Notre Dame Gives Safety Paul Mencke Jr. "Best Visit" Yet

It was once again a busy weekend for the Notre Dame coaching and recruiting staff. They welcomed yet another talented group of recruits to campus, including 2024 Schertz (Texas) Samuel Clemens safety Paul Mencke Jr., who made his first trip to campus.

Coming from a football and academically driven family, and hailing from the great state of Texas, Mencke had high expectations for what Notre Dame can provide both on and off the field. Leaving the visit, they certainly seem to have left a strong impression on the talented safety.

"The visit was amazing,” Mencke told Irish Breakdown. “Everything was great. This has been the best visit that I have been on. I mean it felt like I could have lots of friends. I got the chance to hang out with the players so that was nice. We went bowling and all.”

The impact went beyond just the personal relationships, which continue to get stronger and stronger. The Irish staff showed Mencke the full scope of being a part of the Notre Dame program. From football, to education and everything in between.

"I feel like I can really fit the program because Coach (Marcus) Freeman is a defensive minded coach,” Mencke explained. "They showed me how I am similar to Notre Dame alumni that are in the NFL now. The staff is all great. They were all laid back and chill people. They mean business though, that’s for sure.

"Their message to me was any school you pick you are going to have a bomb education but we can also offer a chance to play football at the highest level,” he continued. "They go to a bunch of venues for their shamrock game series. They even showed me their alternate jerseys, which is really appealing.”

On these visits, the recruits aren’t the only ones that the staff must impress. It is also an important chance to speak to the family and create allies. The authenticity and thoroughness of the people behind the program seemed to do just that.

"My mom said they did a really good job at explaining why I was a good fit,” he noted. "Their academic advisor, (Adam Sargent), kept it real. Their recruiting director .... made sure her staff was on point."

"There was a staff member .... who researched my parents and read articles they had written about K-12 education and said he had to come and talk to us and how their work inspired him,” Mencke added. "My mom is now (his) number one fan. She just really appreciated how they all did their homework.”

From every vantage point, Notre Dame seemed to put their best foot forward. They put themselves in position to be a strong contender for Mencke moving forward.

Mencke is ranked by On3 as a four-star recruit and the No. 179 overall player and No. 19 safety in the 2024 recruiting class. He is also ranked as the No. 38 player in Texas, a state that Notre Dame has made a priority since Marcus Freeman took over.

Some of his notable scholarship offers thus far include the Fighting Irish, Washington, Stanford, Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, Washington State, Iowa State, Arizona State, Duke and Kansas among others.

As a junior, Mencke was a playmaker for Samuel Clemens. He collected 67 total tackles and three interceptions for the squad despite missing one game. The 6-2, 180-pound athlete also was a prominent performer at wide receiver.

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Irish Breakdown Content

2023 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule

Notre Dame 2023 Scholarship Offers
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

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