Last May, I attended Prep Football Report magazine analyst Tom Lemming's Chicago high school football showcase, which featured many of the top prospects in the Chicagoland area.
A few 2024 class Notre Dame football targets were in attendance, including Rivals100 wide receiver Cam Williams and five-star defensive tackle Justin Scott. I spent time getting to know both recruits, as I figured both would become major targets for the Irish. Both Scott and Williams were offered scholarships May 5, so Notre Dame's interest was fairly new.
When I spoke to Williams, my hunch was Michigan had a slight early lead and Ohio State and Georgia would be strong contenders if they entered his recruitment. However, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey made a great first impression after offering, which paved the way for his June 29 commitment. As I've noted on The Insider Lounge and Inside ND Sports before, working with Stuckey at the Irish Invasion camp June 5 and catching passes from eventual quarterback commit CJ Carr played a big role in him pledging to the Irish.
After meeting Scott, I immediately felt Notre Dame would be a major player in his recruitment. I spoke to his parents that day, and they all shared a strong interest in ND because of the school's education. Scott attends Chicago St. Ignatius College Prep, one of the top-Catholic academic institutions in Illinois. So, it made sense that a college with a strong academic presence would be a priority in his recruitment.
Scott visited Notre Dame for its 2024-focused cookout July 26, which was a great sign for the Irish. Shortly after that visit, I considered placing a Rivals FutureCast prediction for ND to land the 6-foot-5, 310-pound defensive tackle. However, I held off on making that prediction because I did not get the impression Scott was considering shutting down his recruitment anytime soon. Then, I felt better about holding off on my prediction as Scott chose to visit opposing schools, such as Miami (Fla.) and USC last fall, and there never seemed to be any public interest in ND -- Scott not making it to South Bend for a game this season was a major disappointment.
In talking to sources familiar with Scott's recruitment over the past few months, they felt Notre Dame was fading after the lack of interest this fall. When ND sent several coaches to his high school on the first day of the January contact period (Jan. 13), it somewhat proved my feeling that the Irish were looking to make up ground in his recruitment. However, Scott always held a strong private interest in Notre Dame, which revealed itself again when Inside ND Sports confirmed his intentions to visit Notre Dame later this month.
That unofficial visit will occur two days before his Jan. 31 commitment — the same day as his birthday.
When Scott announces his commitment later this month, I feel Notre Dame is best positioned to land his pledge. So, I've made a Rivals FutureCast prediction to reflect that.
Ultimately, we'll find out Jan. 31 if ND's efforts earlier this month paid off. But the sense I've received is that Jan. 13 visit from the Irish coaches could have been a turning point in his recruitment. Meanwhile, Notre Dame appears to have fended off Georgia — one of Scott's dream schools — for the time being.
As the Irish have learned the hard way, recruiting is never over until a prospect puts pen to paper. But if Scott indeed picks the Irish on Jan. 31, Notre Dame would be a tough team to unseat for his signature this upcoming December. There is a strong desire for the five-star recruit to play closer to home and academics are a major part of his recruitment. Notre Dame perhaps provides the best of both worlds. And I believe Scott and his family agree that the Irish would be the best fit for him on and off the field in the future.
A few 2024 class Notre Dame football targets were in attendance, including Rivals100 wide receiver Cam Williams and five-star defensive tackle Justin Scott. I spent time getting to know both recruits, as I figured both would become major targets for the Irish. Both Scott and Williams were offered scholarships May 5, so Notre Dame's interest was fairly new.
When I spoke to Williams, my hunch was Michigan had a slight early lead and Ohio State and Georgia would be strong contenders if they entered his recruitment. However, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey made a great first impression after offering, which paved the way for his June 29 commitment. As I've noted on The Insider Lounge and Inside ND Sports before, working with Stuckey at the Irish Invasion camp June 5 and catching passes from eventual quarterback commit CJ Carr played a big role in him pledging to the Irish.
After meeting Scott, I immediately felt Notre Dame would be a major player in his recruitment. I spoke to his parents that day, and they all shared a strong interest in ND because of the school's education. Scott attends Chicago St. Ignatius College Prep, one of the top-Catholic academic institutions in Illinois. So, it made sense that a college with a strong academic presence would be a priority in his recruitment.
Scott visited Notre Dame for its 2024-focused cookout July 26, which was a great sign for the Irish. Shortly after that visit, I considered placing a Rivals FutureCast prediction for ND to land the 6-foot-5, 310-pound defensive tackle. However, I held off on making that prediction because I did not get the impression Scott was considering shutting down his recruitment anytime soon. Then, I felt better about holding off on my prediction as Scott chose to visit opposing schools, such as Miami (Fla.) and USC last fall, and there never seemed to be any public interest in ND -- Scott not making it to South Bend for a game this season was a major disappointment.
In talking to sources familiar with Scott's recruitment over the past few months, they felt Notre Dame was fading after the lack of interest this fall. When ND sent several coaches to his high school on the first day of the January contact period (Jan. 13), it somewhat proved my feeling that the Irish were looking to make up ground in his recruitment. However, Scott always held a strong private interest in Notre Dame, which revealed itself again when Inside ND Sports confirmed his intentions to visit Notre Dame later this month.
That unofficial visit will occur two days before his Jan. 31 commitment — the same day as his birthday.
When Scott announces his commitment later this month, I feel Notre Dame is best positioned to land his pledge. So, I've made a Rivals FutureCast prediction to reflect that.
Ultimately, we'll find out Jan. 31 if ND's efforts earlier this month paid off. But the sense I've received is that Jan. 13 visit from the Irish coaches could have been a turning point in his recruitment. Meanwhile, Notre Dame appears to have fended off Georgia — one of Scott's dream schools — for the time being.
As the Irish have learned the hard way, recruiting is never over until a prospect puts pen to paper. But if Scott indeed picks the Irish on Jan. 31, Notre Dame would be a tough team to unseat for his signature this upcoming December. There is a strong desire for the five-star recruit to play closer to home and academics are a major part of his recruitment. Notre Dame perhaps provides the best of both worlds. And I believe Scott and his family agree that the Irish would be the best fit for him on and off the field in the future.
