Irish Commits Gain National Recognition

Written by Alec Swain

On March 27th, Markese Stepp, Notre Dame’s most ferocious recruiter in the class, landed an offer from USC. However, he was not the only Irish commit to get big news as both Justin Ademilola and Jayson Ademilola added offers from Alabama.

Stepp and the twins have been long-time Notre Dame commits. All three committed to the Irish last spring and have not wavered on their commitments. Obviously, things can change, but all three have proven a loyalty to the Irish program as they stayed committed through all the highs and lows of last season. With all the coaching turnover and all the losses, they were crucial in not only keeping the class firm, but building an excitement about the future of the program.

Stepp has been the most determined recruiter for the Irish since he committed. He has made it his mission to build and promote the 2018 Notre Dame class. However, even though he is committed to the Irish does not mean he cannot express his gratitude for other offers. He clearly loves Notre Dame, but he has worked hard to get to this point. All the hard work and determination of perfecting his craft is now paying off as he continues to add impressive offers.

Stepp was definitely excited and grateful for the USC offer. He even has personal ties to the program through Deland McCullough, the running back coach and his primary recruiter at USC, who his father played with. Which definitely made the offer even more special.

Stepp should be enthusiastic about this offer. With the plethora of phenomenal running backs who have gone to USC, it should be celebrated that they see him as a prospect worthy of an offer. 

USC has always been able to find standout performers in the backfield like Reggie Bush and the late Joe McKnight. They have always been able to find these incredibly gifted athletes primarily in their own backyard as California is one of the most fertile recruiting states.

On the current roster, Ronald Jones has been very impressive in his early career with the Trojans and they just added the talented Stephen Carr last recruiting cycle. Stepp, as a recruit who plays his high school football in Indiana, should be thrilled with the recognition, especially as the Irish commit who loves the recruiting process. 

In New Jersey, the twins also continue to gain recognition as the Crimson Tide decided to award both brothers with a scholarship. Any recruit who receives an offer from Alabama should be taken seriously, especially on the defensive line.

Alabama’s defensive line has constantly reloaded and produced consistent results. The athletes who play on Alabama’s defensive front are relentless in all aspects of the game. Against both the run and the pass, Alabama has been able to produce playmakers every year. And because of that productivity, Alabama defensive linemen are taken high in the draft almost every year. This year, Johathan Allen, Tim Williams, Ryan Anderson and Dalvin Tomlinson will all be included in the NFL draft which is less than a month away.

For Alabama to see both Ademilolas as worthy offer candidates is an extreme honor. It is clear Notre Dame definitely has locked up some extremely talented players in this recruiting class so far. In recruiting, things can always change and at first glance it may be concerning to Notre Dame fans. However, with their loyalty to the Irish program for almost a year. These offers should be viewed more so as added proof that Notre Dame is recruiting the right kind of athletes on and off of the field.