Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 155 stretched two months past National Signing Day, but in the end the Irish and in-state Georgia lost out to Cal in a shocking turn of events. While there's no question that the nation's No. 1-ranked athlete and No. 1 prospect in Georgia would have given Notre Dame a legitimate deep threat to mimic the departed Fuller, the cupboard isn't bare when it comes to playmakers in the class. Jacksonville (Fla.) First Coast three-star wide receiver Kevin Stepherson put together a spring to remember after enrolling early and drew plenty of praise from Kelly. "I hate to put a lot on a freshman, but Stepherson is an outstanding ball catcher, maybe our best right now in terms of catch- ing the football," Kelly said. "I don't know that we have a player on our team that can catch the ball at full speed as he cuts across the field — a very unique trait of his. He still has to work on catching the ball vertically down the field. But he catches the ball out of his break at full speed, and it is a unique trait that I have not seen since I've been here at Notre Dame." Kelly didn't guarantee that Stepherson would see the field his first season on cam- pus, but he did make it clear that the fresh- man was going to be part of the conversation moving forward at wide receiver. That's also expected to be the case with Corona (Calif.) Centennial four-star Javon McKinley, the No. 11 wide receiver and No. 59 player nationally according to Rivals, and Abbotsford (British Columbia) four-star Chase Claypool, Rivals' No. 22 wideout and No. 109 player in the country. McKinley, who holds the Inland Empire Conference record with 3,752 career receiv- ing yards, is a prospect that associate head coach Mike Denbrock thinks can be the next Chris Brown for the Irish on the outside. "We like long receivers that can run," Denbrock said. "So he fit the profile of that type of dynamic athlete that not only had size but the ability to do something after he had the football in his hands." Claypool had a big body like McKinley, but has been described as a versatile player that can be molded into what the Irish need. Right now that appears to be a wide receiver, but Kelly didn't rule out the Canadian import moving to the defense side of the ball. "When we got a chance to see him play, we were just drawn to his pure physical abil- ity, and then we loved him in person," Kelly said. "He's so raw that we're going to be able to create a player that can play so many dif- ferent positions for us. We're really excited about him." And Notre Dame should be. In addition to Stepherson, McKinley and Claypool, the Irish are expecting Studstill and Elliott to be defensive backs that can get to the ball and create turnovers. They also think that Memphis (Tenn.) White- haven four-star cornerback Donte Vaughn — Rivals rated him as the nation's No. 20 safety — can be a lockdown defender and that Charlotte (N.C.) Ardrey Kell four-star Julian Okwara, the country's No. 18 weak- side defensive end, can provide a rush off the edge much like how his older brother, Romeo, tormented quarterbacks in South Bend. "It's a close group of guys," Kelly said. "They know each other. They've stayed in contact with each other. And the great thing about that is it will be a strong pull in the locker room. This will be a close group that will stick together and that will fight through adversity, which you're always go- ing to have in a team sport." ✦ Kevin Stepherson might have been ranked as only a three-star recruit, but he enrolled early and proved he belongs — head coach Brian Kelly said he might be the best on the team "right now in terms of catching the football." PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS Recruiting Territories Scott Booker (special teams coordinator/tight ends) — Georgia, North Florida, New Jersey, District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Mike Denbrock (associate head coach/tight ends) — California and Illinois Autry Denson (running backs) — South Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina Mike Elston (recruiting coordinator/linebackers) — Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and North Carolina Keith Gilmore (defensive linemen) — Michigan, North Carolina, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and Minnesota Harry Hiestand (offensive linemen) — Pennsylvania and New York Todd Lyght (defensive backs) — Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, Nevada, Colorado, Washington and Oregon Mike Sanford (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks) — California and Texas Brian VanGorder (defensive coordinator) — Georgia