Austin: Notre Dame Best Of Both Worlds

It was close, but in the end, it was clear Kevin Austin Jr. felt Notre Dame was the best school for him.

The 2018 Florida wide receiver made the announcement on Friday, committing to the Irish over Duke, Miami and Tennessee.

“Just the overall experience when I was there,” the 6-foot-3, 198-pounder said, referring to his trip to South Bend for the Irish’s spring game in April.

“They have the best of both worlds, football and academics, which was high on my list.”

Austin said he came to his final decision the week before his announcement.

“I was really talking with my coaches and my family about it, saying, ‘This could really be the fit for me,’” he said. “I really felt at home when I was there. All of the players are the type of guys I want to be around.”

But the North Broward Prep standout didn’t inform the Notre Dame coaching staff until the night before.

“They were really excited,” he said. “I called Coach (Brian) Kelly and he was excited for me. All of the other coaches were in the background, clapping and cheering for me, so that was a great moment.”

Kelly got really involved late in the process.

“He did call my mother and I the week before I committed, just going over the things we wanted to hear about the process he’s going to take and how his development as a coach has gotten even greater through coaching great athletes,” said Austin.

But Austin’s area recruiter, Autry Denson, and his future position coach, Del Alexander, led the charge for the Irish.

“Coach Denson, he’s from my area,” Austin said. “We talked all of the time. He sends me motivational texts every morning.

“Coach Alexander, he just seems like he knows what he’s talking about. He has the mindset to get players to the next level. When we were up there for the scrimmage, we were just amazed by what he can do and draw from the receivers.”

The Coconut Creek, Fla., native is also excited about joining the other members of Notre Dame’s 2018 recruiting class.

“They’re a really great group of guys,” he said. “I saw a lot of them at The Opening and at the Rivals Five-Star Challenge. The fact that they were genuine guys who were great to talk to and be around was fun.”

Austin couldn’t say which school was the runner-up.

“A lot of people asked me who would be my number two and I told them, all of my top four schools are just amazing schools,” he said.

“It would be really hard to say. The other three are just really great schools I could see myself going to, but Notre Dame was the best fit.”

Austin has thought about taking visits to each of his finalists this fall just to make sure, but hasn’t finalized those plans yet.

“We’re still deciding that, but as for right now, yes. I’ve been talking about it with my family and my coaches. I still haven’t decided if I’m going to, but as of right now, it’s going to be a yes.”