Recruiting: Junior Day Was A Huge Success
Notre Dame hosted a Junior Day this past Saturday, and it was a huge success.
Illinois Safety Becomes First Irish DB Commitment
As Bryan Driskell wrote on Super Bowl Sunday, the Irish gained a commitment from one of Illinois’ best prep prospects. 2021 safety Justin Walters of Bolingbrook (Ill.) High School became Notre Dame’s eighth verbal pledge.
Although not the biggest player, this young man will lay a lick. He possesses the frame to add good weight, as he’s currently 6-2, 175. Trying to compare Walters to recent Notre Dame players can be difficult, but there is one player that comes to mind.
Perhaps the best way to explain Walters would be a taller version of recent Notre Dame star safety Alohi Gilman. The Hawaiian stands 5-10½ and tips the scales at 202. He is now headed to the NFL, and the way Gilman hits and plays hard also signifies how Walters players football.
Walters possesses good range and coverage skills. Notre Dame will be able to move him around to take advantage of his athletic skill set. It will be interesting to see if the Irish go after one more safety, or two. Regardless, adding Walters was huge for the Irish. He may not be the only Illinois’ safety that ends up in the Irish class.
Will Mount Carmel Standout Earn Irish Offer?
One of the all-time great state of Illinois high school football programs would be Chicago's Mount Carmel High School. The Catholic school earned 13 state titles during its illustrious history. The Caravan roster includes one of Illinois’ best 2021 prospects, yet few know much about him.
Benjamin Perry is the type of rangy safety that college coaches covet. He’s a 6-2, 195-pound athlete at the back end of the defense. Perry possesses the length and athleticism to cover wide receivers while also coming down the alley and taking on running backs.
Notre Dame did not yet offer Perry, but an offer could be forthcoming, with the Irish looking at Perry as a rover. This is the type of player that should develop into a very good college football player. He already earned offers from Boston College, Georgia Tech, Iowa State and Louisville among others. That list should expand soon. Here’s Perry’s film:
2022 Ohio Prospects on Irish Radar
A name to know for 2022 would be Alex Afari, a cornerback from Lakota West High School in West Chester (Ohio). While it’s good that the Irish received an unofficial visit from one of Ohio’s top 2022 prospects, it should also be noted that he’s not your typical cornerback.
Afari is listed at 6-2, 195. That’s a big cornerback by NFL standards, let alone prep prospect in the second semester of his sophomore year. Here’s a look at Afari’s Hudl film.
A very physical player as a cornerback and wide receiver, Afari enjoyed his visit to Notre Dame.
“It was fun,” Afari said. “The campus is beautiful.”
Notre Dame usually has to battle Ohio State for Ohio prospects, but so far the Buckeyes have not offered. Maybe it won’t matter anyway. Afari is not totally enamored with Ohio State like many kids growing up in Ohio.
“Not really,” Afari replied when asked if he grew up rooting for Ohio State. “But I like them.”
As Notre Dame continues to offer underclassmen, Afari could certainly be on the shortlist to earn an offer from the Irish. Another 2022 prospect also visited Notre Dame this past weekend.
Kaden Saunders plays for Westerville (Ohio) South, and he is one of the more dynamic playmakers the Midwest has to offer, regardless of class. At 5-10, 170, the wide receiver can make plays by making defenders miss, he can beat a defense by simply outrunning them, or score touchdowns on kickoff returns as his first play on Hudl will show:
“I play a little bit of slot and outside,” Saunders stated. “Some cornerback too.”
With the type of wheels that this young man possesses, it’s not surprising he has earned several offers. So far, Penn State, Indiana, West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Pittsburgh make up the bulk of his offers. That was until the Irish offered.
With the offer to Notre Dame, he explained what he liked about the Irish.
“Such a prestigious school with so much tradition, education is one of the best of all schools, and (Notre Dame head) coach (Brian) Kelly knows how to win.”
According to sources, Notre Dame has placed itself in pole position in Saunders recruitment.
Saunders prefers to play wide receiver, and it’s hard to see why any school would not grant that wish. Now that Notre Dame extended an offer, it will be interesting to see if the Irish can get the talented Ohio prospect back on campus this summer and fall.
We also spoke to a source that said Notre Dame made a strong impression on Mansfield (Texas) Legacy 2021 defensive end David Abiara, who recently earned an offer from the Irish staff.
