ISD's Full Lid For Friday

2022 DT TARGET RELEASES TOP 7

Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston has been forming a solid relationship with 2022 New York defensive tackle Kaleb Artis‍ for months now. New Irish defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman has reinforced the positive feelings with his energy and honesty since being added to the staff.

So, it was no surprise that Artis included the Irish in his Top 7 earlier this week.

Artis plans on embarking on self-guided tours soon, but he isn’t sure when. It’ll likely depend on whether New York City plays football this spring or not. As of now, Artis is hoping to make a commitment in the middle of the summer.

TOP 2022 CB TARGET ANNOUNCES TOP 7

2022 Florida cornerback Devin Moore‍ also released his Top 7 this week. An interesting list includes the three in-state powers along with Alabama, Cincinnati, Stanford and Notre Dame. 

We’re told the inclusion of the Irish and the Cardinal are reflections of how much he values academics.

We’re also told Moore is very much the kind of prospect who checks the boxes on and off the field and his leadership ability is unquestioned.

NO QUESTIONING 2023 TE MAC MARKWAY’S TOUGHNESS

When De Smet head coach Robert Steeples told us the story of Mac Markway‍ playing the season with two broken wrists without even knowing it, we knew we needed to hear how that happened directly from the 2023 Missouri tight end.

Earlier this week, we did.

“I broke the first one in basketball season prior to that football season,” the 6-foot-4, 250-pounder explained. “I was going up for a dunk and the guy took my legs out and I landed right on it. That was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced. The funny thing is we got it checked out and they said, it's perfectly fine. I was like, 'OK.' But it was definitely broken at that point in time. It was bad.

“But then the next one happened during the season. I still don't know when I did it. I mean I really have no clue when I broke my left one. I broke my right one in basketball. I broke my left during the football season and I still don't know when I broke that one.”

Markway, who landed a Notre Dame offer last month, would simply tape each wrist “super tight” before each game.

“I guess I just got used to it,” he said. “I got used to the uncomfortableness of them because they didn't hurt at all.

“After getting them taped up and everything, I got adjusted to it, I guess. I don't know. But it was weird.”

It wasn’t until a postseason trip to the doctor with his father that Markway found out. 

“He's like, 'Yeah, they're probably just both sprained. You might've broke one of them,’” Markway said of his father. “He's like, 'You might've broke that one, but it might already be almost healed and everything.'

“And we went in there and she's like, 'We've never seen anything like this.' I was like, 'Oh God! Are you serious?’ It can't be good when they say that.”

Markway is planning to hit the road this summer and is eyeing stops at Notre Dame, Missouri, Iowa, Alabama, Florida and LSU.

2023 RB JUSTICE HAYNES NOT BEING PUSHED TO UGA

It’s not that Verron Haynes is completely against his son, 2023 Georgia running back Justice Haynes‍, staying home and playing for the Bulldogs like he did. He just doesn’t want his son doing so because he did.

“That's exactly the opposite of what I want for Justice,” said Verron Haynes, who played for Georgia before a lengthy NFL career. “I don't want him to choose something that I did. This is his path.

“Selfishly, I would love to see him with the Georgia Jersey on, but, in retrospect, I'm just here to advise and guide. I don't want him to have any regrets and say, ‘I should've, would've, could've.’ So we're gonna make that decision. This is all about what fits you son, not for dad or mom.”

Notre Dame is absolutely one of the schools Haynes will look at closely. A standout baseball player, the two-sport Blessed Trinity star could play both at the next level.

“I love the fact that he is able to play multiple sports,” his father said. “I think that's one of the benefits that I see nowadays.

“I really enjoy the fact that he's able to give that group of muscles a rest and then pick it up the next season. So baseball, I told him, in my opinion, you play as long as you can because it's fun for him.”

Haynes doesn’t just prefer the sport he’s playing at the time, it can be hard to pull him out of it to get ready for the next one.

“I really have to pry him and say, ‘Listen Son, now, it's football time.’ And then he'll get all in football. And then literally he would still want to do like 7-on-7 camps. I'm like, ‘No, no. Now, it's baseball time...’

“He loves them and he's passionate about both.”