Miles Boykin didn’t need to be convinced of anything Sunday over dinner.
Head coach Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock joined Boykin and his family to talk Notre Dame, which has held a commitment from the four-star wide receiver since July 2. Conducting the in-home visit was more preparation for National Signing Day than recruiting pitch as a result.
“It was just really cool seeing the people side of them instead of the coaching side for a change,” Boykin said. “I think that was the biggest thing for my family. I was at my grandma’s house, so coach Kelly and coach Denbrock got to meet my mom and dad and my brother and my grandpa.”
Topics of discussion ranged from what Boykin can expect in the classroom, how the Irish might finish off recruiting in the next week and the ribs being served for dinner.
Kelly and Denbrock also filled in the 6-foot-4, 220-pound prospect on the environment he’ll step into this summer upon enrollment. Boykin will be part of a veteran receiver room that includes Chris Brown, Will Fuller, Corey Robinson, C.J. Prosise and Amir Carlisle.
“Just the atmosphere and the type of players I’ll be around,” Boykin said. “The type of leaders I’ll be around. No one really gets left behind. It’s not like a clique team where certain kids only hang out with certain kids. The whole team kinda goes out as a whole when we do things.”
How Boykin fits into that mix remains an open question to the coaching staff.
Fuller crossed the 1,000-yard mark last season while Robinson, Carlisle, Brown and Prosise all topped 20 receptions.
Torii Hunter Jr., Justin Brent and Corey Holmes are also expected to move into more prominent roles with another year of experience under their belts.
“It was kinda mutual on both ends on how we talked,” Boykin said. “Probably the biggest and most important question my mom asked coach Kelly was if he thinks I’m gonna redshirt. He said it’s gonna be a tough decision and a tough call because they think I’m ready physically. It’ll come down to how I learn the offense and how I am in the red zone. He said if I’m gonna be a threat to score they have to look at that right away.”
Right now Boykin is part of a three-receiver recruiting haul that includes Jalen Guyton and C.J. Sanders pending the National Signing Day announcement of four-star prospect Equanimeous St. Brown. Five-star tight end Alize Jones joined the fold earlier this month.
Boykin doesn’t have strong feelings one way or another about the possibility of redshirting.
“I’m kinda indifferent about it,” he said. “Obviously, my goal is to go in there and play right away. But at the same time if I redshirt, it’s not that big a deal to me because I’m gonna go into the business school and I should be on track to graduate in three and a half years. If I’m redshirted then hopefully I’m able to get a master’s degree.”
