Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/699309
BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 153 Irish Restock The O-Line, Secondary If there's one unit where Notre Dame had to add bodies, it was along the offensive line. If there was a second, it was in the secondary at cornerback and safety. After signing just two offensive linemen and five defensive backs in the class of 2015, the Irish identified early in the recruiting cycle that both positions were going to be priorities. Thankfully for the Irish, they were able to restock both groups with plenty of talent, and it started early in the process. Kraemer, Rivals' No. 4 offensive tackle and No. 41 player overall nationally and a U.S. Army All-American, became commit No. 1 in the class when he gave a verbal pledge to offensive line coach Harry Hies- tand on Nov. 14, 2014. While the 6-5, 305-pound Kraemer could play either guard or tackle at Notre Dame — and is expected to be given a chance to crack the rotation as a true freshman — he was just part of the recruiting coup for Hiestand that earned him recognition from Rivals.com as one of the nation's top 25 recruiters. The former Chicago Bears assistant coach was also able to beat out Ohio State for Eichenberg, the No. 7 offensive tackle After inking just two offensive linemen in 2015, that position group was a big focus for the Irish. Four-star Tommy Kraemer got the ball rolling on what might be the best haul of incoming blockers in the country. PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Ian Book QB 6-0 190 El Dorado Hills, Calif. (Oak Ridge) One-time Washington State commit accounted for 3,828 yards and 42 total touch- downs his senior season. Parker Boudreaux OL 6-3 300 Winter Garden, Fla. (Bishop Moore) Pulled a 16,000-pound school bus to commit to Notre Dame in viral Bleacher Report video. Chase Claypool WR 6-4 215 Abbotsford, British Columbia (Abbotsford) Canadian athlete could play tight end, wide receiver, safety or linebacker in college. Liam Eichenberg OL 6-6 280 Cleveland (St. Ignatius) Under Armour All-American and MaxPreps first team All-American. Jalen Elliott DB 6-0 189 Richmond, Va. (Lloyd C. Bird) High school quarterback-turned-safety that was named first-team All-State by the Virginia High School League. Daelin Hayes* LB 6-3 239 Belleville, Mich. (Skyline) Injury-riddled prep career still resulted in a U.S. Army All-American Bowl selection. Jamir Jones LB 6-3 220 Rochester, N.Y. (Aquinas Institute) Younger brother of Notre Dame nose guard Jarron Jones was a Semper Fidelis All- American. Jonathan Jones LB 6-0 200 Ocoee, Fla. (Oak Ridge) Ranked by the Orlando Sentinel as the No. 3 prospect in Central Florida and No. 37 recruit in the state. Tony Jones Jr. RB 5-10 219 St. Petersburg, Fla. (IMG Academy) Participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Khalid Kareem* DE 6-4 245 Pontiac, Mich. (Harrison) MVP of the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl after recovering two fumbles and return - ing one for a touchdown. Tommy Kraemer OL 6-5 310 Cincinnati (Elder) Parade All-American was named Gatorade Ohio Football Player of the Year as a senior. Julian Love DB 5-11 175 Westchester, Ill. (Nazareth Academy) Named to the Chicago Tribune's All-State team after making 92 tackles and an inter- ception as a senior. Deon McIntosh RB 5-11 180 Pompano Beach, Fla. (Cardinal Gibbons) Sun Sentinel first-team All-County selection for the talent-rich Broward 5A-4A-3A-2A levels. Javon Mckinley WR 6-3 205 Corona, Calif. (Centennial) Los Angeles Times' Back of the Year caught a 14-yard touchdown pass in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. D.J. Morgan DB 6-2 190 Norwalk, Calif. (St. John Bosco) Second cousin of three-time Notre Dame basketball All-American Skylar Diggins. Ade Ogundeji DE 6-5 216 West Bloomfield, Mich. (Walled Lake) Raw pass rusher missed most of his senior season with a knee injury. Julian Okwara DE 6-4 216 Charlotte, N.C. (Ardrey Kell) Sibling of former Irish defensive end Romeo Okwara was selected to the USA Today All-North Carolina second team. Spencer Perry* DB 6-2 204 Newnan, Ga. (IMG Academy) Cousin of former Indiana basketball star Christian Watford was once committed to Florida. Troy Pride CB 5-11 175 Greer, S.C. (Greer) Speedy cornerback won Class AAA state titles in the 100, 200 and 400 meters and the 4-by-100 relay. John Shannon LS 6-2 220 Lake Forest, Ill. (Loyola Academy) Nation's top-ranked long snapper participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Kevin Stepherson* WR 5-11 171 Jacksonville, Fla. (First Coast) Associated Press All-State honorable mention as a senior. Devin Studstill DB 6-0 189 Riviera Beach, Fla. (Palm Beach Gardens) Sun Sentinel's All-Palm Beach 8A-7A-6A Defensive Player of the Year in 2015. Donte Vaughn CB 6-3 190 Memphis, Tenn. (Whitehaven) 2015 American Family Insurance All-USA Tennessee first-team pick. 2016 Recruiting Class