Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/841614
DEFENSIVE BACKS player in the Sunshine State and the No. 30 safety in the land by 247Sports … Was a three-year starter at Palm Beach Gardens High … Had 29 tackles and an interception on defense, while also seeing action at safety, wide receiver and wildcat quarterback during his senior campaign … Earned a spot on the Associ- ated Press Florida Class 7A all-state second team … Named The Sun Sentinel's All-Palm Beach 8A-7A-6A Defensive Player of the Year as a senior … Selected to play in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl, but turned down the invitation so he could enroll early at Notre Dame. Personal: Born July 2, 1998 … His father, Darren, played quarterback at West Virginia (1990-93) and was selected in the sixth round (191st overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft as a defensive back by the Dallas Cowboys … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. Year G-GS TT TFL Sacks Int. PBU 2016 12-9 38 1.0 0.0 1 0 DONTE VAUGHN • CB So. • Memphis, Tenn. Ht.: 6-2½ • Wt.: 209 Career Highlights: Saw action in 10 contests and made four starts last season … Totaled 22 tackles (13 solo), intercepted one pass and tied for the team lead with six passes broken up. Prep: Scout ranked him as a four-star talent, the No. 6 prospect in Tennessee, and the No. 15 corner- back and No. 245 overall player in the country … Was the top performer for a Whitehaven High defense that allowed just 13.6 points per game during his se- nior season, registering 40 tackles, 12 passes broken up and four interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns … Named to the All-USA Tennessee first team by USA Today … Earned a spot on the Ten- nessee Sports Writers Association all-state first team as a defensive back after both his junior and senior seasons … Played in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game, which pits the best players from Memphis and Shelby Counties, and intercepted a pass in the contest. Personal: Born Oct. 12, 1997 … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. Year G-GS TT TFL Sacks Int. PBU 2016 10-4 22 0.0 0.0 1 6 NICK WATKINS • CB Sr. • DeSoto, Texas Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 203 Career Highlights: Missed the entire 2016 campaign due to a broken arm he suffered during spring practice … Saw action in 12 contests in 2015, primarily on spe- cial teams and as a reserve cornerback, and made his first career start in the Fiesta Bowl, against Ohio State … Notched three tackles and broke up one pass versus the Buckeyes, and finished the season with eight total stops … Played in 11 games in 2014, 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 the USA Today All-USA Texas team … Was also a Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Division I all-state first-team 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 … His father, Bobby Sr., played at Southwest Texas (now Texas State) and also with the NFL's Detroit Lions (1982-88) … His older brother Bobby Jr. played in the second- ary at Air Force … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business. Year G-GS TT TFL Sacks Int. PBU 2014 11-0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0 2015 12-1 8 0.0 0.0 0 1 2016 Did Not Play Totals 23-1 8 0.0 0.0 0 1 ASHTON WHITE • CB Jr. • Washington, D.C. Ht.: 5-10½ • Wt.: 197 Career Highlights: Played in six contests last fall, primarily on special teams … Tallied two solo tackles … Did not see any game action in 2015. 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 recep- tions for 112 yards as a wide receiver. Personal: Enrolled in the College of Arts and Let- ters, majoring in political science. NEWCOMERS JORDAN GENMARK HEATH • S Fr. • San Diego Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 200 Prep: Rated as a four-star talent, the No. 26 pros- pect in California, and the No. 23 athlete and No. 230 overall player nationally by 247Sports … Led Cathe- dral Catholic to a 15-0 record, a No. 22 final national ranking by MaxPreps and the 2016 CIF Division IAA state championship as a senior … Rushed for 197 yards and nine touchdowns on 47 carries, while also adding 291 yards and two scores on 16 recep- tions … Recorded 59 tackles, four interceptions, five passes broken up and one forced fumble on defense … Received first-team All-San Diego CIF accolades … Named to The San Diego Union-Tribune's All-San Diego Section team following his senior campaign. Personal: Born Dec. 16, 1997 … Born and raised in Sweden, and moved to San Diego with his mother and stepfather when he was 15 … Played with Morri- son Mirer — son of former Notre Dame quarterback Rick Mirer (1989-92) — at Cathedral Catholic. ISAIAH ROBERTSON • S Fr. • Bolingbrook, Ill. Ht.: 6-1½ • Wt.: 208 Career Highlights: Enrolled at Notre Dame in Janu- ary 2017 and participated in spring practice. Prep: Rivals listed him as a four-star prospect, the No. 4 recruit in Illinois, and the No. 18 athlete and No. 202 overall player in the country … Was held back by a hamstring injury during his senior year, but managed to record 50 tackles, three passes broken up, two fumble recoveries and an interception for a Neuqua Valley team that went 8-2 and qualified for the 2016 Illinois Class 8A playoffs … Also caught 29 passes for 380 yards and four touchdowns as a wide receiver … Named first-team All-USA Illinois on defense by USA Today as both a junior and senior … Earned a spot on the 2016 EdgyTim.com all-state team as a defensive back, and was identified as one of Illinois' "best two-way players" … Selected to the Chicago Tribune all-state first team. Personal: Born March 29, 1999 … Plans to major in communications with a minor in theater. BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 109 Devin Studstill was thrust into a starting role nine times at safety as a true freshman, and finished with 38 tackles and an interception. PHOTO BY RICK KIMBALL