'16 NC OLB/DE Julian Okwara (Notre Dame Signed NLI)

[arrowryan]

Outside Linebacker/Defensive End
Charlotte, North Carolina
Andrey Kell

Height: 6'4"
Weight: 210

Rankings:
247: ; 90 rating; #21 WDE
Scout: ; #15 DE; #128 OVR
Rivals: ; #16 OLB; #179 OVR
247Composite: ; .9237 rating; #11 WDE

Offers:
Notre Dame
Boston College
Cal
Duke
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisville
Maryland
Michigan
N.C. State
North Carolina
Ole Miss
Pittsburgh
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest
West Virginia

<iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/athlete/1703356/highlights/175514377" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe>

<iframe class="twofourseven-embed" style="max-width: 100%; height: 231px;" src="http://247sports.com/PlayerInstitution/Julian-Okwara-at-Ardrey-Kell-134721/CurrentExpertPredictions/Embed?SnapShot=635586728259926226" frameborder="0" height="231" width="600px"></iframe><script async="" src="http://media.247sports.com/scripts/shared/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[arrowryan]

Yes, I believe this Romeo's brother

 

[Cpnd1]

Romeo's little bro has a pretty solid offer list if I must say

 

[Redbar]

Really like his tape. Long rangy kid will definitely fill out, gets off blocks easily, lives in the backfield, great motor. Let's offer, already.

 

[Fbolt]

Would love to have this kid Irish.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Did he get a waiver to play in an under 6' tall league? He looks considerably taller than everyone.

 

[GoldenDomer]

His team played the Pope Boys tough this year. I can definitely see him following Romeo and Prince's footsteps to Notre Dame.

Notice his sack at 1:30 is exactly why we don't throw the ball.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Loved the motor on this kid. Check him out at the 1:07 mark.

 

[Irish#1]

I like little brothers. They get beat up and toughened up by their big brothers and usually know no fear.

 

[irishfan]

Do we know if he is super-young for his year like Romeo? Always wished he had done a PG year somewhere before enrolling due to this age...

 

[RDU Irish]

Do we know if he is super-young for his year like Romeo? Always wished he had done a PG year somewhere before enrolling due to this age...

Was going to ask the same thing. Still annoyed we didn't redshirt Romeo.

 

[GUknights75]

This kid needs an offer! Loved his tape, at the very least he will be great on kickoff coverage. I think he can end up being a great pass rushing DE. He's tall, has long arms, has a great motor, seems very fast and athletic, and if he is Romeos younger brother I would assume he is pretty dawn strong to. Offer this kid!

 

[Luckylucci]

Per BGI's article called 16 for 16' they have Julian at #16 and called him one of the top targets at LB.

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>'16 OLB Julian Okwara, brother of ND's Romeo. RT <a href="https://twitter.com/704jo">@704jo</a>: Just got offered by The University of 〽️ichigan <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wolverines?src=hash">#Wolverines</a> <a href="http://t.co/P78MPulkhV">pic.twitter.com/P78MPulkhV</a></p>— Tyler James (@TJamesNDI) <a href="https://twitter.com/TJamesNDI/status/567749673801502720">February 17, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[GoldenDomer]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>'16 OLB Julian Okwara, brother of ND's Romeo. RT <a href="https://twitter.com/704jo">@704jo</a>: Just got offered by The University of 〽️ichigan <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wolverines?src=hash">#Wolverines</a> <a href="http://t.co/P78MPulkhV">pic.twitter.com/P78MPulkhV</a></p>— Tyler James (@TJamesNDI) <a href="https://twitter.com/TJamesNDI/status/567749673801502720">February 17, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I see Romeo hasn't done a good job instilling hate for our rivals in his brother

 

[Irish#1]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>'16 OLB Julian Okwara, brother of ND's Romeo. RT <a href="https://twitter.com/704jo">@704jo</a>: Just got offered by The University of 〽️ichigan <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wolverines?src=hash">#Wolverines</a> <a href="http://t.co/P78MPulkhV">pic.twitter.com/P78MPulkhV</a></p>— Tyler James (@TJamesNDI) <a href="https://twitter.com/TJamesNDI/status/567749673801502720">February 17, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

F*ck Michigan
F*ck OSU

 

[MoreTeo]

Got bumped up to a 4 star by Rivals. I would take him and either Terrell Hall/Auston Robertson at WDE and call it a class.

 

[#1rish]

Also now has a .9355 composite rating at 247.

Why haven't we offered yet??

 

[GoldenDomer]

Lol we even slow play this kid? What a joke.

 

[woolybug25]

We are going heavy on the front 7 this cycle, correct?

I guess I don't get the slow play here? I mean, getting his commitment early has zero downside. It's not like it will effect our pitch to other front 7 guys. Get him in the fold now and get the buzz going, amirite?

 

[MoreTeo]

We are going heavy on the front 7 this cycle, correct?

I guess I don't get the slow play here? I mean, getting his commitment early has zero downside. It's not like it will effect our pitch to other front 7 guys. Get him in the fold now and get the buzz going, amirite?

you are right indeed.

 

[Irish_I_HadHair]

We are going heavy on the front 7 this cycle, correct?

I guess I don't get the slow play here? I mean, getting his commitment early has zero downside. It's not like it will effect our pitch to other front 7 guys. Get him in the fold now and get the buzz going, amirite?

I wouldn't think they're going heavy since the last 2 classes were.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

His film out of high school is better than his brother IMO.

 

[woolybug25]

I wouldn't think they're going heavy since the last 2 classes were.

We took 7-8 front seven players last year (Tillery and Bilal change the number depending on where they end up). That isn't heavy, imo.

 

[GoldenDomer]

For those that get mad when people complain about recruiting, here you go.

 

[TheTurningPoint]

We took 7-8 front seven players last year (Tillery and Bilal change the number depending on where they end up). That isn't heavy, imo.

ND can be patient here. Okwara knows what ND would offer him and they can continue to evaluate and recruit the elite guys at this point. I wouldn't slow play Okwara, but just have consistent contact, get him up for Jr Day and then have him camp/earn an offer at Irish Invasion. Itll be a smaller class in 2016, so possibly getting a guy in March when you can get him at most likely any point is somewhat of a risk with ND working on guys that might have a better upside.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

ND can be patient here. Okwara knows what ND would offer him and they can continue to evaluate and recruit the elite guys at this point. I wouldn't slow play Okwara, but just have consistent contact, get him up for Jr Day and then have him camp/earn an offer at Irish Invasion. Itll be a smaller class in 2016, so possibly getting a guy in March when you can get him at most likely any point is somewhat of a risk with ND working on guys that might have a better upside.

What is the projected class size for 2016? I'm thinking somewhere 16-20?

 

[Irish_I_HadHair]

We took 7-8 front seven players last year (Tillery and Bilal change the number depending on where they end up). That isn't heavy, imo.

Putting 14 & 15 together, it's been a heavy 2-year cycle for the front 7.

 

[NDinL.A.]

What is the projected class size for 2016? I'm thinking somewhere 16-20?

Right now it's 14-15, but as we all know that will change. Mike Frank thinks about 19-20.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Right now it's 14-15, but as we all know that will change. Mike Frank thinks about 19-20.

With no early defections my rough count was 14-15.

But Stanley and Smith will leave early. I also believe Folston and Fuller will leave early also.