Welcome to another edition of Shamrock Secrets. Over the last several days, all of us here at BGI have been digging around on Notre Dame's top recruiting targets, and here are some big nuggets we can share on several of them.
--- Notre Dame knocked it out of the park with Atlanta Pace offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer. The five-star guard has always held Notre Dame in high regard, but getting his mother on campus for the most recent visit was the key.
According to a source we spoke with Notre Dame made a huge impression on his mother, selling its combination of academics and success producing NFL offensive linemen under Harry Hiestand. Upon returning from the visit Salyer’s mother started reaching out to people in the area in order to learn more about Notre Dame.
The nation’s No. 11 player also has a connection to Notre Dame’s top 2018 commit Derrik Allen, a safety from Marietta (Ga.) Lassiter and the No. 47 player in the country. Salyer and Allen played together on the national championship FBU team when they were in the 8th grade. Allen’s relationship with Salyer is another feather in the cap for Notre Dame.
According to the source, Salyer’s mother understands the ideal situation for her son is a school that gives him an opportunity to develop as a player but also one that gives him the off-the-field opportunities needed in case football does not pan out. Stanford is a school that has appealed to her but the fact Notre Dame is so much closer and plays on national television every week is enticing to her.
Georgia and Clemson are considered the top two schools for Salyer, but Notre Dame made a major, major move for him. Look for Salyer to make an official to Notre Dame, with the Georgia game being the weekend Notre Dame would most like to get him on campus.
According to the source Georgia has talked to Salyer about playing center, and he is open to that idea. Considering Notre Dame’s current center situation – losing Tristen Hoge and Parker Boudreaux – it can sell opportunities for Salyer to play very early at both guard and center.
--- We’ve been saying for months that we felt good about Notre Dame’s chances at landing Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter’s Prep four-star rover Shayne Simon. At this point our feeling couldn’t be stronger. According to multiple sources, Notre Dame all but wrapped things up with Simon on his recent visit for Irish Invasion.
Simon – the nation’s No. 138 player – wanted to get a feel for the current players and see if he fit in, and that part of the trip could not have gone better. When Simon decided to make a quick trip to Michigan this past weekend he actually ran it by the Notre Dame staff, who had no issue with Simon taking the trip.
With trips to Notre Dame and Michigan now in the rear-view it’s decision making time for Simon, and when he finally announces his decision we expect Irish fans to be quite pleased.
--- 2019 four-star defensive tackle Jacob Lacey of Bowling Green (Ky.) South Warren recently visited Notre Dame for the fifth time as part of a swing that included stops to Clemson, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Louisville.
The original plan for Lacey was to commit sometime next summer before his senior season, but that plan seems to have changed. It appears Lacey and his family have entered into decision-making mode, and we don’t believe it’s a coincidence that it happened so quickly after his fifth visit to Notre Dame.
--- The Irish staff made a serious move for Norcross (Ga.) Wesleyan tight end Tommy Tremble, who was on campus at Notre Dame the last two days. Tremble is the son of Greg Tremble, a safety at Georgia in the early 1990’s. Father and son both trekked to South Bend and according to what we’ve heard there is no familiar push towards the Bulldogs.
Georgia wants Tremble in the class, but Notre Dame has made itself a legitimate contender. There were questions about whether or not Notre Dame would take a second tight end in this class. According to a source we spoke with today there is no doubt about that, and Tremble is an automatic take for Notre Dame.
Despite still being a player for Rivals250 tight end Jeremy Ruckert and four-star tight end Mustapha Muhammad, Tremble is a player Notre Dame really, really wants to add to this class. The first response this source gave us when asked about Tremble was, “He’s a stud.” The Irish staff certainly does not view Tremble as a three-star tight end and views him as the ideal complement to current commit George Takacs.
--- Recently offered wide receiver Geordon Porter of Etiwanda (Calif.) is a big fan of what Notre Dame has to offer. A source close to Porter’s recruitment tells us that the family is “very excited” about Notre Dame, and the Irish are “definitely in their top picks.”
Porter has had a busy summer of 7on7 tournaments and training, and likely won’t be able to make it to campus this summer since the offer just came last week, but a visit is “definitely” going to happen, and will likely be an official for a game this fall.
--- Melbourne (Fla.) Central Catholic running back Lavonte Valentine has Notre Dame in his top seven, and here’s what we can tell you about his recruitment: Valentine likes Notre Dame a great deal, speaks to running backs coach Autry Denson on a daily basis, and is a big fan of the way Denson is approaching his recruitment.
Valentine has been sitting down with his grandmother in recent days to begin planning visits, and the Irish will likely get one of his five official visits this fall.
--- Not a ton is known about the relationship between Notre Dame and Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge defensive end Joseph Ossai at this point, but in talking to sources close to the talented Texan here’s what we can tell you: Ossai is at the very least interested in Notre Dame.
A visit this summer was being discussed, but doesn’t look likely now, but our source tells us that they believe Ossai will use one of his five official visits in the fall for a trip to South Bend.
--- Hoops Update: On Wednesday, Upper Arlington (Ohio) Rivals150 shooting guard Dane Goodwin opened up his recruitment by de-committing from Ohio State after a commitment of over two years.
Upon the news of Goodwin being back on the market, BGI was able to confirm that Goodwin and his family made it to South Bend this past weekend to visit the Irish program. The rising senior also landed an offer from Mike Brey.
At the time, BGI reached out to multiple sources in regards to Goodwin. One source offered that Notre Dame is a “dream school” for Goodwin. Another mentioned the offer is a “special opportunity” for Goodwin and his family and that the top 150 talent is very interested in the Irish.
Notre Dame landed a commitment from one of its top shooting guard targets earlier today from Mars (Pa.) Rivals100 shooting guard Robby Carmody. It is unclear if Carmody’s commitment impacts Goodwin in any way. If Goodwin has a spot, the Irish appear to be in very good position if the staff pushes for the scorer.
--- Notre Dame knocked it out of the park with Atlanta Pace offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer. The five-star guard has always held Notre Dame in high regard, but getting his mother on campus for the most recent visit was the key.
According to a source we spoke with Notre Dame made a huge impression on his mother, selling its combination of academics and success producing NFL offensive linemen under Harry Hiestand. Upon returning from the visit Salyer’s mother started reaching out to people in the area in order to learn more about Notre Dame.
The nation’s No. 11 player also has a connection to Notre Dame’s top 2018 commit Derrik Allen, a safety from Marietta (Ga.) Lassiter and the No. 47 player in the country. Salyer and Allen played together on the national championship FBU team when they were in the 8th grade. Allen’s relationship with Salyer is another feather in the cap for Notre Dame.
According to the source, Salyer’s mother understands the ideal situation for her son is a school that gives him an opportunity to develop as a player but also one that gives him the off-the-field opportunities needed in case football does not pan out. Stanford is a school that has appealed to her but the fact Notre Dame is so much closer and plays on national television every week is enticing to her.
Georgia and Clemson are considered the top two schools for Salyer, but Notre Dame made a major, major move for him. Look for Salyer to make an official to Notre Dame, with the Georgia game being the weekend Notre Dame would most like to get him on campus.
According to the source Georgia has talked to Salyer about playing center, and he is open to that idea. Considering Notre Dame’s current center situation – losing Tristen Hoge and Parker Boudreaux – it can sell opportunities for Salyer to play very early at both guard and center.
--- We’ve been saying for months that we felt good about Notre Dame’s chances at landing Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter’s Prep four-star rover Shayne Simon. At this point our feeling couldn’t be stronger. According to multiple sources, Notre Dame all but wrapped things up with Simon on his recent visit for Irish Invasion.
Simon – the nation’s No. 138 player – wanted to get a feel for the current players and see if he fit in, and that part of the trip could not have gone better. When Simon decided to make a quick trip to Michigan this past weekend he actually ran it by the Notre Dame staff, who had no issue with Simon taking the trip.
With trips to Notre Dame and Michigan now in the rear-view it’s decision making time for Simon, and when he finally announces his decision we expect Irish fans to be quite pleased.
--- 2019 four-star defensive tackle Jacob Lacey of Bowling Green (Ky.) South Warren recently visited Notre Dame for the fifth time as part of a swing that included stops to Clemson, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Louisville.
The original plan for Lacey was to commit sometime next summer before his senior season, but that plan seems to have changed. It appears Lacey and his family have entered into decision-making mode, and we don’t believe it’s a coincidence that it happened so quickly after his fifth visit to Notre Dame.
--- The Irish staff made a serious move for Norcross (Ga.) Wesleyan tight end Tommy Tremble, who was on campus at Notre Dame the last two days. Tremble is the son of Greg Tremble, a safety at Georgia in the early 1990’s. Father and son both trekked to South Bend and according to what we’ve heard there is no familiar push towards the Bulldogs.
Georgia wants Tremble in the class, but Notre Dame has made itself a legitimate contender. There were questions about whether or not Notre Dame would take a second tight end in this class. According to a source we spoke with today there is no doubt about that, and Tremble is an automatic take for Notre Dame.
Despite still being a player for Rivals250 tight end Jeremy Ruckert and four-star tight end Mustapha Muhammad, Tremble is a player Notre Dame really, really wants to add to this class. The first response this source gave us when asked about Tremble was, “He’s a stud.” The Irish staff certainly does not view Tremble as a three-star tight end and views him as the ideal complement to current commit George Takacs.
--- Recently offered wide receiver Geordon Porter of Etiwanda (Calif.) is a big fan of what Notre Dame has to offer. A source close to Porter’s recruitment tells us that the family is “very excited” about Notre Dame, and the Irish are “definitely in their top picks.”
Porter has had a busy summer of 7on7 tournaments and training, and likely won’t be able to make it to campus this summer since the offer just came last week, but a visit is “definitely” going to happen, and will likely be an official for a game this fall.
--- Melbourne (Fla.) Central Catholic running back Lavonte Valentine has Notre Dame in his top seven, and here’s what we can tell you about his recruitment: Valentine likes Notre Dame a great deal, speaks to running backs coach Autry Denson on a daily basis, and is a big fan of the way Denson is approaching his recruitment.
Valentine has been sitting down with his grandmother in recent days to begin planning visits, and the Irish will likely get one of his five official visits this fall.
--- Not a ton is known about the relationship between Notre Dame and Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge defensive end Joseph Ossai at this point, but in talking to sources close to the talented Texan here’s what we can tell you: Ossai is at the very least interested in Notre Dame.
A visit this summer was being discussed, but doesn’t look likely now, but our source tells us that they believe Ossai will use one of his five official visits in the fall for a trip to South Bend.
--- Hoops Update: On Wednesday, Upper Arlington (Ohio) Rivals150 shooting guard Dane Goodwin opened up his recruitment by de-committing from Ohio State after a commitment of over two years.
Upon the news of Goodwin being back on the market, BGI was able to confirm that Goodwin and his family made it to South Bend this past weekend to visit the Irish program. The rising senior also landed an offer from Mike Brey.
At the time, BGI reached out to multiple sources in regards to Goodwin. One source offered that Notre Dame is a “dream school” for Goodwin. Another mentioned the offer is a “special opportunity” for Goodwin and his family and that the top 150 talent is very interested in the Irish.
Notre Dame landed a commitment from one of its top shooting guard targets earlier today from Mars (Pa.) Rivals100 shooting guard Robby Carmody. It is unclear if Carmody’s commitment impacts Goodwin in any way. If Goodwin has a spot, the Irish appear to be in very good position if the staff pushes for the scorer.
