Addison Copeland III gave a commitment to Rutgers last September but there have been big developments in his recruitment in the past week after a quiet fall.
Notre Dame offered Copeland — joining Buffalo, BYU, Rutgers, Indiana and Massachusetts on his offer sheet — Feb. 9. About 30 minutes after receiving the Irish offer, Copeland announced his decommitment from Rutgers. And then two days later, Penn State dished out an offer to the fast-rising prospect.
The good news from the Irish kickstarted the change in Copeland’s recruitment, and he wasn’t expecting an offer from Notre Dame considering the timing.
“With it being such a top-notch program, I didn’t expect the offer to come so early,” the rising senior from Buffalo (N.Y.) Western Maritime said.
Copeland spoke to Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who asked the three-star prospect which side of the ball. Copeland said offense.
“He handed the phone to the receivers coach [Del Alexander], and we chopped it up for a little while,” Copeland said. “He ended up giving me the offer.”
Copeland connected well with the Irish coaches during his conversations with them.
“They seem really cool,” he said. “They’re down to earth. They asked about my lifestyle and kept it on a personal level, which I appreciated. They weren’t just talking to me about the football aspect; they wanted to know the real me and how I carry myself.”
The 6-3, 190-pounder is familiar with Notre Dame but recognizes that he has more learning to do about the program.
“I’ve been watching them my whole life,” he said. “I know they’re a staple in college football. Anyone who is a fan of football knows about Notre Dame. They produce a lot of NFL stars. I haven’t looked too much into the academic standpoint, but I’ll be doing that in the next few days – researching what they’re strong in and how I could make a future there.
“If I were to graduate from such a prestigious college, I would be set for life. They’re very high on my list.”
Two Rivals FutureCast picks have already gone in for Copeland to land at Notre Dame, but he insists that nothing is imminent with a decision.
“The whole reason I decommitted was to show everyone I’m still open,” Copeland explained. “I want to build relationships with coaches and see what’s the best fit for me. Everyone thought that once I decommitted from Rutgers then I was going to commit to Notre Dame. But that really wasn’t the case. It was to show I’m open to talk to all coaches and build bonds.”
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