Notre Dame anticipates very productive signing day
By DOUG GRIFFITHS
ISL Assistant Editor
For many, Christmas comes in February in the form of national signing day for college football, and that most anticipated day of the year is almost here.
Schools will be anxiously awaiting players’ autographs tomorrow as they put the finishing touches on their 2013 recruiting classes.
One of the schools that will be celebrating most on what has practically evolved into a national holiday is Notre Dame. Tomorrow, the Fighting Irish will officially announce one of their best recruiting hauls in years. It’s a class that will be ranked as one of the top five in America and has a chance to be No. 1.
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly expects to sign at least 23 prospects, five of whom have already inked and are currently enrolled at the university for the spring semester.
Headlining the class are three five-star prospects: running back Greg Bryant, defensive back Max Redfield and linebacker Jaylon Smith, who was Indiana’s Mr. Football.
Also included are 14 four-star prospects.
Notre Dame could all but lock down the nation’s top class if Eddie Vanderdoes signs with the Fighting Irish. The California product is one of the top defensive end prospects with incredible power, speed not to mention upside.
Vanderdoes will choose either Notre Dame, UCLA, Alabama, USC or Washington.
As of Tuesday night, Vanderdoes’ father, Eddie, said the family still isn’t sure where he’ll sign.
The Irish will also be keeping tabs on Deon Hollins, the Texas linebacker who has committed to UCLA, but visited Notre Dame towards the end of last month and could be having second thoughts.
A couple others to watch are Ty Isaac and defensive end Kylie Fitts from California.
Isaac is a five-star running back from Chicagoland. He’s committed to USC, but might have a change of heart.
Fitts, a four-star prospect, will decide between UCLA, USC, Utah and Notre Dame.
Regardless of what transpires with Vanderdoes, Hollins, Isaac and Fitts, Notre Dame’s present recruiting class includes 14 offensive players, seven defensive players and two players listed as athletes.
Four of the committed players hail from Florida and three are from Texas, while Pennsylvania and Ohio are represented by a pair of players each. The other 12 players come from 11 different states plus the District of Columbia.
Just how many of these soon-to-be Irish football players will see the field as true freshmen remains to be seen, but one thing is certain the success Notre Dame enjoyed on the field during the 2012 season has translated into an awfully impressive recruiting class.
Editor’s Note: IndySportsLegends.com will be covering national signing day and in particular how the day is progressing for Notre Dame, including Coach Brian Kelly’s press conference, which is schedule to begin at approximately noon. Follow assistant editor Doug Griffiths’ updates on IndySportsLegends.com and Twitter (@ISLgriffiths) for the latest news on what is expected to be a very good day for the Fighting Irish football program.
