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Notre Dame Football Recruiting

2018 Four-Star DE Elijah Wade Talks Notre Dame Offer

December 7, 2016
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The Notre Dame staff has been hitting the road hard over the past couple weeks checking in on commits and targets in the 2017 class, but also checking in and offering 2018 and 2019 prospects.

2018 Arbor View (Nev.) defensive end Elijah Wade had area recruiter Todd Lyght stop by his school and then got good news after with an offer from Notre Dame.

“I was already in communications with a couple of the coaches,” Wade told Irish Sports Daily.
“I had talked to Coach Lyght and he offered me. He was at my school the other day too.”

The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder has been in contact with Lyght and is enjoying the message being sent to him from the defensive backs coach.  

“He’s sending a great message and I know it’s a great university to have an offer from,” explained Wade. “I have just been speaking to him and he’s explained the tradition around the school and giving me new information about Notre Dame.”

I wouldn’t say distance is that big of a factor, because I am just worried about picking the right school for me. - 2018 DE Elijah Wade
With the offer from the Irish on December 1st, Notre Dame joins BYU, Colorado, Colorado State, Michigan, UCLA, USC and Washington State in the race for the four-star prospect.

The early success hasn’t gotten to Wade’s head and he takes each one as a step in the direction he wants to go.  

“It’s great and I see each offer as a blessing,” Wade said of the early attention.  “Each offer is just great to have. I am going to work hard and grind to gain more offers, as time winds down to where I have to make a decision next year.”

The Las Vegas native has a build where he could pack on weight to play strongside end, but also stay quick enough to play rush end. Wade will tell you he isn’t worried about his future positions, as he is focused on becoming the best version he can be in the present.  

“I’m not worried about that right now,” stated Wade. “I am focused on developing and we’ll make that decision when the time comes. I feel like I can play either defensive end spot.”

Some prospects have elaborate lists of what they are searching or looking for in a potential school. Wade is a simple guy and it’s going to come down to where he feels the most comfort.

“I want to see if I fit in at the school and the relationships I have with the people there,” he explained. “If I go there and it doesn’t feel like home or I don’t get a good vibe, then that school won’t be a place I would go.

“Also, the things around it like tradition and the academics. Academics are a big deal for me. I do want to get my degree, but it’s also about the people.”

With Michigan and Notre Dame already in the fold for Wade, the topic of distance is always a topic with West Coast prospects. However, the good news for the Midwest programs, it doesn’t sound like Wade will factor distance into his decision.  

“I wouldn’t say distance is that big of a factor, because I am just worried about picking the right school for me,” explained Wade. “I’m not going to say a school is too far away. If it fits all the other criteria, but I would still go there, so I wouldn’t say distance plays a factor in my decision.”

As for a dream offer, Wade doesn’t have one and there is a reasoning behind it.  

“I didn’t really grow up having a dream offer,” Wade stated. “The thing with dream offers is if you’re looking to get a school from one school and what’s not behind like the coaches and the people, then what are you really looking at?

“What’s behind the school might be different than what you have seen growing up if you had a favorite. I didn’t grow up wanting a dream offer from any school.”

Wade will now turn his focus to the offseason, but he will also look to get out on some unofficial visits over the next few months and South Bend will be a likely destination.  

“I haven’t made any plans, but I do plan on going out to a couple colleges in the winter or spring,” said Wade. “I am trying to get down to a few schools, but we’ll see how that goes when the time comes.

“Notre Dame will probably one of those schools, but I don’t know for sure yet.”
 
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