Names to know for Notre Dame's Irish Invasion
Plenty of football talent will descend on South Bend for Notre Dame’s Irish Invasion camp Friday night.
But some stars may shine brighter than others. CBS Sports Network recruiting analyst Tom Lemming provided ND Insider with a list of five players — out of the 80-plus expected on campus — who possess the most talent.
WR Javon McKinley, 6-2, 189; Corona (Calif.) Centennial: “He’s a superstar wide receiver,” Lemming said. “There’s at least 10 All-American wide receivers in California this year, and Javon may be the best of the bunch. He’s well over 20 yards a catch. He has real good size and speed. He’s not afraid of competition. He can be the go-to-guy that Notre Dame’s been looking for at wide receiver.”
CB Joejuan Williams, 6-2, 195; Nashville (Tenn.) Father Ryan: “I gave him five stars,” Lemming said. “He plays corner with super long arms, quick feet and hands. He has terrific skill. He might play safety when he gets there. But he is a big-time guy. He plays great football.”
QB Hunter Johnson, 6-3, 197; Brownsburg (Ind.) High: “He’s the top quarterback in the country for 2017,” Lemming said. “The guys at Notre Dame are zooming in on him.”
WR Marquez Callaway, 6-2, 170; Warner Robins (Ga.) High: “He’s a super fast wide receiver with great hands,” Lemming said. “To me, he’s one of the premier wide receivers in the country. He has all the tools to be a big-time guy.”
WR Donnie Corley, 6-2, 178; Detroit Martin Luther King: “He’s one of the top three players in the state of Michigan,” Lemming said. “He has height, leaping ability, hands. He’s a Michael Floyd-type of guy, but not quite as heavy as him. He’s a very good one.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Putting a forecast on the future, 247Sports director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong gave ND Insider a list of 12 players who, heading into the weekend, he could see eventually becoming a part of an Irish recruiting class. McKinley and Johnson, who also made Lemming’s list, were two of Wiltfong’s picks. Below are the other 10.
S Chacho Ulloa, 5-11, 186; Corona (Calif.) Centennial: The three-star recruit received an Irish offer when he visited Notre Dame in April.
WR Chase Claypool, 6-5, 215; Abbotsford (British Columbia, Canada) Secondary: The three-star recruit will be making his first visit to Notre Dame. He reported an Irish offer May 28.
S Devin Studstill, 6-1, 185; Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) High: The three-star recruit will be making his first visit to Notre Dame. Studstill, a former teammate of ND linebacker Te’von Coney, reported an Irish offer in May of last year.
WR Kevin Stepherson, 6-0, 180; Jacksonville (Fla.) First Coast: The three-star recruit will be making his first visit to Notre Dame. He reported an Irish offer April 8.
S Spencer Perry, 6-3, 202; Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy: Despite a commitment to Florida, the three-star recruit will make his first visit to Notre Dame. Perry, who teams with ND running back commit Tony Jones Jr., reported an Irish offer March 31.
DB Jalen Elliott, 6-2, 190; Chesterfield (Va.) Lloyd C Bird: The three-star recruit will be making his first visit to Notre Dame. He reported an Irish offer May 19.
S Ikenna Okeke, 6-2, 200; Smyrna (Tenn.) High: The three-star recruit will be making his first visit to Notre Dame. He reported an Irish offer March 3.
TE Brock Wright, 6-5, 238; Cypress (Texas) Cy-Fair: The nation’s top tight end in the 2017 class according to 247Sports received a Notre Dame offer on his visit in March.
DE Corey Malone-Hatcher, 6-3, 235; St. Joseph (Mich.) High: The local 2017 target has been a regular visitor at Notre Dame in the past year. The Irish extended him an offer March 21.
DE Robert Beal, 6-4, 210; Norcross (Ga.) High: The 2017 target reported an Irish offer in May after an April visit to South Bend.
