Visitor preview: Top cornerback target due in for Notre Dame this weekend
Notre Dame has a talented list of defensive backs on its board for the 2023 class, and among them is St. Louis De Smet’s Christian Gray. The staff is getting the four-star recruit back on campus this weekend.
Ranked as the nation’s No. 159 player and No. 24 cornerback in his class per Rivals, Gray is a big priority for position coach Mike Mickens and Co. They offered him a scholarship after seeing him perform at their Irish Invasion Camp in June.
Gray returned to Notre Dame the next month for its “Grill and Chill” cookout recruiting event.
“I’ve been able to get a feel for the environment and how the coaching staff acts,” Gray said after his late July visit. “I’ve seen players already on the team, too. I asked Kyren [Williams] questions about Notre Dame, and he says it’s great that it feels like home every day. It’s comfortable for him.”
The 6-0, 174-pounder was planning to visit Notre Dame for the USC game Oct. 23 until his high school playoff game that week was scheduled for that same date. He quickly worked to reschedule so that he could see Notre Dame’s game day atmosphere.
Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Notre Dame and Ohio State are among the schools that have offered Gray, and his recruitment appears to be a close battle between the latter two schools.
He visited Ohio State a couple weeks ago and has been on the Buckeyes’ campus multiple times. The battle for Gray will continue on.
Jaylen Sneed, 2023 commits on campus
Hilton Head (S.C.) High class of 2022 four-star linebacker Jaylen Sneed will visit Notre Dame this weekend. It will be his second time in South Bend for a game day experience this fall.
Sneed picked Notre Dame over Oregon, Tennessee and others over the summer and is solid with his Fighting Irish pledge. Rivals ranks Sneed as the nation’s No. 31 player and No. 3 outside linebacker.
Mentor (Ohio) High defensive end Brenan Vernon, Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean linebacker Drayk Bowen, Irvington (N.J.) High safety Adon Shuler and Concord (Calif.) De La Salle tight end Cooper Flanagan are on Notre Dame’s class of 2023 commitment list. Shuler and Flanagan will be getting their first taste of a Notre Dame football game day.
Notable underclassmen visitors
There will be 50 or so prospects on campus this weekend. Here are a few of the notable visitors in the 2023 and 2024 classes.
The most likely prospect to receive an offer from the Fighting Irish is Milton (Ga.) High’s Debron Gatling, a class of 2024 wide receiver with offers from the likes of Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee and others.
Dearborn (Mich.) Divine Child class of 2023 offensive lineman Dylan Senda has visited Notre Dame multiple times since the summer and holds a handful of Power Five offers including Michigan and Penn State. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the impressive interior offensive line recruit eventually receive an offer from the Fighting Irish.
Other notable class of 2023 offensive linemen who are expected on campus are Concord (Calif.) De La Salle’s Derek Thompson, Wyomissing (Pa.) High’s Jven Williams and Woodstock (Ga.) High’s Tyler Douthit.
On the other side of the ball, Pickerington (Ohio) Central’s Kobi Gorman and Lincoln (Neb.) Southeast’s Teitum Tuioti are notable defensive linemen visiting in the 2023 class.
In the offensive backfield, Bloomfield Hills (Mich.) Brother Rice’s Nolan Ray, who holds offers from Boston College, Maryland and others is a talented class of 2023 running back recruit expected to visit. Class of 2024 quarterback recruits Jayden Bradford of Chapin (S.C.) High and Cole Welliver of Flower Mound (Texas) Marcus hold Power Five scholarship offers and should be at Notre Dame Saturday.
Class of 2024 pass catchers Delano Franklin of La Puente (Calif.) Bishop Amat and Brauntae Johnson of Fort Wayne (Ind.) North Side are talented sophomores who may land offers from the Fighting Irish at some point.
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