Five Things We Learned About Notre Dame Recruiting In April
It was a very busy month for Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish coaching staff. BlueandGold.com gives you five things we learned from April.
1. Pat Coogan Joins Notre Dame’s 2021 Class
Chicago Marist offensive lineman Pat Coogan wanted to wait this dead period out and visit some schools before deciding on a commitment, but that planned change. The 6-5, 275-pounder announced his pledge to the Fighting Irish April 15.
“I had conversations with people in my corner and I knew it was the best fit for me,” Coogan said. “Even without going on an official visit or anything it feels like home already. I figured why wait until June and help build class.”
The 6-5, 275-pound Coogan also held offers from Stanford, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Boston College, Duke, Illinois, Purdue and Oregon, among others.
Coogan is Rivals’ No. 6 player in Illinois and the No. 36 offensive tackle in the country. The thought is he could play anywhere across the offensive line, but Notre Dame has a spot in mind.
“They’re looking to put me at guard or center,” Coogan told BlueandGold.com. “Honestly, wherever they think is best for me is what’s best for me. I’m ready to take the challenge head on.”
RELATED: Podcast with Pat Coogan | What Notre Dame is getting in Coogan
2. Will Shipley Recruitment Coming To A Close, But Saga Will Continue For Rocco Spindler
The two most discussed Notre Dame targets in the 2021 class are Matthews (N.C.) Weddington running back Will Shipley and Clarkston (Mich.) High offensive lineman Rocco Spindler — and it is not all that close either.
Shipley is expected to make a commitment in the next 10 days or so, although he has not locked in a specific decision date. He tentatively set an official visit to Notre Dame for June 12-14, but that is only if he commits to the Fighting Irish. If he picks Clemson, the other school at the top of Shipley's list, then he won't make a return visit to South Bend.
It should be mentioned that official visits in June may not be able to happen anyways due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are five Rivals FutureCast picks in for Shipley to land at Clemson, but Notre Dame is making its final pitch to the nation’s top all-purpose back and very well could be his choice.
For Spindler, the nation’s No. 2 offensive guard, his plan was to take all five official visits, including one to Notre Dame April 3-5, and make a mid-May commitment.
Spindler has made it clear to coaches and reporters that he will take all five of his official visits before making a decision. His recruitment is expected to go well into the fall.
“I have to push everything back; I don’t want to rush it,” Spindler told BlueandGold.com. “I have a system, which is to take all of my official visits, see what my best option is, give [the schools] a week notice and have a big commitment day at my school.”
Spindler had a recent conversation former Irish offensive lineman and Indianapolis Colts All-Pro standout Quenton Nelson.
“He’s a real dude,” Spindler stated. “I asked him a lot of questions about why he chose Notre Dame, and he was real with me. He’s a great guy. He’s really quiet, but he has some personality that makes it a fun conversation.
“I really look up to him; he’s a great player. We have a similar style of how we play and that’s a guy I’d love to be. He’s a special player.”
3. Recruits Narrow Down Their Lists, Many Include Notre Dame
With college coaches not being able to do a ton these days, they are recruiting more than ever. To make things easier, prospects have been narrowing down their recruitments to focus in on specific programs.
Here is a list of recruits who announced top schools lists in April and included the Fighting Irish:
TE Brock Bowers: Cal, Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA and Washington.
S Kendal Daniels: Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon and Texas A&M.
CB Deuce Harmon: Baylor, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Oregon, SMU, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and USC (Texas offered after he released his top 10 on April 6 and have become a big contender in his recruitment).
CB Dreyden Norwood: Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, Notre Dame and Oklahoma.
DE Zaire Patterrson: Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Notre Dame, South Carolina and Oklahoma.
CB Philip Riley: Minnesota, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Texas, Virginia Tech and Washington.
OL Nolan Rucci: Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Stanford and Wisconsin.
WR Dont'e Thornton Jr.: Arizona State, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, USC, Virginia and West Virginia.
4. Notre Dame Dips Into Louisiana With New DB Offers
Notre Dame fired out a few new 2021 defensive back offers in late March, including Chicagoland’s Sam Jackson, who re-committed to Minnesota in April.
The Irish expanded the 2021 defensive back board a bit more just last weekend, with Notre Dame safeties coach Terry Joseph tapping into his roots in the Pelican State. Joseph coached high school and college ball in Louisiana from 1999-2009.
White Castle (La.) University Laboratory School safety Jardin Gilbert and Lafayette (La.) Comeaux athlete Malik Nabers are the new offers for the Fighting Irish in the 2021 class. They are both based near Baton Rouge, La.
Gilbert stands at 6-2, 175 pounds and is ranked as the No. 17 prospect in Louisiana per Rivals. He holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Georgia Miami, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and others. About an hour after landing the offer from the Irish, he added Texas to his offer sheet.
At 6-0, 179 pounds, Nabers is ranked as the No. 11 prospect in Louisiana and the No. 66 wide receiver in the country by Rivals. He recorded 58 receptions for 1,223 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior last season.
Per Nabers, the Irish offered him as an athlete, and a handful of schools are looking at his talents at either side of the ball.
“I would say I’m a versatile player,” Nabers said. “I can play both [side of the ball]. I prefer to be a receiver just because I’ve been learning the position for a long time. But I can be a key player on both sides of the ball.”
RELATED: New Safety Offer Jardin Gilbert Has Love For Notre Dame’s Terry Joseph
5. Irish Staff Working On The 2022 Class
The Notre Dame coaching staff sent out eight new scholarship offers in the 2022 class in April, according to our count.
The highest ranked recruit of the group is Houston North Shore cornerback Denver Harris, who Rivals lists as a five-star prospect. The 6-1, 185-pounder has accumulated offers from the Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas and Texas A&M, among many others.
Here are the other class of 2022 prospects who the Fighting Irish offered in April:
Philadelphia St. Joseph’s cornerback Keenan Nelson Jr. — 6-0, 190 pounds
Denton (Texas) Ryan athlete Austin Jordan — 6-0, 185 pounds
Daleville (Va.) Lord Botetourt lineman Gunner Givens — 6-6, 260 pounds
Grosse Point (Mich.) South cornerback Will Johnson — 6-1, 165 pounds
St. Louis John Burroughs School defensive end Tyson Ford — 6-6, 215 pounds
Fond Du Lac (Wis.) St. Marys Springs offensive lineman Billy Schrauth — 6-5, 275 pounds
Philadelphia Imhotep Institute Charter School outside linebacker Enai White — 6-4, 210 pounds
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