Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com APRIL 2017 35 9. C.J. HOLMES, RB Hamden (Conn.) Cheshire Academy Holmes projects as a possible con- tributor at running back, wide receiver and safety. Rivals' No. 5 all-purpose back and No. 203 prospect in the nation is a smooth athlete that will only get stronger and more explosive as he ma- tures. He has good vision and should excel in Notre Dame's zone schemes as a runner. His downfield ball skills make him a receiving threat out of the backfield or in the slot. 10. AARON BANKS, OL El Cerrito (Calif.) High Banks has the length to play on the edge and he looks comfortable in space, but he must improve his footwork. He will need to reshape his body a bit, but once that happens his agility should see a boost. Rated as the No. 13 offensive tackle and No. 121 prospect in the coun- try, Banks is a powerful young man that thrives on contact, traits that might make him better suited to play guard. 11. DREW WHITE, LB Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas White lacks ideal size for the position, but his instincts are elite. He makes extremely quick reads and constantly beats blockers to the point of attack. The most underrated part of his game is his athleticism, and that projects well to the Irish defense. His range and cov- erage skills make him a good fit for the Buck position. White was overlooked as a prospect, going unranked nation- ally at his position and not making Ri- vals' top 100 players in Florida. 12. JEREMIAH OWUSU-KORAMOAH, ROVER Hampton (Va.) Bethel Owusu-Koramoah, the No. 40 out- side linebacker nationally according to Rivals, did a little bit of everything for Bethel. He's just 17 years old and will be so until November of his fresh- man season, which means he has a lot of room for physical and techni- cal growth. He's a rangy athlete with smooth transition ability, and he arrives at the football with force. Adding him late was a significant pickup for Notre Dame. 13. MYRON TAGOVAILOA-AMOSA, DE/DT Kapolei (Hawai'i) High Tagovailoa-Amosa was a defensive end for Kapolei, but he projects best at defensive tackle, where he was ranked No. 39 in the country. He shows a good burst and is a natural pass rusher, pos- sessing strong hands and a nice array of moves. He will show a speed rush, a rip move, a power rush and an in- side spin move that is hard to stop. His frame could allow him to get to at least 290 pounds. 14. JORDAN GENMARK HEATH, S San Diego Cathedral Catholic Genmark Heath is a highly instinc- tive football player and a quality ath- lete — Rivals rates him as the No. 67 athlete nationally. He is rangy, changes direction well and fills the alleys in a hurry. He is a strong player that packs a punch when he arrives at the ball. His instincts and ability to read his keys help him maximize his athletic skills. 15. AVERY DAVIS, QB Cedar Hill (Texas) High Davis is an intriguing player that has a good arm and is a top-level ath- lete, but he is not a natural drop-back passer. He is more of a gunslinger in the mold of Everett Golson. The No. 19 dual-threat quarterback in the senior class, he is at his best when the play breaks down, and he can make plays with his legs or ability to get the ball downfield. 16. KURT HINISH, DT Pittsburgh Central Catholic Hinish is a stout and strong player that possesses impressive initial quick- ness off the ball. During his senior year, he showed much-improved hand play, which made him incredibly hard to block. He does a good job keeping opponents off his body and using his hands to get off the blocks and to the ball carrier, often in the backfield. Ri- vals rated him as the No. 38 defensive tackle in the land. 17. DILLAN GIBBONS, OL Clearwater (Fla.) Central Catholic Gibbons is all about power and force. He is a tough blocker that excels in the run game. He starred as a left tackle for Central Catholic, but he projects inside for Notre Dame, where his quickness will play better, and his physicality can be his dominant trait. He has the talent to be a multi-year starter at guard and out-perform his ranking as the No. 56 offensive tackle in the nation. 18. JAFAR ARMSTRONG, WR Shawnee Mission (Kan.) Bishop Miege Armstrong has excellent ball skills and knows how to work himself open against the zone. He put on good weight as a senior and added a lot of strength to his game, which helped him physically overpower opponents. Combined with his vision and quick- ness, that strength makes him an effec- tive after-the-catch player. Rated as the No. 77 wideout in the nation, he will try to show that ranking was low. 19. KOFI WARDLOW, DE Washington (D.C.) St. John's Collegiate Listed as the No. 47 weakside defen- sive end in the country, Wardlow is the biggest low floor-high ceiling player in the class. He has played football for just two years and is technically quite raw, but as a senior he racked up 28 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. He is a strong athlete with the natural skills to be- come a highly effective disruptor once his technique catches up to his talent. 20. JONATHAN MACCOLLISTER, DE Orlando (Fla.) Bishop Moore MacCollister did everything for Bishop Moore, playing defensive end, defensive tackle, tight end, wide re- ceiver and even occasionally offensive line. That versatility makes him an at- tractive prospect, as does his frame and overall athletic skills. He is unranked nationally and in Florida because he is underdeveloped technically. 21. JONATHAN DOERER, K/P Charlotte (N.C.) North Mecklenberg Doerer is a high-quality athlete re- gardless of position. His athleticism gives him a fast and powerful leg, and his ability to drive the ball into the end zone should lead to him winning the kickoff spot as a true freshman. ✦ Versatility and explosiveness are traits that drew Notre Dame to early enrollee running back C.J. Holmes. PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS