Notre Dame Is Making A Hard Push In Tennessee With The 2024 Class

Tennessee is a state that Notre Dame has frequented from time to time over the years but it is not a territory that they have a long list of success in. When the Irish have landed players from the state, there have been some substantial successes.

When you start reminiscing about some of the wins over the years, players like wide receiver Golden Tate and safety Harrison Smith quickly come to mind.

Tate was a dynamic weapon for the Irish during his career, hauling in 157 receptions for 2,707 yards and 26 touchdowns from 2007-2009. He would parlay that into a successful NFL career, including a Pro Bowl honor and Super Bowl victory.

Smith was another dynamic performer for the Irish from 2008-2011. In his four-year career, Smith would total 307 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions and 20 pass breakups. Smith has now become one of the top safeties in the NFL during the duration of his career. He has been elected to six Pro Bowls and was also named All Pro once.

Working back to the 1970s, defensive lineman Willie Fry is one that would quickly bring back fond memories for Notre Dame fans. He helped the Irish win a National Championship during the 1977 season. Fry would become a second round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1978 NFL Draft and would go on to win two Super Bowls with the team.

There may not be more of a fan favorite from the state than kicker Justin Yoon, who was a pillar of consistency during his Notre Dame career from 2015-2018. It is said that if you close your eyes and think deeply enough, you can still hear the “YOOOON” chants off in the distance.

The state of Tennessee has provided some great memories over the years. The staff is hoping that the 2024 recruiting class may provide a couple standout players to tap further into a very underrated football talent pool.

TENNESSEE TREND OVER THE YEARS

Over the last ten recruiting cycles, Notre Dame has landed a total of just five recruits. There have been a couple of impressive names that Irish fans can easily get excited about.

Here is the list of players from Tennessee that Notre Dame has landed during that time.

QB Kenny Minchey (2023)

LB Prince Kollie (2021)

OT Cole Mabry (2018)

CB Donte Vaughn (2016)

OL Alex Bars (2014)

Of course Notre Dame supporters remember Bars, who became a very valuable member of some extremely good offensive lines during his career. Vaughn also had some good moments early on in his career but struggled with durability during the majority of his time with the Irish.

Grabbing Minchey was a big deal for the staff in the 2023 recruiting cycle, getting themselves a very talented quarterback with plenty of upside to get excited about. That was a nice step for the Notre Dame coaching staff but they are hoping that they break into the area a little bit more regularly.

PUSHING FOR BEASLEY

Things were trending very well after Nashville (Tenn.) Lipscomb Academy star cornerback Kaleb Beasley visited Notre Dame last June for the Irish Invasion.

Being a Tennessee kid, it’s no surprise that Beasley got caught up in the excitement for what the Volunteers were doing this past fall. Despite his commitment to Tennessee, it is tough to ignore the fact that Bealey still holds a high opinion of Notre Dame.

During the basketball season, Marcus Freeman went by to watch Beasley play. That was something that the star cornerback seemed very excited about. Now Beasley has set a visit for April 1st, clearly showing that there is high interest on his side.

Will Notre Dame be able to flip Beasley ultimately? That remains a massive question mark. Regardless, Notre Dame is clearly not letting up.

KEEP AN EYE ON CAMERON CLARK

Over the weekend, Medina (Tenn.) South Gibson pass rusher Cameron Clark made his first visit to South Bend. He is a talented defender who assumes a variety of roles for South Gibson both on the offensive and defensive side of the football.

Notre Dame likes Clark as a Vyper in their defense. The Tennessee native left that meeting very high on the campus and coaches he spent time with. It will be interesting to see how much that Notre Dame pushes for the 6-3, 230-pound pass rusher.

The defensive end board has evolved quite a bit in recent weeks, and Clark has steadily risen up that board. There is a growing interest happening here from both sides.

UNDERRATED CORNERBACK TO KNOW

Another player who will be visiting Notre Dame soon is Chattanooga (Tenn.) McCallie cornerback Marcellus Barnes. The talented cover man is set to get to South Bend for the first time on March 25th.

Barnes does not currently hold an offer from the Irish but he is a player that the staff is doing their homework on. The 6-2, 170-pound defensive back brings an interesting athletic profile to the table and is worth keeping a close eye on.

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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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