Davonte Neal to Notre Dame: Fighting Irish Lands 4-Star Athlete Prospect

Davonte Neal, the top unsigned recruit of the 2012 class and native of Scottsdale, Ariz., didn't show any regional bias when narrowing his college choices down.

According to Rivals, the 4-star recruit's final options were Ohio State, North Carolina, Arizona, Arkansas and Notre Dame. But Inna Lazarev of Fox Sports and Scout.com is reporting that Neal has decided to attend Notre Dame. 

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And it's official, Davonte Neal is off to... Notre Dame!

— Inna Lazarev (@InnaLazarev) February 21, 2012"

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Neal is an interesting prospect, as his size and speed make him a potential threat at either receiver or defensive back. ESPN lists Neal as an athlete, Rivals has him listed as a receiver, comparing him to Santana Moss. Lastly, Scout calls Neal a defensive back.

Both Rivals and Scout list Neal as a 4-star recruit at the different positions, while ESPN gives him the full five. 

While Neal is not a big man (5'10", 175 pounds), his 4.4 speed is easily fast enough for him to play receiver. Conversely, his 4.19 shuttle time will translate well to the defensive back position.

Diversity is what should help Neal best contribute to Notre Dame when he steps onto the field for the Fighting Irish next fall.

As a senior at Chaparral High School, Neal had 1,317 rushing yards with 16 touchdowns. He also had 1,113 receiving yards with 14 more scores through the air. 

By the time spring practice rolls around, Brian Kelly will have a better grasp on what position Neal is going to play. Notre Dame struggled a lot more on offense than defense, so receiver would make sense. After a full offseason of training, making that distinction should be easy.

If anyone is expecting Neal to step in and be an All-American, their hopes are a little too high. Still, he is the kind of player that can step in and be a valuable player right away. 

Photo Courtesy of AZCentral.com.

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