Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/531612
158 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW TERRIFIC 20 FOR 2016 JUNIOR NUMBERS: Totaled 44 catches for 760 yards and seven touchdowns. THE SKINNY: Farrell camped at Notre Dame last summer for the Irish Invasion, but it took the coaching staff almost a full year to offer him a scholarship … He visited Notre Dame again in early June and was told he has a spot in South Bend … With that being said, the Irish still trail Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State and Boston College. OFFENSIVE LINE PARKER BOUDREAUX 6-5, 291 • ORLANDO, FLA. • BISHOP MOORE H.S. RIVALS RANKING: Tabbed as a four-star prospect, the No. 42 player in Florida and the No. 25 of- fensive tackle in the country. THE SKINNY: Boudreaux has been a longtime target for the Irish and offensive line coach Harry Hiestand … He visited South Bend for two days in June and left with Notre Dame high on his list … While he publicly hasn't named any leaders, the Irish are believed to be in his top three along with Clemson and Oklahoma … He is ex- pected to make a late-summer decision, and the Irish are in good shape and like him in the interior of the line. ATHLETE CHASE CLAYPOOL 6-5, 215 • ABBOTSFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA ABBOTSFORD H.S. RIVALS RANKING: Rated as a three-star talent and the No. 96 wide receiver in the country. JUNIOR NUMBERS: Caught 31 passes for 391 yards and five touchdowns. THE SKINNY: Listed as a wide receiver, Claypool is being re- cruited by Notre Dame to play multiple posi- tions — including safety and linebacker on defense … He named a top four of Oregon, Washington, Michigan and Notre Dame in late June, and visited South Bend for the first time for the Irish Invasion … He's a project type of prospect, but one that the staff wants because of his raw talent … Oregon will likely be the team to beat given its proximity to Claypool's home in British Columbia. DEFENSIVE LINE OLUWOLE BETIKU 6-4, 240 • GARDENA, CALIF. • JUNIPERO SERRA H.S. RIVALS RANKING: Listed as a four-star re- cruit, the No. 9 prospect in California, and the No. 4 defensive end and No. 44 overall player in the country. THE SKINNY: Betiku, who lives with former NFL line- backer LaVar Arrington and was born in Nigeria, named a top six of UCLA, Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Penn State and Texas A&M in early June … Notre Dame's inclusion was surprising, but not out of the blue. Irish defen- sive coordinator Brian VanGorder saw Betiku workout in late May and kept in contact with the top pass rusher … The next step for the Irish is getting Betiku on campus. RASHAN GARY 6-5, 290 • PARAMUS, N.J. • PARAMUS CATHOLIC H.S. RIVALS RANKING: Rated as a five-star tal- ent, the top prospect in the Garden State, and the No. 2 defensive tackle and No. 6 overall recruit nationally. THE SKINNY: Gary is ex- pected to visit Notre Dame in July with his mother, who holds the key to his recruitment … While many believe that Gary is a lock to sign with Michigan, given the fact that's where his former high school coach is on the sup- port staff, that appears to not be the case … The tackle has visited Clemson, Georgia, Auburn, Ole Miss and Alabama, and claims to be "open" with his recruitment. XAVIER KELLY 6-4, 250 • WICHITA, KAN. • EAST H.S. RIVALS RANKING: Listed as a four-star talent, the No. 2 prospect in Kan- sas, and the nation's No. 11 defensive end and No. 150 overall recruit. THE SKINNY: Kelly went from an unranked Kansas State commit to one of the nation's most coveted prospects in the span of just two months … Notre Dame was one of the first high-profile schools to offer Kelly, and that's what led to an unofficial visit June 10 … He claims more than 30 of- fers and plans to trim his list sometime this summer … Notre Dame has positioned itself to make the initial cut. LINEBACKER CALEB KELLY 6-3, 215 • FRESNO, CALIF. • CLOVIS WEST H.S. RIVALS RANKING: Tabbed as a five-star pros- pect, the No. 2 player in California, and the No. 5 outside linebacker and No. 19 overall player in the nation. THE SKINNY: Kelly has offers from all in- state powers in California, but it's schools like Michigan, Oklahoma and Notre Dame that are getting a majority of his attention … He visited Ann Arbor and Norman early in the recruiting process, and continues to list Notre Dame as a school he wants to see … Linebacker isn't a priority this cycle, but Notre Dame is trying to land a top talent like Kelly. DAELIN HAYES 6-3, 250 • ANN ARBOR, MICH. • SKYLINE H.S. RIVALS RANKING: Listed as a five-star talent, the top recruit in Michigan, and the No. 2 outside line- backer and No. 11 overall prospect in the land. THE SKINNY: Hayes is the lone player on this list com- mitted to another school … He has stated numerous times that he's more than solid on his pledge to USC, but people in and around his camp believe there's room for that to change … The linebacker was of- fered by the Irish last summer, and has yet to tell the coaching staff not to recruit him … Detroit native and defensive line coach Keith Gilmore is leading the charge for the Irish on the recruiting trail. CORNERBACK DAMAR HAMLIN 6-1, 179 • PITTSBURGH • CENTRAL CATHOLIC H.S. RIVALS RANKING: Rated as a four-star talent, the No. 4 recruit in Pennsyl- vania, and the No. 9 safety in the country and No. 126 overall prospect nationally. THE SKINNY: Hamlin is listed as a safety and can play mul- tiple positions, but his size and length make him ideal on the boundary for the Irish … He visited for Junior Day March 21 and put Notre Dame in his top 10 at the start of June … Still, the Irish are bat- tling Pittsburgh and Penn State for one of the nation's top defensive backs. DAVID LONG 6-1, 179 • LOS ANGELES • LOYOLA H.S. RIVALS RANKING: Tabbed as a four-star player, the No. 25 prospect in California, and the No. 8 cor- nerback and No. 133 overall recruit in the country. THE SKINNY: Long is another cornerback that put the Irish in his top 10 early in June … He's a high-academic kid that is drawn to the alumni base in the Los Angeles area and the defensive schemes that coordinator Brian VanGorder runs … USC and Stanford appear to be the teams to beat.