Notre Dame Lands 4-Star Donte Vaughn, Could See More Commits Soon

Monday may be the start of something really good for Notre Dame's recruiting in the upcoming weeks.

The Irish recently landed its 16th commit of the 2016 class in 4-star cornerback Donte Vaughn out of Memphis, Tennessee. Vaughn chose Notre Dame over offers from Tennessee, Ole Miss, Auburn, LSU and a host of other programs.

"I picked Notre Dame because they provide the best of both worlds, big-time football and education," Vaughn told 247Sports' Tom Loy. "I liked everything up there. It was a family environment. That's what stood out."

For Notre Dame, Vaughn could just be the beginning.

The Irish are hoping to pick up a few commitments in a number of days. Vaughn kicked things off Monday. Tuesday could be another celebratory day as 3-star California safety Chacho Ulloa will announce his verbal commitment. Ulloa is expected to choose either Notre Dame, Stanford or Arizona State.

And then there's Saturday's showdown with USC. Notre Dame will host a big weekend loaded with official and unofficial visitors. Expected to make the trip are 5-star receiver Nate Craig-Myers and 4-star standouts such as linebacker Daelin Hayes, Brandon Burton, cornerback Damar Hamlin and receiver Javon McKinley, among others. Hayes is a player to watch, as he decommitted from USC on Sunday.

All of the aforementioned, along with several others making visits later in the year, have envisioned themselves wearing Notre Dame gold and blue. Head coach Brian Kelly and his staff have been working hard to add more playmakers to an already talented class, and the immediate future of the Irish could be bright.

The goal for an October surge started with Vaughn, as Notre Dame landed a top-30 cornerback who has excellent size at 6'3" and 192 pounds. His length, long stride and the way he uses his body in coverage poses a problem for wide receivers, particularly smaller receivers.

Because of Vaughn's size, and with Notre Dame's depth at the cornerback position, don't be surprised if the Irish try using him at either safety or the nickel position early in his career. Vaughn is a natural cornerback, but his versatility makes him a candidate to see time elsewhere if the coaches see fit.

Adding Vaughn to the class was a big win for the Irish. Now, the staff will focus on adding athletes like 4-star linebacker Aaron Hansford, 4-star all-purpose backs Damian Alloway and Melquise Stovall and the other athletes previously mentioned.

October could be one for the Irish. If so, credit Vaughn for the jump-start.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles