Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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36 MARCH 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY DAVID MCKINNEY Losing isn't something Kevin Aus- tin has ever been a fan of. From a young age, he wanted to win in everything he did, not just on the football field. Board games, video games, any kind of contest, the Notre Dame wide receiver signee wanted to walk away victorious. Austin took that attitude with him into his football career, and now he's coming into college as Rivals' No. 88 overall player in the class of 2018. "I love to compete and win," Aus- tin said. "I've always had that drive in me since I was a child. "I've always been competitive in everything I've ever done. On the field or in the weight room helps me accomplish what I need to do." The weight room, Austin said, was a particular place where that drive to be victorious carried him. He didn't start lifting weights until he hit high school because his parents wanted to wait until his body developed further. That created some challenges, but Austin pushed through them thanks to the mantra he's carried with him since he was young. "I was a little bit underdeveloped," he explained. "I had to push myself a little bit harder and further to get there." Weight lifting wasn't the only change high school football brought on though. Austin played running back throughout his youth career, so switching to wide receiver took some getting used to. "I've only played re- ceiver for a good four years," he said. "Run- ning so much and hav- ing to learn different route combinations instead of just having a hole to run through, that played a factor." Whether it was be- i n g b e h i n d i n t h e weight room, learning a new position or some other challenge, Austin was always able to get through it. Look- ing back, he gives all the credit to his parents for his winning attitude. "My parents instilled that in me," Austin said. "They helped me be- come so competitive and have the want to win." Having both of his parents so in- vested in his life and football career, Austin said, was a huge part of the success he's been able to find on and off the field. "It's been amazing," he said. "They've re- ally pushed me and helped me get over some of the things that have stood in my way." Austin has always wanted to win, and if anything ever threat- ened his ability to do that, his parents were right there by his side to get him through it. "It was a blessing to have both my parents there to help me push through the things I needed to and help me get through things that were chal- lenging," Austin said. "They helped me overcome them." Now, Austin will head to Notre Dame as one of the most sought-after recruits in his class. The standout re- ceiver is champing at the bit to arrive in South Bend and get to work. "There's no delayed, step into it sit- uation, and I like that," Austin said. "I can't wait to make it up there." ✦ KEVIN AUSTIN WIDE RECEIVER 6-2 · 197 NORTH BROWARD PREP FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 88 15 22 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 86 14 22 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 141 21 18 STATISTICS • Caught 35 passes for 761 yards and 11 touch- downs, and rushed for 390 yards and two scores on 38 carries as a senior. • Hauled in 41 receptions for 1,021 yards and 13 scores, plus ran for 454 yards and 12 touchdowns on 46 rushing attempts as a junior. HONORS • Named to The Sun Sentinel's Palm Beach 5A-1A first team as a senior. • Listed as a Florida Dairy Farmers 4A Mr. Foot- ball finalist. • Four-star member of the PrepStar Top 300 Dream Team, and was ranked as the No. 23 wide receiver and No. 154 overall prospect in the land. • Named to The Miami Herald's All-Broward County first team following his junior and senior seasons. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Played in the 2017 Offense-Defense All-Ameri- can Bowl Dec. 30 in New Orleans. • Took part in the 63rd North/South All-Star Football Classic. • Chosen for Nike Football's The Opening Finals in Beaverton, Ore., June 28-July 3, 2017. • Participated in the Rivals Five-Star Challenge in Indianapolis on June 9-10, 2017. • Took part in Nike Football's The Opening Mi- ami Regional on Feb. 26, 2017. Ran a 4.71-second 40-yard dash and a 4.4-second pro shuttle plus recorded a 37-inch vertical jump en route to Wide Receiver MVP honors. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on Aug. 11, 2017, picking the Irish over Miami, Tennessee and Duke. • Took an unofficial visit to Notre Dame for the Blue-Gold Game on April 22, 2017, and an official visit to Notre Dame for the USC game on Oct. 21, 2017. • Primarily recruited by running backs coach Autry Denson and wide receivers coach DelVaughn Alexander. NOTABLE • Born on March 30, 2000. • Set the Broward County record for receiving yards in a game with seven catches for 329 yards and five touchdowns in a 58-20 win over Pem- broke Pines (Fla.) Somerset Academy on Sept. 29, 2017. • Boasts a 3.6 GPA and plans to major in business. 2018 PROJECTION • Austin's size, ball skills and athleticism will give him a chance to make an immediate impact. THEY SAID IT Head coach Brian Kelly: "Everyone always asks who Kevin Austin reminds me of. None other than our first Biletnikoff Award winner and Detroit Lions playmaker Golden Tate." Wide receivers coach DelVaughn Alexander: "His traits are his intelligence and his football mindset. He has a dominant football mindset, so the rest is easy. Now it's just a matter of loving him up and coaching him hard, and we know we've got a guy that can play multiple spots and do multiple things." BGI football analyst Bryan Driskell: "Austin is a powerful athlete that is just tapping into his full potential. He's an explosive athlete that is a deep threat and a weapon after the catch. "Austin has outstanding ball skills. His ability to track the ball is impressive, and he competes very hard for the football when it is in the air. "With work he could turn out to be an elite pass catcher in a Notre Dame uniform." Kevin Austin Craves Competition Austin is ranked as a four-star recruit, the No. 22 player in Florida, and the No. 15 wide receiver and No. 88 overall prospect nationally by Rivals. PHOTO BY COREY BODDEN