Notre Dame Football Recruiting
Update: 2018 FL ATH Joe Wilkins Jr.
May 8, 2017
6,069
Notre Dame was back in Florida last week during the Spring Evaluation Period and made a stop at North Fort Meyers High School to watch 2018 athlete Joseph Wilkins Jr. practice.
The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder quickly noticed Notre Dame in attendance and is hoping to hear from the Irish.
“It was awesome to have Notre Dame at practice,” Wilkins told Irish Sports Daily. “I know they are an academic school and that’s what I’m looking to find. I want to find a school that will give me a good education and a good degree.
“I don’t know much about Notre Dame, but if they extend an offer or recruit me, I will definitely look into them.”
Wilkins holds offers from Arizona, Iowa State, Maryland, N.C. State, South Carolina, South Florida, Southern Miss, and Western Kentucky, but he isn’t letting the recruiting process get the best of him.
“It’s awesome and a dream come true for me,” stated Wilkins. “I got my first offer my freshman year, so I was lucky and didn’t have to wait it out. I am keeping my eyes open and enjoying the process right now.”
The three-star prospect has several regional schools coming hard after him, but the only recent visit he has taken has been up North.
“Iowa State, Maryland, North Carolina State, South Florida, and Western Kentucky,” Wilkins said of the schools recruiting him the hardest. “Bowling Green is still coming at me too. Iowa State, Maryland, and NC State are trying to get me to visit. I am planning to get to UCF, but I want to get to the upper part of the country and visit some schools. I am just not sure when just yet.
“I went to Western Kentucky’s Junior Day, and I enjoyed myself up there. That’s the only visit I have taken as of now.”
On his visit to Western Kentucky, head coach Mike Sanford gave him the royal treatment and was able to relate well to the Florida native.
“He’s awesome,” stated Wilkins. “While I was there, Coach Sanford took me around personally in his truck and showed me around campus. We toured the entire facility, stadium, and his office. He seems like a down to earth guy.
“He had a lot of energy, and he was fired up the whole time.”
The trip to Western Kentucky was one that Wilkins might not have taken early in his process, but as he gets further into the process, distance isn’t playing a factor as much as relationships and education.
“At the beginning of the recruiting process, I wanted to stay home, but now that I am starting to pick up bigger schools, I am going to go where I can get the best education and where the staff wants me the most,” explained Wilkins. “Whether it’s in Florida or California, I am going to where I am wanted, and I can get the best education.”
As he heads into the summer, Wilkins will now listen to recruiting pitches on why he should play offense or defense.
“From a receiver standpoint, I am good with my route running and getting off the jam,” stated Wilkins. “I am good at the little things about the receiver position because I have a coach that played in the NFL.
“On defense, I am a 6-foot-2 guy with good feet, and I can play cornerback. All the defensive coaches love my size as a defensive back.”
Wilkins is open to playing either side of the ball in college and will base his decision off the coaching staff he trusts to put him in a position to succeed.
“I don’t care,” Wilkins laughed when asked what position he wanted to play. “I love to score touchdowns, but then again I can score touchdowns on defense. I don’t have a preference right now.”
The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder quickly noticed Notre Dame in attendance and is hoping to hear from the Irish.
“It was awesome to have Notre Dame at practice,” Wilkins told Irish Sports Daily. “I know they are an academic school and that’s what I’m looking to find. I want to find a school that will give me a good education and a good degree.
“I don’t know much about Notre Dame, but if they extend an offer or recruit me, I will definitely look into them.”
Wilkins holds offers from Arizona, Iowa State, Maryland, N.C. State, South Carolina, South Florida, Southern Miss, and Western Kentucky, but he isn’t letting the recruiting process get the best of him.
“It’s awesome and a dream come true for me,” stated Wilkins. “I got my first offer my freshman year, so I was lucky and didn’t have to wait it out. I am keeping my eyes open and enjoying the process right now.”
The three-star prospect has several regional schools coming hard after him, but the only recent visit he has taken has been up North.
“Iowa State, Maryland, North Carolina State, South Florida, and Western Kentucky,” Wilkins said of the schools recruiting him the hardest. “Bowling Green is still coming at me too. Iowa State, Maryland, and NC State are trying to get me to visit. I am planning to get to UCF, but I want to get to the upper part of the country and visit some schools. I am just not sure when just yet.
“I went to Western Kentucky’s Junior Day, and I enjoyed myself up there. That’s the only visit I have taken as of now.”
On his visit to Western Kentucky, head coach Mike Sanford gave him the royal treatment and was able to relate well to the Florida native.
“He’s awesome,” stated Wilkins. “While I was there, Coach Sanford took me around personally in his truck and showed me around campus. We toured the entire facility, stadium, and his office. He seems like a down to earth guy.
“He had a lot of energy, and he was fired up the whole time.”
The trip to Western Kentucky was one that Wilkins might not have taken early in his process, but as he gets further into the process, distance isn’t playing a factor as much as relationships and education.
“At the beginning of the recruiting process, I wanted to stay home, but now that I am starting to pick up bigger schools, I am going to go where I can get the best education and where the staff wants me the most,” explained Wilkins. “Whether it’s in Florida or California, I am going to where I am wanted, and I can get the best education.”
As he heads into the summer, Wilkins will now listen to recruiting pitches on why he should play offense or defense.
“From a receiver standpoint, I am good with my route running and getting off the jam,” stated Wilkins. “I am good at the little things about the receiver position because I have a coach that played in the NFL.
“On defense, I am a 6-foot-2 guy with good feet, and I can play cornerback. All the defensive coaches love my size as a defensive back.”
Wilkins is open to playing either side of the ball in college and will base his decision off the coaching staff he trusts to put him in a position to succeed.
“I don’t care,” Wilkins laughed when asked what position he wanted to play. “I love to score touchdowns, but then again I can score touchdowns on defense. I don’t have a preference right now.”
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