg drive. The 6-5, 265-pounder has fast and powerful hands, but he will need to add a lot of strength and weight. If he can fill out his frame and con- tinue to develop, Petit-Frere projects as a Ronnie Stanley-type left tackle in college. Notre Dame is competing with Florida, Alabama and Ohio State for his commitment. AMON-RA ST. BROWN WIDE RECEIVER • 6-1, 187 SANTA ANA (CALIF.) MATER DEI St. Brown is one of the best and most complete wide receivers in the nation. Rivals' No. 4 player in the country is an elite competitor and a fundamentally sound player. I have yet to see a player in the class that thrives on competition like he does. His technique is quite advanced, making him very hard to press at the line and helping him maximize the athletic skills he does possess. He is able to get good separation be- cause he plays at full speed, has little wasted motion and can work free against man or zone coverage. St. Brown has above-average speed and outstanding foot quickness. The 6-1, 187-pounder gets to full speed in just a couple of steps, which com- bined with his vision and feel for the game make him a dynamic after-the- catch player. He shows exceptional concentra- tion when the ball is in the air, and he has stellar ball skills. USC is his current leader but Notre Dame continues to make a hard push. PAYTON WILSON LINEBACKER • 6-4, 225 HILLSBOROUGH (N.C.) ORANGE COUNTY Wilson has all the traits that Notre Dame defensive coordinator Mike Elko wants in a linebacker and a drop end, the positions he could play at Notre Dame. He shows the range, instincts and physicality to play in- side linebacker at the next level. He is a physical player with good short- area quickness. The 6-4, 225-pounder displays an excellent burst off the edge and has a knack for getting to the quarterback. He has shown good coverage skills, and he can play in space much better than one would expect from a player with his size. He has an outstanding frame, and that frame combines with his physi- cality to make both the Mike line- backer spot and the drop end posi- tion places he could play at Notre Dame. Wilson's athleticism, toughness, playmaking ability and versatility make him a highly coveted player for the Irish. TOMMY TREMBLE TIGHT END • 6-4, 225 NORCROSS (GA.) WESLEYAN Tremble is just scratching the sur- face of his potential. He's a terrific Top Remaining 2018 Prospects On The Board Rivals rates Nick Petit-Frere of Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep as a four-star prospect, and the No. 13 offen- sive tackle and No. 175 overall player in the country. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN