Enrolled: Jerry Tillery
Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian defensive lineman Jerry Tillery enrolled on Jan. 11 for the spring semester.
The 6-6, 314-pounder is listed as a four-star prospect, the No. 6 talent in Louisiana, the No. 15 defensive tackle in the country and the No. 145 overall player nationally by Rivals.
Advertisement
Measurables
• At Nike's elite The Opening camp at Beaverton, Ore., last summer, he reached the coveted 100 SPARQ (strength, power, agility, reaction and quickness testing) with a score of 100.14. He was timed at 5.17 in the 40-yard dash, did the 20-yard shuttle drill in 4.53 seconds, threw the power ball 39 feet and five inches, and had a 28.2-inch vertical jump.
Statistics
• While playing full time on both sides of the ball as a senior, was credited with 93 tackles, 15 stops for lost yardage and seven sacks.
Honors
• Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Jan. 3 in San Antonio, where he practiced as an offensive lineman even though he will begin his Fighting Irish career on defense.
• Recognized as a second-team offensive lineman on the 2014 MaxPreps.com All-America squad.
• Named to the American Family Insurance All-USA Louisiana team as an offensive lineman.
• Honored as the Louisiana District 1-3A defensive MVP and The Shreveport Times' All-City Defensive Player of the Year in 2014.
• Ranked as the No. 3 player on the New Orleans Time-Picayune Nifty 50 (the top players in Louisiana).
• Listed first-team all-state as a defensive lineman by Louisiana Football Coaches Association and first-team all-state as an offensive lineman by Louisiana Sports Writers Association following his senior campaign.
• As a junior in 2013, he was a second-team all-state pick by the Louisiana Football Coaches Association.
Recruitment
• Committed to Notre Dame on June 22, 2013, making him the first verbal pledge in the incoming 2015 class.
• Chose the Irish over in-state favorite LSU, where he took several unofficial visits. He also considered Ole Miss, Arkansas, Stanford and Texas A&M, among others.
• Primarily recruited by Irish defensive backs coach Kerry Cooks and secondarily recruited by offensive line coach Harry Hiestand.
Notable
• Became the first player from Louisiana to verbally commit to (and eventually sign with) Notre Dame since 1999 (cornerback Albert Poree, who later transferred to Georgia Tech). Defensive end Bo Wallace later joined him from the Bayou State.
• Competed in two triathlons in the summer of 2014.
2015 Projection
• As an early enrollee, he will have the opportunity to crack the two-deep along the defensive line, most likely behind senior Sheldon Day at three-technique.
They Said It
Rivals Mid-South recruiting analyst Jason Howell: "For most of the recruiting process, we thought he would be on the offensive side of the ball. He had a really solid senior year working at defensive tackle and was the Shreveport area Defensive Player of the Year.
"He is a big guy in the middle of the defense and will be a nose tackle, playing at the zero technique spot [over the center]. He overpowers people with his strength and does a good job of playing with leverage for such a big guy.
"Tillery was a guy that LSU fought hard for until the end. They didn't want to let him go. He was one of the top prospects in the region. That was one that Notre Dame got in on early and was able to close before things got too crazy. Once they got him, they held on to him."
Prep Football Report's Tom Lemming: "A Baby Huey-looking kid, but big. He's developed his body into a big-time defensive tackle. I thought he was the best offensive lineman in Louisiana, but he's really good on defense. He dominated his senior year. Shreveport isn't as good as the New Orleans area, but he uses his hands well, is aggressive and is a tough son of a gun. He's at least 6-6 and moves very well. I moved him into my top 100 after watching him play this year. He could play right away."
Film
Click Here to view this Link.