Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/841614
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN Prep: ESPN rated him as a four- star recruit, the No. 1 prospect in Michigan, and the No. 18 strong- side defensive end and No. 124 overall player nationally … As a se- nior, recorded 56 stops, 36 tackles for loss and 16 sacks … Also posted five forced fumbles and nine quar- terback hurries during a 6-3 season … Chosen as the USA Today All-USA Michigan Defensive Player of the Year, and a first-team all-state pick … Selected to The Detroit Free Press Michigan Dream Team, consisting of the state's best players, as a junior and a senior … Made The Detroit News Dream Team as a senior … Named the MLive Detroit Defensive Player of the Year … Was chosen the MVP of the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl, after returning one fumble 14 yards for a touchdown and another 78 yards to set up a score in the East's 28-13 win. Personal: Born April 28, 1998 … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. PETER MOKWUAH • NT Sr. • Staten Island, N.Y. Ht.: 6-3½ • Wt.: 326 Career Highlights: Saw action in four contests as a reserve last fall and made one solo tackle … Played in two games in 2015, but did not accrue any stats … Red- shirted in 2014. Prep: Regarded by Rivals as a three-star player and the No. 6 prospect in New York … Was a first-team all-city and honorable mention all-metro selection by MSG Varsity as a senior … Started for two seasons at defensive end for St. Joseph by-the-Sea High. Personal: Born March 19, 1996 … His uncle, Gabe Mokwuah, played defensive tackle at American International and was an 11th-round pick in the 1992 NFL Draft … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters. ADETOKUNBO OGUNDEJI • DE So. • West Bloomfield, Mich. Ht.: 6-4½ • Wt.: 251 Career Highlights: Redshirted in 2016. Prep: Regarded as a three-star talent, the No. 16 recruit in Michi- gan and the No. 40 strongside de- fensive end nationally by 247Sports … During a se- nior season shortened by an MCL injury, he recorded 18 tackles, three quarterback hurries, two sacks and a fumble recovery … Notched 66 tackles, eight sacks and 15 pass deflections as a junior. Personal: Enrolled in First Year of Studies. JULIAN OKWARA • DE So. • Charlotte, N.C. Ht.: 6-4½ • Wt.: 235 Career Highlights: Played in 11 games as a reserve and recorded four tackles in 2016. Prep: Ranked as a four-star re- cruit, the No. 7 player in North Carolina, and the No. 30 strongside defensive end and No. 243 overall player nationally by Scout … As a senior, registered 84 tackles and nine sacks … Also notched four forced fumbles and a blocked field goal, and also caught a pair of touchdown passes on offense … Selected to the USA Today All-North Carolina second team … Picked to the North Carolina team for the 2015 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, but did not play in the game … Recorded 90 tackles and 10 sacks as a junior. Personal: Born Dec. 27, 1997 … Is the younger brother of former Irish defensive end Romeo Ok- wara (2012-15) … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. ELIJAH TAYLOR • DT Jr. • Cincinnati Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 280 Career Highlights: Saw action in four contests last season … Tallied three tackles, including one for loss … Redshirted in 2015. Prep: Scout identified him as a four-star recruit, Ohio's No. 11 prospect, and the nation's No. 20 defensive tackle and No. 203 overall player … Finished with 68 tackles, eight stops for loss and five sacks during Moeller's 10-4 season and run to the Division I state semifinals as a senior … Broke into starting lineup as a sophomore and helped the team win two straight state titles … Recognized by the Associated Press as a first-team Division I all- state selection after his senior year. Personal: Born Feb. 21, 1997 … His father, Kevin, played defensive back at Miami (Ohio) … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters. BRANDON TIASSUM • DT Jr. • Indianapolis Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 304 Career Highlights: Did not play last year … Redshirted in 2015. Prep: Tabbed as a three-star prospect, the No. 6 player in In- diana and the No. 28 defensive tackle in the land by Rivals … As a senior, racked up 91 tackles, 18 stops for a loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and two blocked field goals … Earned a spot on the Associated Press Indiana 2A all-state team as a senior … Selected to The Indianapolis Star's 2014 Super Team … Played in the Semper Fidelis All- American Bowl … Helped the Park Tudor basketball team win a state crown as a junior. Personal: Born Oct. 9, 1996 … Enrolled in the Men- doza College of Business. JERRY TILLERY • NT Jr. • Shreveport, La. Ht.: 6-6½ • Wt.: 308 Career Highlights: Played in all 12 contests and made 11 starts last fall … Recorded 37 tackles, three stops behind the line of scrimmage and five quarterback hurries … Saw action in all 12 regular-season con- tests and made three starts in 2015 after enrolling in January … Tabbed as the Notre Dame Defensive Newcomer of the Year after notching 12 tackles, two stops behind the line of scrimmage and a sack. Prep: Ranked as a four-star recruit, the No. 6 player in Louisiana, and the No. 15 defensive tackle and No. 145 overall prospect nationally by Rivals … While playing full-time on both sides of the ball as a senior, was credited with 93 tackles, 15 stops for lost yardage and seven sacks … Recognized as a second-team offensive lineman on the 2014 Max- Preps All-America squad … Honored as the Louisiana District 1-3A Defensive MVP and The Shreveport Times' All-City Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 … Listed first-team all-state as a defensive lineman by the Louisiana Football Coaches Association, and first-team all-state as an offensive lineman by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association following his senior campaign … Played in the U.S. Army All-Amer- ican Bowl. Personal: Born Oct. 9, 1997 … Both parents are in the medical field, and he too plans to pursue a medical field of study … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters. Year G-GS Solo Ast. Total TFL Sacks 2015 12-3 9 3 12 2.0 1.0 2016 12-11 17 20 37 3.0 0.0 Totals 24-14 26 23 49 5.0 1.0 ANDREW TRUMBETTI • DE Sr. • Demarest, N.J. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 252 Career Highlights: Saw action in 12 contests and made seven starts in 2016 … Compiled 26 tack- les (10 solo), half a tackle for loss and three quarterback hurries … Appeared in 12 games and started three in 2015 … Recorded 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, six quarterback hurries and an interception, which he returned 28 yards for a touchdown versus Wake Forest … Played in 12 games in 2014, including his starting debut in the Music City Bowl win over No. 22 LSU … Posted 21 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack and five quarterback hurries. Prep: Ranked as a four-star recruit, the No. 4 prospect in New Jersey, and the No. 5 strongside defensive end and No. 86 overall player nationally by 247Sports … Lined up at defensive end, wide receiver and running back for Demarest High … As a senior, logged 47 tackles and four sacks on defense, ran for 454 yards and three scores on 51 carries, and caught 12 passes for 277 yards and six touchdowns … Played in the Under Armour All-American Game. Personal: Born March 14, 1996 … His brother Joe played football at Johns Hopkins from 2012-15 … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business, major- ing in management consulting. Year G-GS Solo Ast. Total TFL Sacks 2014 12-1 15 6 21 5.5 1.0 2015 12-3 11 5 16 2.5 1.0 2016 12-7 10 16 26 0.5 0.0 Totals 36-11 36 27 63 8.5 2.0 NEWCOMERS DARNELL EWELL • NT Fr. • Norfolk, Va. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 280 Prep: Rivals rated him as a four-star talent, the No. 6 prospect in Virginia, and the No. 9 defensive tackle and No. 139 overall player in the country … As a senior, notched 44 tackles, three sacks and 88 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW