Notre Dame Junior Day Preview
Notre Dame's first Junior Day of 2017 takes place this coming weekend in South Bend and plenty of top talent from the class of 2018 will be in town. Here is a VIP preview.
Tom Loy
Notre Dame's first Junior Day of 2017 takes place this coming weekend in South Bend and plenty of top talent from the class of 2018 will be in town.
Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech four-star cornerback Kalon Gervin will be on campus this weekend. The 5-11, 175-pounder picked up an offer from the Irish on Feb. 6 and wasted no time setting up a visit to Notre Dame. The Irish have a legitimate shot here. While Gervin has offers from the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Oklahoma, LSU, Florida, Penn State and many others, this offer from Notre Dame carries a great deal of weight with him. I've said this before: Notre Dame has a better shot with him than any Cass Tech standout in years past. Per 247Sports, Gervin is the No. 147 overall recruit nationally, No. 6 athlete in the country and No. 3 prspect in Michigan from the class of 2018.
Toledo (Ohio) St. John's Jesuit four-star linebacker Dallas Gant will return to South Bend this weekend. The 6-3, 200-pounder was on campus last summer for the Irish Invasion and returned this fall for a game day trip. Notre Dame is a major player in this recruitment, despite the 247Sports Crystal Ball heavily favoring Ohio State. I'm confident in the feeling that Gant will end up at either Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State or Michigan State. However, I'm leaning toward the Irish or Buckeyes in this race. A great visit this weekend, as he spends a ton of time with the current commits, could go a long way in landing him down the road. Per 247Sports, Gant is the No. 58 overall recruit in the country, No 2 outside linebacker in the nation and No. 4 prospect in Ohio from the class of 2018.
When Portland (Ore.) Tigary wide receiver/defensive back Braden Lenzy picked up a Notre Dame offer on Dec. 10, he immediately told Irish247 he would visit South Bend soon. That proved to be true, as he is expected on campus this weekend. The 6-0, 160-pounder, who is being recruited primarily as a wide receiver at this point, will visit with his parents and give Notre Dame a close look. Michigan State, a school he has ties to, Oregon and Stanford are all legit players in this race. He could end up at any of the four and it wouldn't come as any shock. This weekend is big for the Irish, as his interest is legit.Per 247Sports, Lenzy is the No. 172 overall recruit in the country, No. 12 athlete in the nation and No. 4 prospect in Oregon from the class of 2018.
Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller four-star defensive tackle Aeneas Hawkins returns to campus this weekend. The 6-3, 265-pounder visited this fall and enjoyed himself. This trip is about getting to know the coaching staff on a more personal level and seeing if he vibes well with the commits heading to play for the Fighting Irish. While most peg Hawkins to end up at Ohio State, I'd keep a close eye on Notre Dame here. If the Irish push and continue making him a priority, it wouldn't shock me to see him end up in South Bend. That said, with two defensive line commits on board already, the Irish can be somewhat selective this early. Per 247Sports, Hawkins is the No. 222 overall recruit in the country, No. 19 defensive tackle in the land and No. 8 prospect in Ohio from the class of 2018.
Gurnee (Ill.) Warren Township four-star wide receiver Micah Jones will be on campus for an overnight visit this weekend. The 6-5, 200-pounder has a ton of interest in Notre Dame and I fully believe the Irish lead at this point. Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State and Northwestern will all firmly be in this race, but if Notre Dame makes him a priority and pushes for his eventual commitment, it's hard to see him ending up anywhere else. Per 247Sports, Jones is the No. 281 overall recruit in the country, No. 46 wide receiver in the nation and No. 5 player in Illinois from the 2018 class.
Brentwood (Tenn.) high school three-star offensive tackle Cole Mabry will make his first trip to South Bend. The 6-6, 265-pounder is a new name on Notre Dame's board and one that is well liked by both offensive line coach Harry Hiestand and offensive coordinator Chip Long. Mabry holds offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, Memphis and others, but is hoping to snag an offer from Notre Dame soon. Per 247Sports, Mabry is the No. 40 offensive tackle in the country and No. 14 prospect in Tennessee from the class of 2018.
Pittsburgh (Pa.) Pine-Richland five-star quarterback Phil Jurkovec, a Notre Dame commit, says he will be on campus. He will be joined by fellow Fighting Irish commits in Indianapolis (Ind.) Cathedral four-star running back Markese Stepp, Erie (Pa.) Cathedral four-star linebacker Matthew Bauer, Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peters Prep four-star defensive tackle Jayson Ademilola and four-star defensive end Justin Ademilola, and Farmington (Mich.) Harrison three-star linebacker Ovie Oghoufo.