Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/109499
OT Steve Elmer 6-5 ✦ 300 ✦ Midland H.S. ✦ Midland, Mich. Notable: Born on Sept. 1, 1994 … Runs the 40-yard dash in 5.0 seconds, benches 14 reps of 225 pounds, runs the pro shuttle in 4.5 seconds and has a 26-inch vertical jump … Qualified for the state meet as a junior in the shot put with a 50-foot toss … Scored a 30 on the ACT and is undecided on a planned major. Rankings: Considered a four-star recruit, the top player in Michigan, the No. 5 player at his position and the country's No. 60 overall player by Rivals.com … Ranked as the No. 73 player nationally and the No. 12 guard/ center in the land by MaxPreps/Tom Lemming … Listed as a four-star prospect, the nation's sixth-best offensive tackle and the No. 74 overall player in the land by Scout.com … Rated as a four-star recruit, the No. 3 player in Michigan, the No. 12 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 136 overall prospect in the class by 247Sports … Pegged as a four-star prospect, Michigan's sixth-best player, the No. 26 offensive tackle in the country and the No. 43 recruit in the Midwest region by ESPNU. Statistics: Helped pave the way for Midland to rush for more than 2,000 yards and score 351 points during an 11-1 season that ended with a loss in the Michigan Division 2 regional championship game. Honors: Named the Division 1 and 2 Player of the Year in Michigan by the Associated Press … Tabbed as the top player in Michigan by the Detroit Free-Press, as well as named to the publication's Dream Team as both a junior and senior … First-team All-State Dream Team as an offensive lineman for the Detroit News in 2012 … Midland Daily News two-time Dream Team member and Co-Player of the Year as a senior … Player of the Year on the Saginaw News Dream Team. All-Star Games And Camps: Played for the West team in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Feb. 5 in San Antonio … Participated in Nike's The Opening in Beaverton, Ore. Brian Kelly's Comments: "Bright, articulate, he fits all the profiles that we're looking for with great feet, athleticism, can play on the edge, play the tackle position for us. He is just a great student and a great young man." Midland Head Coach Eric Methner's Comments: "He's got great feet, tremendous work ethic and a great attitude. He's very humble, and he's a very bright and intelligent young man." Tom Lemming Of Prep Football Report: "He's one of the premier offensive tackles in the country. … He can play left or right tackle. I feel he'll be a right tackle in the NFL someday. He's super productive." Recruitment: Was the first to commit to the 2013 recruiting class a year and a half before National Signing Day on Sept. 17, 2011 … Other programs that he took unofficial visits to were Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin, but was a solid commit from start to finish … His only official visit was to Notre Dame for the Pittsburgh game Nov. 3, and he was hosted by fellow offensive lineman Mark Harrell … Recruited by offensive coordinator Chuck Martin … Enrolled early at Notre Dame in January. Why He Chose Notre Dame: "My favorite part about my visit was seeing the Basilica for the first time. … Notre Dame is the best place to grow my faith, my academic ability and my athletic ability. The campus is, by far, the most beautiful in the country." Jason Sapp's Scouting Report: Has a great frame with the growth potential to be a stout tackle at the collegiate level … Good footwork when moving to the second level of the defense and stays in front of his target … Searches for more after executing initial assignment and is a snap-to-whistle type of player … Pulls well, which is key for his position in the Irish offensive scheme … All-around scrappy player that stays on the defender and will maul anyone across from him. 2013 Projection: Offensive line is one of the most difficult positions to play as a true freshman along with quarterback and cornerback. Few newcomers can handle the physical demands of the position in addition to mastering the advanced schemes. With that being said, there's a spot to round out the second team at the tackle position, and Elmer has the best chance at this point considering his early start in South Bend.