The Rivals Five-Star Challenge Presented by Under Armour was held Saturday inside the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
Here's what we learned..
— There's a good chance that Jacob Phillips will be in South Bend next Saturday for the Irish Invasion. The nation's No. 3 inside linebacker, who took home LB MVP honors at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge after a strong performance in seven-on-seven drills, named a top seven of Notre Dame, Oregon, Cal, Miami, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Texas A&M on Friday. While that list might give off the vibe that the recruitment is wide open, we have been told that's not exactly the case.
Phillips likes Notre Dame along with Oklahoma and Ole Miss, but he has some concerns about each of those three schools. With Notre Dame, it's the distance from home and weather in the winter months. With Ole Miss, it's the recent scandal and unknown future for the program. With Oklahoma, it's playing time and position at the next level. Phillips said he wasn't initially planning to visit for the Irish Invasion, but after his teammate, freshman cornerback Jashon Watkins, landed an invite to the camp, he's strongly considering making a return trip to Notre Dame and riding up with his high school coaches.
Notre Dame has three linebackers already committed to the class, but the coaches would add a fourth if they could find the right guy and one that has the ability to rush the quarterback. Phillips fits the bill.
— For the third consecutive day, we heard positive things about Jedrick Wills and where Notre Dame stands in his recruitment. We had a chance to catch up with Wills' father, who made the trip to South Bend this past week with the Lexington (Ky.) Lafayette five-star offensive tackle, while he was in Atlanta and he said that he was blown away by the academic presentation by Notre Dame and what offensive line coach Harry Hiestand had to say about developing players.
While that all sounds positive, we caution that Wills' father did make it clear that this will ultimately be Wills' decision and that visits to Alabama and Tennessee loom. Still, it appears that at least one person in Wills' camp is already sold on Notre Dame, and that should be viewed as nothing but a positive when it comes to the U.S. Army All-American and No. 3 offensive tackle.
— Rivals250 defensive tackle Darnell Ewell will visit Notre Dame on June 25 with both of his parents. The Norfolk (Va.) Lake Taylor product, who is pegged as the No. 8 defensive tackle in the country, will also see Ohio State and Michigan while in the area. While Ewell says that not one school has separated themselves from the others in his top five which also includes Alabama and Clemson, we believe that the Irish are somewhere in the top three after talking with people in his camp.
— Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy Rivals100 offensive tackle Robert Hainsey isn't a prospect that should be forgotten. Yes, we have mentioned him in the past as a offensive linemen that was trending in a different direction, but he mentioned on Saturday that Notre Dame is still very much in the picture and that he remains in contact with Hiestand. He said that a visit during the season could be in the works.
— 2018 Rivals100 cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. says that the plan is to visit Notre Dame in July. The Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas product and son of former NFL cornerback Asante Samuel said that current Notre Dame commit Drew White is the one pushing to get him on campus. He added that he thinks the three schools in the mix for St. Thomas Aquinas defensive end Lashawn Paulino are Notre Dame, Georgia and Kentucky.
— Hamden (Conn.) Cheshire Academy four-star running back CJ Holmes isn't in Atlanta, but he named a top seven on Saturday that included Notre Dame. While we continue to hear that the Irish are in good shape for the nation's No. 5 all-purpose back, who plans to visit for the Irish Invasion, we are also told that Michigan is probably the team out front right now.
Here's what we learned..
— There's a good chance that Jacob Phillips will be in South Bend next Saturday for the Irish Invasion. The nation's No. 3 inside linebacker, who took home LB MVP honors at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge after a strong performance in seven-on-seven drills, named a top seven of Notre Dame, Oregon, Cal, Miami, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Texas A&M on Friday. While that list might give off the vibe that the recruitment is wide open, we have been told that's not exactly the case.
Phillips likes Notre Dame along with Oklahoma and Ole Miss, but he has some concerns about each of those three schools. With Notre Dame, it's the distance from home and weather in the winter months. With Ole Miss, it's the recent scandal and unknown future for the program. With Oklahoma, it's playing time and position at the next level. Phillips said he wasn't initially planning to visit for the Irish Invasion, but after his teammate, freshman cornerback Jashon Watkins, landed an invite to the camp, he's strongly considering making a return trip to Notre Dame and riding up with his high school coaches.
Notre Dame has three linebackers already committed to the class, but the coaches would add a fourth if they could find the right guy and one that has the ability to rush the quarterback. Phillips fits the bill.
— For the third consecutive day, we heard positive things about Jedrick Wills and where Notre Dame stands in his recruitment. We had a chance to catch up with Wills' father, who made the trip to South Bend this past week with the Lexington (Ky.) Lafayette five-star offensive tackle, while he was in Atlanta and he said that he was blown away by the academic presentation by Notre Dame and what offensive line coach Harry Hiestand had to say about developing players.
While that all sounds positive, we caution that Wills' father did make it clear that this will ultimately be Wills' decision and that visits to Alabama and Tennessee loom. Still, it appears that at least one person in Wills' camp is already sold on Notre Dame, and that should be viewed as nothing but a positive when it comes to the U.S. Army All-American and No. 3 offensive tackle.
— Rivals250 defensive tackle Darnell Ewell will visit Notre Dame on June 25 with both of his parents. The Norfolk (Va.) Lake Taylor product, who is pegged as the No. 8 defensive tackle in the country, will also see Ohio State and Michigan while in the area. While Ewell says that not one school has separated themselves from the others in his top five which also includes Alabama and Clemson, we believe that the Irish are somewhere in the top three after talking with people in his camp.
— Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy Rivals100 offensive tackle Robert Hainsey isn't a prospect that should be forgotten. Yes, we have mentioned him in the past as a offensive linemen that was trending in a different direction, but he mentioned on Saturday that Notre Dame is still very much in the picture and that he remains in contact with Hiestand. He said that a visit during the season could be in the works.
— 2018 Rivals100 cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. says that the plan is to visit Notre Dame in July. The Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas product and son of former NFL cornerback Asante Samuel said that current Notre Dame commit Drew White is the one pushing to get him on campus. He added that he thinks the three schools in the mix for St. Thomas Aquinas defensive end Lashawn Paulino are Notre Dame, Georgia and Kentucky.
— Hamden (Conn.) Cheshire Academy four-star running back CJ Holmes isn't in Atlanta, but he named a top seven on Saturday that included Notre Dame. While we continue to hear that the Irish are in good shape for the nation's No. 5 all-purpose back, who plans to visit for the Irish Invasion, we are also told that Michigan is probably the team out front right now.
