Five Prospects Set To Enroll Early At Notre Dame On Monday

Notre Dame strength coach Paul Longo will have five new faces in his weight room this week.

Ann Arbor (Mich.) Skyline five-star linebacker Daelin Hayes, Farmington Hills (Mich.) Harrison four-star defensive end Khalid Kareem, Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) High three-star safety Devin Studstill, Jacksonville (Fla.) First Coast three-star wide receiver Kevin Stepherson and Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy three-star safety Spencer Perry are all set to start classes for the spring semester at Notre Dame on Monday after inking grant-in-aids with the Irish.

Hayes (Rivals.com’s No. 6 outside linebacker and No. 21 overall prospect) will be the first five-star prospect to enroll at Notre Dame since offensive guard Quenton Nelson in 2014. While the 6-3, 254-pound Hayes — who is recovering from a shoulder injury — is the name that many Irish fans will expect to get reps in spring practice, he won’t be the only one competing playing for playing time.

Kareem (Rivals.com’s No. 18 defensive end) was named MVP of the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl two weeks ago after recovering a pair fumbles and returning one for a touchdown. The 6-4, 257-pounder — who was once committed to Alabama — figures to be a body that can work his way into defensive line coach Keith Gilmore’s rotation. That also happens to be the case with Studstill in the secondary.

Studstill (Rivals.com’s No. 45 athlete) was taped as Notre Dame’s top safety target early in the recruiting process. With both Elijah Shumate and Matthias Farley graduating, and Drue Tranquill still recovering from injury, someone will have to step up in camp and compete at safety. The 6-1, 183-pound Studstill figures to be that guy.

Blue & Gold Illustrated football analyst Bryan Driskell takes a quick look each early enrollee.

Hayes: “Hayes has excellent size and natural power, although his frame could stand to be reshaped a bit moving forward. Once that happens, he will only become more explosive from a power and athleticism standpoint. Athletically, he possesses an explosive first step that allows him to fly downhill. He stays light on his feet, has smooth hips and is able to redirect with ease. His in-the-box power and speed projects well for the inside positions, his range and athleticism makes him a perfect fit outside and his power-speed combination could easily project at defensive end.”

Kareem: “Kareem is an ideal fit for the Notre Dame defense. His body type and game is quite similar to current Irish starting strongside end Isaac Rochell. Kareem has a strong frame, possessing a thick build, long arms and the potential to be a 280-pound edge player. At this point, his game is about power. He uses his it to get movement and penetration against the run game.”

Studstill: “Studstill loves to fly downhill and attack, with the ability to explode through contact and quickly drive through the legs of ball carriers. He plays much faster than he times, showing outstanding range and the ability to quickly accelerate off the hash. He has impressive agility and loose hips, traits that allow him to transition well in coverage. His football IQ is high and he shows the ability to read the quarterback and anticipate routes.”

Stepherson: “He catches the ball well away from his body and shows fast and sure hands. Stepherson is a great fit for the X-receiver position, where his skills line up very well with current Notre Dame wideout Will Fuller.”

Perry: “Perry has excellent size with a thick frame that could allow him to grow into a 4-3 linebacker. In the Irish defense he is an ideal fit for the strong safety and nickel positions. He gets downhill with authority and looks more comfortable the closer he gets to the line of scrimmage. He will have to work on keeping a better base and playing lower when he is about to engage, but Perry hits with authority.”