Notre Dame Working on Talented Defensive Back Haul in 2021

Notre Dame has two critical pieces in the fold for its 2021 defensive back haul as four-star cornerback Philip Riley‍ joined safety Justin Walters‍ this week. 

What's next for the Irish? I see the staff wanting three more pieces to the secondary to finish out the class and it could be an impressive finish as it stands today. 

Quince Orchard (Md.) cornerback Ryan Barnes‍ might be one of the lowest-rated prospects on the board, but he also might have one of the highest ceilings. The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder is one of the nation's most coveted cornerbacks because of his length and ability to play the ball in the air. 

Now, the three-star prospect is far from a finished product, but Barnes could very well end up being an elite press man guy by the time he leaves college, which is why Clemson is pushing hard. 

Barnes holds one of the most impressive offer lists in the country for a cornerback and according to some sources, the Irish might have a small lead despite him not making it to campus yet. 

Loyola (Calif.) cornerback Ceyair Wright‍ has been on the radar much longer than Barnes and Riley as the Irish offered early. 

The four-star prospect visited Notre Dame in December and would likely have returned this spring or in June if not for the coronavirus. 

Wright doesn't seem to be in a hurry with his decision, but one constant remains and that's Notre Dame. Arizona State and Oregon are in the mix, but it seems as if UCLA and USC are on the outside looking in at this stage. 

Four-star Guyer (Texas) cornerback Deuce Harmon‍ has started to narrow things down as listed a top seven of Notre Dame, Oregon, SMU, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M and USC on Friday. 

The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder is a name to continue to monitor for the Irish, but the longer he goes without making it to South Bend will likely hurt Notre Dame. 

Harmon was supposed to be on campus the first weekend of April, but those plans were canceled. The Irish were firmly in the mix before the trip and naturally, the momentum died down as he got to College Station before Covid-19 impacted the recruiting landscape. 

Texas and Texas A&M hold the lead for Harmon now, which isn't surprising as he's seen both programs. If he can get to Notre Dame, it could change things for him. 

John Paul II Catholic (Fla.) defensive back Terrion Arnold‍ will be a tough pull for Notre Dame, but there is some interest there from the four-star prospect. 

The Tallahassee native has the Noles closer to the top of his list along with Alabama. The good news is his uncle played college ball with Notre Dame cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens. 

Arnold will take his five official visits and has an interest in a Business degree, which Notre Dame can undoubtedly sell. 

Notre Dame is also involved with several other names we're working on getting updates from in the coming days.