Notre Dame Football: Top 5 early targets for 2019 recruiting class
By Jacob Wilson
With the 2018 signing period coming to a close, it’s never too early to take a look into next year’s recruiting class. Here are five players Notre Dame football should have their eyes on in 2019.
The Irish have made quite a mark on the recruiting landscape over the past few seasons, and much of that is due to the prowess of Notre Dame’s recruiting coordinators. The Irish have certainly stepped things up as of late, doing a good job of suppressing the remnants of a disappointing 2016 season.
With the majority of the 2018 signees squared away, head coach Brian Kelly and Co. will now fix their gaze on the 2019 class. With a significant amount of talent up for grabs, the Irish will be doing all that they can to land some of the nation’s top recruits in 2019. Here are five potential recruits that the Irish should hone in on.
5. Sampson James, RB
Of all the 2019 recruits hosted by the Irish so far, running back Sampson James is perhaps one of the most entertaining to watch. James, a 6-1, 211-pound incoming senior at Avon High School, has drawn comparisons to Josh Adams himself.
Boasting a compliment of both strength and speed, James has the ability to take over a game with little help. We saw much of this from Adams over the course of this past season, and with little depth at the running back position, James would be a great fit for the Irish in 2019.
Despite primarily considering Big Ten programs such as Ohio State and Michigan, James has a soft spot for Notre Dame as the campus is located just over two hours away from where he plays high school ball. While this isn’t always a main factor in players’ decisions, it seems to have a significant impact on James considering the other teams in play.
While offers such as those from Ohio State and Michigan may be enough to sway James, the Irish certainly appear to be finalists heading into the 2018 season. Regardless of James’ eventual choice, all three programs are sure to be hanging on every word over the course of his year-long decision.