SIGNED: CB K.J. Wallace

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Atlanta Lovett cornerback K.J. Wallace has submitted his National Letter of Intent to Notre Dame.

Rivals: 3.0 stars (No. 46 player in Georgia and No. 59 cornerback in the country)
BGI Grade: 4.0 (top-250 player)
Upside Grade: 4.0

Ran a 4.09 shuttle at Nike Football’s The Opening Nashville Regional in the spring. Posted a 29.5-foot power ball toss and 32.3-inch vertical.

SENIOR SEASON: On defense, recorded 34 tackles, two interceptions and six passes broken up. Added 511 yards and eight touchdowns on 69 carries as a rusher, and 441 yards and two scores on 50 receptions.

JUNIOR SEASON: Made 63 total stops, one interception and 11 passes defended. Added 537 yards and six touchdowns on 40 catches, while totaling 1,100 all-purpose yards.

• 2018 all-region selection.
• Named first-team all-state by The Atlanta Journal Constitution in 2017.
• 2017 Georgia Sports Writers Class 3A All-State Football second-team selection on defense.
• Named Lovett’s Offensive and Defensive MVP in 2017.

Power Five Offers: Auburn, Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, Penn State, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Wisconsin

It only took one visit to South Bend for Wallace to believe South Bend was the best place to continue his student-athlete career on the next level.

Notre Dame offered Wallace in early January and was able to get the three-star on campus later that month for the program’s first Junior Day Jan. 27.

The 5-10, 182-pounder made the call the next day on his way back home and joined the Irish class. Cornerbacks coach Todd Lyght made a strong impression on the talented defensive back during the early stages of the process and the visit.

Wallace has remained firm in his pledge despite an early push from other programs and returned to South Bend multiple times during the summer and fall.

• Defensive Back MVP at The Opening Nashville Regional.
• Wallace’s father knew Irish running backs coach Autry Denson from high school.

His athleticism and toughness could make him a threat to earn a special teams role as a true freshman, but as a cornerback he might need a season to work his way up the depth chart.

Wallace is one of my favorite players in this class. He does not have great size and he is not a burner, but this young man can flat out play football at a high level. He does a little bit of everything for Lovett, and in many ways reminds me quite a bit of current Notre Dame star cornerback Julian Love. He plays safety, cornerback, wide receiver and returns kicks as a prep player, but it is at cornerback that his game truly excels and projects at the next level.

The 5-10, 182-pounder has top-level foot quickness and loose hips, vitally important traits for a cornerback. They allow him to pedal quickly and clean, they allow him to change direction with ease and they allow him to transition very quickly. Add all this up and Wallace plays fast, even though he lacks ideal long speed.

Everything Wallace does on the football field is easy and smooth, and these traits make him very good in coverage. He mirrors receivers well and shows a good feel for reading routes. Combined with his ability to change direction with ease, these traits allow Wallace to excel as a pure cover player whether he is playing on the outside or in the slot. He can come up and press and also play off man just as well.

Wallace played both cornerback and safety for Lovett, and if the need arose he could play safety in college despite his lack of size. He is a willing hitter who knows how to overcome his size and effectively take down ball carriers. He could make an early push as a slot cornerback due to his combination of coverage skills, feel for the game and toughness.

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