Big Notre Dame CB Target Devonta Smith Locks In Visit
Cincinnati (Ohio) La Salle class of 2021 cornerback Devonta Smith informed BlueandGold.com that he will visit Notre Dame next Tuesday, March 17.
The Fighting Irish will hold its second practice of spring ball that day, and as of now, all football activities are still on in light of COVID-19.
Smith, who stands at 6-0, 185-pounds, was offered by Notre Dame Jan. 29, and he spoke very highly of the Irish football program following that news.
"This is a big thing for me," Smith said about landing the offer. "I really love Notre Dame. I really love them. I always had a relationship from Notre Dame since my eighth grade year."
Last summer, Smith earned an offer from Cincinnati, and he built a strong connection with Bearcats' cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens.
Mickens now holds the same position at Notre Dame, the school announced on March 2. Smith was one of the first prospects who Mickens reached out to.
"He's settled in and he said I'm a [big] priority, so that's good," Smith said.
Smith's recruitment has blown up in recent weeks, landing offers from Wisconsin, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Oregon, Virginia, Nebraska and Virginia Tech.
He visited Tennessee in early February and plans to visit Alabama March 23-24 and Oregon April 18.
Smith added that he's looking forward to the "family vibes" during his Notre Dame visit next week.
“No. 1 would definitely be academics,” Smith said regarding what's most important to him in evaluating schools. “That’s big for me and big for my mom. Football can be taken away from me. But, if I have my degree, that can never be taken away from me. And, I want to have a degree from a great school."
Smith plans to announce his top schools in the coming days, and Notre Dame is expected to make the cut.
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