Signed | Four-Star LB Prince Kollie
LB Prince Kollie
Ranking
ISD: 91 – 4-Star
Composite: 89.5 – 4-Star
Vitals
6-1, 203
David Crockett (Jonesborough, Tennessee)
Senior Stats
Rushing: 1,526 yards, 26 TDs
Receiving: 290 yards, 3 TDs
Defense: 109 tackles, 11 TFL
Recruiter
Clark Lea
Recruitment Rundown
Notre Dame ratcheted up its pursuit of Prince Kollie right as the COVID-19 pandemic was sweeping around the globe in the spring, bringing wholesale changes to everyday life and grinding collegiate athletics to a halt. Yet the Irish improvised and utilized Zoom video sessions and virtual tours to intensify their recruitment of Kollie, whose family hails from Nigeria and, per folks from Kollie’s hometown who spoke to ISD, relishes the academic/religious components of Notre Dame.
Virginia Tech led early for Kollie, a 2020 Tennessee Class 5A Mr. Football winner who owns 1,000-yard receiving and rushing seasons but also 100-tackle campaigns and projects as a linebacker for Notre Dame. Alabama, Georgia, Louisville and LSU, as well as Duke and Oklahoma, among others, all made a strong push for the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder, who signed with Notre Dame even after learning his recruiter and position coach, Clark Lea, was headed to Vanderbilt.
David Crockett Head Coach Hayden Chandley
“He’s played arguably the toughest position we run, because his sophomore season he played a strong safety type of role for us. He had to make all the corrections in the back end. It was cool to watch him just start picking it up each and every week. He moved positions to start his junior year, and then a position he had not practiced, the starting middle linebacker broke his arm, game seven or eight, and he played middle linebacker for us in the biggest game of the year. He didn’t bat an eye and did exceptionally well. He picks up things so instinctively; it just comes naturally to him. He doesn’t have to go out of his body to make plays. He’s fun to watch.”
ISD Expert Jamie Uyeyama
His rating is a little off from what it should be because Rivals does such a poor job of evaluating hybrid players like him who are a fit in most defenses in today’s college football.
He’s an outstanding prospect, though, who is as good of a pure football player as he is as an athlete. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was a similar prospect in high school to Kollie with both of them playing a Rover type of position on defense and starring as a receiver on offense. JOK is a twitchier athlete than Kollie, but aside from that, I see a lot of similarities in their skill sets.
There’s going to be a golden opportunity for Kollie to be an impact player and multi-year starter at Rover for the Irish starting in 2022. He may eventually develop physically to the point where he can slide inside to Buck.
Favorite ISD Quote
“Courage is the choice and the willingness to confront pain, danger or intimidation. I’m courageous because I witness courage every day knowing my parents wanted a better life for my brother and I.”
Junior Highlights