Notre Dame Impresses New Jersey Defensive Back During Campus Visit
Notre Dame hosted one of the best players from the state of New Jersey this weekend when Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic standout defensive back Kaj Sanders made the trip to South Bend.
Sanders received an offer from Notre Dame less than a month ago, but getting to campus was a top priority. The Fighting Irish staff certainly made a strong impression.
“The visit was great,” Sanders told Irish Breakdown. “There was so much tradition, the coaches were amazing. The staff took such good care of us.”
The coaches have done an outstanding job of driving up the interest from Sanders since they extended the offer. It appears that that early connection continued as they met in person for the first time.
“Coach (Chris) O’Leary showed me former players that played the safety position at Notre Dame and then showed me where he sees me fitting in, which would be like a hybrid defensive back,” Sanders explained. “He sees me playing a little safety, nickel and outside at cornerback, blitzing ... just doing everything I love to do.”
With Notre Dame’s string of success at the safety position, most notably with former All-American Kyle Hamilton, there are plenty of examples to show Sanders. Notre Dame has produced a number of NFL safeties in recent seasons, going back to perennial Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith and up to Hamilton. Now that Notre Dame has former Northwestern standout Brandon Joseph also in the fold, that high level success is sure to continue.
While Coach O’Leary sold the vision for Sanders on the field, it was head coach Marcus Freeman who filled in the rest of the blanks for Sanders. Coming to Notre Dame isn’t just about football. There are a bevy of positives to consider.
“Coach Freeman talks to me about what having a Notre Dame degree really means,” said Sanders. “He talked about life after football and why Notre Dame is important. He also talked about how high him and his staff are on me, which was awesome to hear.”
Sanders is from the same high school as current early enrollee freshmen Steve Angeli (quarterback) and Jayden Bellamy (defensive back). He had a chance to see his former teammates during his visit.
“I spoke to (Jayden and Steve) after practice,” Sanders noted. “They both love it there and think I would also.”
The dynamic defensive back also already boasts offers from Penn State, Boston College, Duke, Rutgers and Syracuse among others. Sanders currently sits as the No. 195 player nationally according to On3. Sanders is also the No. 4 player in the class in the state of New Jersey, which has historically been a productive state for Notre Dame on the recruiting trail.
A part of a state championship Bergen Catholic squad in 2021, Sanders was able to earn a starting spot at cornerback despite being just a sophomore. He would record 17 total tackles, two interceptions and break up another four passes for the team. That came as a part of a staunch Crusader defense that surrendered just 7.8 points per game.
On the offensive side of the football, Sanders also had a small role on offense, which looks to increase as a junior. He rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown on just 16 carries.
Sanders left the visit with a lot to think about. He also has plans to visit Penn State on the 21st of this month but is already planning a return trip to South Bend. New Jersey has been good to Notre Dame in the past and they hope to make Sanders the next example of that.
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