Kerry Neal Helps 2027 Notre Dame DL Target David Folorunsho Reach Potential
David Folorunsho remembers the conversation.
And, so does Kerry Neal.
About a year ago, the 2027 Illinois defensive end believed he was on track to land offers from major schools like Notre Dame and others.
Neal, a former defensive lineman for the Irish who is now CEO of WIN Performance in Highland Park, Ill., wasn’t convinced Folorunsho’s work ethic matched the goal.
“I was brutally honest with Dave,” Neal said. “I told him, ‘I love you as a kid, I love you as a person, but what you’re saying and the way you’re working don’t match.’
“There’s a standard.”
For Neal, that word matters.
Over nearly two decades training defensive linemen, he has developed prospects who reached major college football and the NFL. The common thread goes beyond size and stars.
It is urgency, motor and daily intent.
“David’s a big, physical kid,” Neal said. “Hard-nosed. Strong punch. Plays with violence. Plays fast. I can see why coaches are after him. But when you’re the big kid your whole life, sometimes that puts a lid on your growth.
“You don’t know how much better you can be until somebody pushes you.”
Neal provided that push.
And instead of resisting the critique, Folorunsho responded.
“Anybody who knows me, knows I'm always going to tell nothing but the truth,” Neal said. “It comes from a place of love and just honesty. As a former player, man, that's all you want. You want a coach that can be honest with you and show you how to get there. Don't just tell me that I'm not doing the right thing, but be willing and be able to show me how to get there. And that's what I've been doing with Dave.
“I'm here to make you guys better, embrace being uncomfortable. That's one of the things with Dave, he has embraced it, and I text him all the time like, ‘Dude, I'm so proud of you.’”
The 6-4, 280-pounder from St. Patrick High School has seen his recruitment surge since.
Notre Dame offered earlier this month and he also holds offers from Miami, Nebraska, LSU, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Illinois, Maryland, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and Penn State among others.
Validation, however, does not change the assignment.
“I always tell him, ‘Don’t be satisfied,’” Neal said. “Be the hardest worker in the gym every time you walk in.”
For Folorunsho, the offer represented confirmation.
For Neal, it was proof that once the standard was embraced, the ceiling disappeared.
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