Down the Stretch We Come – Defense

Over the weekend we took a look at what the numbers game looked like for Notre Dame as it enters the final stretch of recruiting for this year’s class and who was left on the offensive side of the ball.  Today we take a look at the defensive side of the ball.

Defensive Line

• Arik Armstead (6’8″, 280, DE) – It appeared as though the Irish were on the outside looking in for a while, but Notre Dame has crept back in on Armstead with the help of basketball head coach Mike Brey. Brey has been recruiting the giant lineman for the Irish hoops team with the opportunity to play this season on the hardwood.  Armstead visit Cal last weekend after previously visiting Notre Dame for the USC game and plans on taking one more visit before enrolling early wherever he ends up.

Armstead is the only defensive linemen left on the board for Notre Dame with Jarron Jones and Sheldon Day already on board after the impressive haul the Irish had along the line last year.  Still, with a recruit the caliber of Armstead, Notre Dame will continue to recruit the 5-star athlete and would certainly love to add him to this year’s class.

Linebacker

• Ifeadi Odenigbo (6’4″, 210, OLB) – Odenigbo fits the profile of a outside linebacker in this defense pretty well and has an impressive list of suitors with scholarship offers from the likes of USC, Ohio State, Stanford, and Alabama.  So far he has visited Northwestern, Notre Dame, and Stanford officially without any other official visits lined up at this point.
• Schyler Miles (6’2″, 220, ILB) – Miles, a high school teammate of 5-star wide receiver recruit Nelson Agholor, does not have an offer from Notre Dame at this point, but depending on how things go an offer could be extended after he officially visited last weekend.  Miles visited Florida this past weekend and the Gators remain his most prestigious offer to this point.
• Ken Ekanem (6’3″, 226, OLB) – Like Odenigbo fits the outside linebacker profile pretty well and Notre Dame is reportedly one of his finalists along with Oregon, Virginia Tech and North Carolina.  Unfortunately for Ekanem, he reportedly suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in his state championship last week.

Notre Dame will have 12 linebackers on scholarship in 2012 which placed the position low on the priority list this year.  While the Irish have Romeo Okwara committed, he could easily grow into a defensive end in the Notre Dame defense.  Still after landing a impressive quartet of linebackers last year and with bigger needs elsewhere, Notre Dame could survive without adding any more recruits at the position.  That being said, if a scholarship is available to add a quality linebacker like the ones left on the board, Notre Dame should do what it can to make that happen.

Safety

• Shaq Thompson (6’2″, 210, S) – Like Armstead, Notre Dame was on the outside looking in for a while, but may have crept in since the season ended.  Notre Dame most likely remains a long shot here, but hey, we all thought Notre Dame was a long shot at this time last year with Aaron Lynch.  That said, landing Thompson in this year’s class would be the coup of coups for Brian Kelly and staff to this point.
• Elijah Shumate (6’1″, 205, s) – Shumate visited Notre Dame this weekend with teammate Yuri Wright after previously visiting Rutgers and South Carolina.  He has a visit lined up for Georgia Tech as well but it’s possible his recruitment on/before the US Army All American Bowl he was selected to play in.  Rivals ranks the New Jersey native as the 7th best safety in the country.

Notre Dame already has commitments from three safeties in this year’s class – John Turner, CJ Prosise, and Nick Baratti – but would happily accept a commitment from either Thompson or Shumate with open arms with Shumate being the more likely of the two.  Notre Dame will have five safeties on scholarship most likely – three guaranteed to Zeke Motta, Austin Collinsworth, and Eilar Hardy; a 4th to Chris Badger coming back from his mission; and a 5th to Jamoris Slaughter should he come back for a 5th year.  Still, Notre Dame is in need of playmakers at the position which would make taking four safeties in this class not out of the question.

Cornerback

• Brian Poole (5’11”, 187, CB) – Poole has been committed to Florida for a while now, but Notre Dame has continued to recruit him and he still remains a possibility for the Irish at this point.  Somewhat surprisingly, Poole, a top 100 recruit, is also considering Western Kentucky where he officially visited last weekend.
• Yuri Wright (6’2″, 180, CB) – Wright visited Notre Dame this weekend with Shumate for his second official visit thus far – his first being a trip to Colorado last weekend.  Wright fits the profile of the tall, physical that Kelly, Bob Diaco and Chuck Martin look for in corners in this defense.

Notre Dame already has Tee Sheppard and Ronald Darby committed at corner back, but Sheppard has taken other visits including one to USC this weekend so Notre Dame is likely to actively recruit both Poole and Wright as long as their recruitments remain open.  Both Wright and Poole are elite prospects who could step in and compete with both Sheppard and Darby for immediate playing time.  Corner was right at the top of the priority list for Notre Dame this season and if Kelly and staff can add either Poole or Wright and hold on to both Shepard and Darby, they will have addressed a major need with the best crop of corners to enroll at Notre Dame in a long time.