Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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FOOTBALL RECRUITING linebackers. That's big for me. I loved how he said he would use me. "Coach Kelly and I are pretty famil- iar with each other. We talked often and got more time to talk about how everything is going with each of us. It was good." Another aspect about this trip that stood out to Hilliard was that the cur- rent Notre Dame players reached out to him while he was on campus. They wanted to hang out with him and get to know him more after the game. "I was with Jaylon Smith and Devin Butler for most of Saturday night," Hilliard discussed. "They're definitely good guys. I asked them questions and they were helpful in answering them. I just appreciated them taking the time to get to know me." 247Sports ranks Hilliard as the No. 14 overall player in the nation, the No. 1 outside linebacker in the country and the No. 1 prospect in Ohio. Another top target visiting South Bend was Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean inside linebacker Josh Barajas. Notre Dame offered the 6-3, 210-pounder during his visit to campus for Junior Day. The Irish join Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Wis- consin and others on the list of schools that have offered the four-star recruit a scholarship. The Wolverines led for Barajas head- ing into his first visit to Notre Dame — but the Fighting Irish were sitting on top after the trip. "I think Notre Dame is No. 1 now," Barajas said. "Being set for life — if football doesn't work out, I'll have that degree. There is this quote they say that I love, 'It's not a four-year deci- sion, it's a 40-year decision.'" Prior to departing South Bend and heading home, Barajas thought about pledging to the Irish and ending his recruitment. He didn't want to rush his decision, and he doesn't want to decommit from the school he chooses, so he held off on joining the Notre Dame class of 2015. "Committing crossed my mind," Barajas said. "I'm just waiting and keeping my options open. This was just a great visit, and I thought about it. The tradition, all the history, I was just in shock over it all." Barajas' father, who is a Notre Dame football fan, along with his sister, joined him on his first visit to campus. Barajas made it clear that everyone enjoyed themselves on the trip, and a return visit will likely occur later this summer. "The people here were great," he Notre Dame offered Lenox (Ill.) Providence Catholic athlete Miles Boykin, the No. 22 wide receiver nationally and the No. 2 recruit in Illinois accord- ing to 247Sports, on Junior Day. PHOTO COURTESY 247SPORTS