Notre Dame Football: Previewing Major Recruiting Weekend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Unlike in past years when the Irish opened with run-of-the-mill afternoon games against Rice, Temple, South Florida and Purdue, Notre Dame football begins its 2015 season against a marquee opponent in a prime-time slot, paving the way for a high-profile recruiting weekend on campus.

This year’s opener against the Longhorns is one of the two night games at Notre Dame Stadium, with the October matchup with USC also shaping up to be a similarly important recruiting weekend. So the Irish start the season busy and are scheduled to welcome roughly 25 prospects—commits, targets and some recruits without offers in the classes of 2016, 2017 and 2018—according to Irish247.

“It’s huge,” Irish247’s Tom Loy said of the upcoming weekend. “You want to jump out of the gate right away with a big, convincing victory and show that all of the offseason hype surrounding the program and the talk of Notre Dame getting into the playoffs and competing for a national title is real.”

Notre Dame will have a chance to impress a host of top targets in the class of 2016. Defensive end Daelin Hayes is expected to take an unofficial visit, Loy reported Thursday. The USC commit is slotted as the No. 9 outside linebacker and No. 107 overall player in the country and could fill a major pass-rushing need for Notre Dame. Hayes has been committed to the Trojans since July 26, 2014, and is planning a return trip—an official visit—to South Bend for the Notre Dame-USC game in October, per Loy.

Credit: 247Sports

“It’s huge,” Loy said of getting Hayes on campus. “I’ve never hid the fact that I think he’s gonna end up at Notre Dame.”

Loy said the Irish will likely have stud linebacker Jaylon Smith spend time with Hayes, letting the 4-star prospect pick Smith’s brain on his own recruiting process and his time in South Bend. While Hayes is listed as an outside linebacker and has dropped down to 235 pounds, Loy still views him as a pass-rusher.

“At the next level, I’m confident he’s gonna end up being that defensive end, edge-rusher that Notre Dame really needs and that they kinda missed out on last year,” Loy said. “They really need a guy who can get to the quarterback, and that’s exactly what he does well.”

Credit: 247Sports

Along with Hayes, class of 2016 athlete Demetris Robertson headlines the weekend visitors. Robertson checks in as the No. 2 athlete and No. 39 overall recruit in his class. The Savannah, Georgia, product decommitted from Alabama in mid-April.

Loy said Robertson is the type of top-of-the-board talent Notre Dame simply looks to get on campus, pushing positional questions down the road. Robertson can be a difference-maker at both wide receiver and defensive back, Loy said.

“Speaking beyond just his football talent, he’s very much heavily considering academics in his decision,” Loy said. “There’s a reason it would be no surprise to anybody to see him end up at Stanford or Notre Dame. Academics are extremely important to Robertson and his family. And that played a factor in his decision to open things up from Alabama.”

Loy said Georgia, Stanford, Alabama and Notre Dame are all in the running for Robertson’s services.

Credit: 247Sports

Class of 2016 all-purpose back Melquise Stovall, a former USC commit, is set to visit South Bend, as well. Stovall, the No. 4 all-purpose back and No. 168 overall player, decommitted from the Trojans in early August. Like fellow California native and 2016 Irish target Damian Alloway, Stovall profiles into an all-purpose back, slot receiver role, Loy said. However, Notre Dame will likely only add one of the two at this point, Loy said, though that could change.

Class of 2016 wide receiver Donnie Corley is considered a Michigan State lean, but the No. 19 wideout in the nation is slated for a trip to South Bend this weekend.

“I thought [the Irish] were [a long shot],” Loy said. “The kid raved about Notre Dame and was very high on Notre Dame and so was his family. However, things started to move south after that, and less interest was there.

“It was a surprise to me to find out he was coming this weekend.”

Credit: 247Sports

On the other side of the ball, three class of 2016 defensive backs are set to arrive on campus: cornerback Donte Vaughn, cornerback Eric Cuffee and safety D.J. Morgan.

“I do like the group at defensive back,” Loy said. “I don’t think there’s an elite guy in that group.”

Loy praised Vaughn, the No. 27 corner and No. 299 overall prospect in the country, for his length and running ability and tabbed Notre Dame as the leader for the Memphis, Tennessee, native.

Among 2017 prospects, Illinois tight end Cole Kmet is expected in town. The No. 6 tight end in his class, Kmet camped at Notre Dame in June, received an offer 10 days later and stopped back on campus at the end of July. Loy said he expects Kmet’s recruitment to come down to the Irish and Ohio State.

Other top 2017 targets expected to visit for Saturday’s game include athlete Tyrell Ajian, the No. 190 player in the class, and defensive end Corey Malone-Hatcher, the No. 8 player at his position and a native of nearby Saint Joseph, Michigan.

Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting stats and information are courtesy of 247Sports.com, and all quotes were obtained firsthand. Star ratings reflect 247Sports composite rankings.

Mike Monaco is the lead Notre Dame writer for Bleacher Report. Follow @MikeMonaco_ on Twitter.