Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/531612
BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 109 DEFENSIVE BACKS NICK WATKINS • CB So. • Dallas Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 200 Career Highlights: Played in 11 games, but did not register any statistics. Prep: Listed as a four-star talent, the No. 17 player in Texas, and the No. 14 cornerback and No. 123 overall prospect in the land by ESPN … As a senior at Bishop Dunne he tallied 10 interceptions (two of which he returned for touchdowns) … Also hauled in 46 receptions for 630 yards and nine scores … Named to USA Today American Family Insurance All-USA Texas team for 2013 … Was also a first-team Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Division I All- State pick and was named the Defensive MVP of his district … Honorable mention all-state as both a sophomore and junior … Played in the Under Armour All-American Game. Personal: Born Jan. 27, 1996 … Father, Bobby Sr., played at Southwest Texas (now Texas State) and also with the NFL's Detroit Lions (1982-88) … Older brother, Bobby, played in the secondary at Air Force … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. NEWCOMERS NICK COLEMAN • CB Fr. • Dayton, Ohio Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 180 Prep: Rivals listed him as a three-star recruit, the No. 35 prospect in Ohio and the No. 63 cornerback in the country … Recorded 48 tackles and three interceptions as a senior, helping his school finish second in the state … Also racked up 1,125 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns … Tabbed by the Associated Press as first-team Division IV All-Ohio selection at running back. Personal: His father, Trey, played tailback for Notre Dame in 1983 … High school teammate of Irish junior quarterback Malik Zaire. SHAUN CRAWFORD • CB Fr. • Lakewood, Ohio Ht.: 5-9 • Wt.: 170 Prep: Ranked as a four-star prospect, the No. 4 recruit in Ohio, and the No. 7 cornerback and No. 82 overall player nationally by Rivals … Totaled 91 tackles, eight stops for loss, seven interceptions, 17 passes broken up and three forced fumbles as a senior for 2014 Ohio Division I state champion Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward … On offense, he caught 54 passes for 824 yards and nine touchdowns … Named an Associated Press Division I first-team all-state selection … Selected to Under Armour All-American Game … As a sophomore at the Ohio Divi- sion I championships in track and field, finished third in the state in the 100-meter dash with a 10.84 time, and recorded a 10.54 time in the preliminary heat … Also finished fifth in the 200 meters (21.95) while helping St. Edward to the state title. Also is a long jumper and his best distance last year was 22 feet, 7.75 inches. Personal: From the same high school as former Irish defensive lineman Bryan Flannery (1986-89), who later was in the Ohio House of Representatives. NICCO FERTITTA • S Fr. • Las Vegas Ht.: 5-9 • Wt.: 175 Prep: Ranked as a three-star prospect, the No. 4 player in Nevada and the No. 54 safety in the country by Ri- vals … Recorded 71 tackles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries during his senior season, while helping lead Bishop Gorman to a 15-0 record, its sixth straight state title and the top spot in USA Today's final high school national rankings … Earned first-team all-state lau- rels from NevadaPreps.com and The Las Vegas Review- Journal … Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Personal: Son of Lorenzo Fertitta, the billionaire co- founder of Station Casinos and CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) … Prep teammate of fellow Irish signee Aliz'e Jones. ASHTON WHITE • CB Fr. • Clinton, Md. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 182 Prep: Tabbed as a three-star prospect, the No. 21 senior in Maryland and the No. 75 cornerback in the land by Rivals … Finished his senior season with 58 tackles and two interceptions … Also had 10 receptions for 112 yards as a wide receiver … Named third-team all-conference as a senior. Personal: Honor roll student with 3.5-plus grade point average. MYKELTI WILLIAMS • S Fr. • Indianapolis Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 200 Prep: Rivals rated him as a four-star player, the No. 3 recruit in Indiana, and the No. 16 safety and No. 237 overall prospect in the country … Made 74 tackles and intercepted seven passes as a senior … Also rushed for 400 yards and eight touchdowns as a part-time quarter- back … Named The Indianapolis Star's Super Team Player of the Year and Mr. Football award winner at defensive back as a senior … Finished third in the state's overall Mr. Football voting … Honored as the State Defensive Player of the Year by IndianaPreps.com … Named first-team all-state by the Associated Press twice … Helped Warren Central win the state title as a junior, pulling down an interception that clinched the final game. Personal: Born Sept. 2, 1996. Sophomore cornerback Nick Watkins had a strong spring, setting himself up to contribute during the 2015 campaign. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND