Notre Dame CB target Troy Pride Jr. previews commitment
Troy Pride Jr. may bring some life to the recruiting dead period for Notre Dame.
The 6-foot, 165-pound cornerback recruit will announce his verbal commitment on Christmas Eve.
Though the NCAA dead period prohibits recruits from visiting schools and coaches from visiting recruits, the Irish could be in line for some good news from Pride.
On Monday night, Pride wasn’t ready to admit he’s completely settled on his college decision. Perhaps he didn’t want to show his hand.
“A lot of things could happen, but at the same time, I have an idea,” Pride said. “I’m still going through it and making myself comfortable with it.”
But on Sunday, Pride knew he was ready to make a decision. That’s when he announced on Twitter his plans for a Christmas Eve commitment.
“When you feel it in your heart, you just kind of let it flow,” Pride said. “That’s where I was with it. I went to church that day, and I had been praying on it a little bit. It came to me that day.”
247Sports slates Pride as a four-star recruit and the No. 23 cornerback in the 2016 class. Rivals rates him as a three-star prospect and No 32 at the position.
Pride withdrew his long-standing verbal commitment to Virginia Tech in November following head coach Frank Beamer’s retirement announcement, but he had already developed other options throughout the recruiting process. Pride made visits to Clemson, Tennessee, Notre Dame and North Carolina in October and November before backing out of his commitment.
Then the in-state schools started coming after the star player at Greer (S.C.) High. South Carolina offered Pride on Nov. 19, and he attended South Carolina’s final game of the season against Clemson. And just last week, Clemson extended Pride a scholarship offer. Pride also visited North Carolina State earlier this month.
Pride said Monday that each of those schools are in the running for his commitment. He will make the announcement at 4 p.m. ET.
“I don’t really think I have finalists,” Pride said. “The fact of the matter is that when I opened my recruitment back up, it was everybody included. It was open season. Everybody had a fair shot.”
Despite Pride’s initial commitment to Virginia Tech in February, Notre Dame started its pursuit of Pride in June with a scholarship offer. The process could come with a happy ending for Notre Dame on Thursday.
“When they decided to offer me and since then they’ve been consistent in preaching their football, their program, their university,” Pride said. “They haven’t negatively recruited any other schools or things like that. I know where I stand with Notre Dame.”
Two more signees
Notre Dame made official Monday the signings of safety recruits Devin Studstill and Spencer Perry.
Both senior commits have signed financial aid agreements with Notre Dame in advance of enrolling at the school in January. The safety duo joins linebacker Daelin Hayes and defensive end Khalid Kareem, who both signed earlier this month.
Notre Dame announced the additions on Twitter.
A signed financial aid agreement guarantees the recruit a scholarship, but the agreement is non-binding for the recruit. He can still choose to enroll elsewhere without penalty.
The 6-1, 180-pound Studstill committed to Notre Dame last week. Perry, 6-2, 202, has been committed since June 29. Enrolling at Notre Dame early could give both players a chance to compete for playing time in the secondary as freshmen.
247Sports slates Studstill as a four-star recruit and the No. 13 safety in the 2016 class. Rivals rates him as a three-star prospect and the No. 45 athlete.
Both sites peg Perry as a three-star recruit. Rivals ranks him as the No. 43 safety, and 247Sports slates him 49th.
Wide receiver commit Kevin Stepherson also has expressed plans to enroll early at Notre Dame.
tjames@ndinsider.com
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Twitter: @TJamesNDI
