2022 DE/LB Kenny Soares Still In Some Contact With Notre Dame

After visiting South Bend last fall, Kenny Soares‍ has maintained some contact with Notre Dame. The 2022 Connecticut defensive end/linebacker received a message from the Irish on Sept. 1st as well, the first day colleges could directly reach out to members of the Class of 2022.

Prior to that date, Soares had been keeping in touch with Irish defensive line coach Mike Elston a bit.

“I’ve been talking to him,” said Soares. “I call him occasionally just to catch up.

“They’re basically trying to find a role for me. Based off my film, they’re not sure exactly where I would fit on the defense, whether that would be a d-end or an outside linebacker, which I’m pretty sure they call a Vyper. They’re just trying to pinpoint exactly where I would fit for them.”

Soares has offers from UConn, UMass and Central Michigan and is looking to get re-offered by the new Rutgers regime.

Soares was at Notre Dame for the Irish’s home finale last season and the interest from Notre Dame is certainly motivating.

“It just makes me want to work harder,” the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder said. “It makes me want to not just have the interest, but get to be able to go there.

“Just the combination of having both academic and athletic excellence at the school. It’s the best of both worlds and I know if I were to go there, there’s always a life after football. It would help me after college if I weren’t able to make the NFL.”

He heard from more than a dozen schools on Sept. 1st.

“It was exciting,” he said. “It definitely made me feel good seeing that I do have a lot of eyes on me. Before, they weren’t able to reach out to me, so knowing I do have a lot of eyes on me makes me want to work harder; not just have the interest be there, but to help me get into college.”

After spending his sophomore year at St. Luke’s and his junior year at Avon Old Farms in Connecticut, Soares has transferred to St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City, N.J.

“I got hurt and missed half the season last year at Avon and Avon ended up cancelling their season pretty early this year,” he explained. “In my mind, I knew I needed a season, so I ended up transferring over to St. Peter’s so I could get that extra season in during my junior year to get more film out there.”

It’s about a 90-minute commute each way, but it’s been going well so far.

“We’re definitely going to have a good group this year,” he said. “Especially with the depth of our team.

“Everybody is always pushing each other in the weight room, when we run routes after practice. Everybody is going to be better because of the way everybody is.”