I caught up with 2024 safety target Paul Mencke Jr from Schertz (Tex.) Clemens this afternoon. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound defender visited Notre Dame Friday and Saturday after receiving an offer March 24.
Despite Rivals listing him as a cornerback, the Irish are recruiting Mencke as a safety. Mencke had some close observations of the safety position from his time watching practice.
“Practice was great,” Mencke Jr said. “I was sprinting around practice trying to get some good angles on how their defense works, asking questions about their defense. There’s always somebody fifteen yards back in the middle as a cover safety because they don’t want [to give up] the big play.
“You’ll see a corner fly way back up to the middle of the field and cover deep,” Mencke Jr said. “You'll see some safeties sometimes blitzing off the edge or coming down a little late and timing up a blitz.”
During our conversation, Mencke Jr mentioned academics and earning a degree as important factors in his recruitment. He also said he spoke to former Notre Dame and current Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton over the phone about creating his own legacy. Lastly, he felt like safties coach Chris O'Leary's energy was contagious within the safeties during practice.
Mencke Jr reports 17 total offers including Colorado, Missouri, Notre Dame, Stanford and Washington and Washington State. His father, Paul, played quarterback at Washington State from 1996-2000.
According to Rivals, Mencke Jr is a three-star recruit. He is not ranked in his state or at his position.
Mencke Jr told me he plans to schedule an official visit to Notre Dame. Since Notre Dame doesn’t have any current safeties committed in its 2024 recruiting class, I believe he is a name to monitor closely going forward.
