Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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74 MARCH 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED FOOTBALL RECRUITING clear, and they both fit that descrip- tion. Metuchen (N.J.) St. Joseph's offen- sive tackle John Olmstead was of- fered by Notre Dame last summer after attending the team's big man camp. The nation's No. 54 overall player according to Rivals, Olmstead has remained a priority for the staff. He visited Notre Dame Nov. 18 when the Irish hosted Navy. At 6-6 and 285 pounds with a massive frame, Olm- stead has the makings of a signifi- cant force in the run game at the next level. The same is true for Edina (Minn.) High standout Quinn Carroll, a four- star big man and the nation's No. 30 overall player according to Rivals. Carroll has already been to Notre Dame on a pair of occasions, making his first trip last April during spring practice and his second Oct. 21 when the Irish trounced USC 49-14. Continuing to add depth to the in- terior of the line is a must, and Notre Dame has always had a desire to add blockers with the versatility to play inside or outside. That will continue under offensive coordinator Chip Long, who emphasizes physicality, but also blockers that can move. Cincinnati Anderson four-star Zeke Correll is a top Notre Dame target, but he's being recruited by Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Stanford. Correll visited Notre Dame Oct. 28 and watched the Irish defeat North Carolina State 35-14. The Irish staff has made an early push for Georgetown (Ky.) Scott County four-star Bryan Hudson, Rivals' No. 214 overall player na- tionally. He has offers from Notre Dame, Alabama, Florida and Ohio State, among many others. Gibsonia (Pa.) Pine-Richland three-star offen- sive tackle Andrew Kristofic, a prep teammate of 2018 quarterback signee Phil Jurkovec, is another early target for the staff. DEFENSIVE END Players On The 2018 Roster: 7 Projected Take: 3 Recruiting at defensive end has been wildly erratic since Brian Kelly arrived. The 2011 class included a pair of five-star ends (Stephon Tuitt and Ishaq Williams) and a four-star (Aaron Lynch) ranked as the No. 28 overall player in the country by Ri- vals. The 2016 haul included five-star Daelin Hayes and two more four-star players (Khalid Kareem and Julian Okwara). In Notre Dame's seven other classes under Kelly it has landed just one Rivals250 end, Isaac Rochell (2013). The staff failed to sign an end in the 2015 class, and in 2018 it will have just two ends on the roster from the last two classes. Notre Dame must have success re- cruiting the defensive end position in the 2019 class or it will soon find it- self in a tough spot from both a depth and talent standpoint. Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Siegel end Joseph Anderson — who ESPN ranks as the nation's No. 145 overall player — made his third trip to campus in January. The 6-4, 265-pound big man is a must-get for the staff. Sachse (Texas) High four-star end Hunter Spears projects as a strong- side end, but with his frame he could eventually grow into a hybrid player who could operate outside or inside. Spears was the top candidate to be Notre Dame's next 2019 commitment as of mid-February. Fort Worth (Texas) Nolan Catholic edge rusher NaNa Osafo-Mensah, the nation's No. 139 overall player according to Rivals, made his first trip to campus in January. Defensive line coach Mike Elston visited Nolan Catholic the week after Osafo-Men- sah made his visit to Notre Dame. Lewis Center (Ohio) Olentangy Orange five-star end Zach Harrison is considered by some to be a strong Ohio State lean, but his three visits to Notre Dame show his interest in possibly leaving the state. Notre Dame began its 2019 secondary recruiting by landing Atlanta defensive back KJ Wallace. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM