Clark Lea Impressing 2019 PA LB Keith Maguire Jr.

2019 Malvern Prep (Pa.) linebacker Keith Maguire Jr.‍ will head to Notre Dame this weekend for Junior Day after getting an invite from defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Clark Lea. 

“I am very excited to get up to Notre Dame,” Maguire told Irish Sports Daily. “I had been speaking with the Director of Recruiting, and he showed the defensive staff my film, so I got in contact with coach (Clark) Lea. 

“Coach Lea came by to visit, and he talked with my coach. He let him know I was invited to Junior Day and then I called him to get all the information.” 

The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder hasn’t spoken with the first-year defensive coordinator for long, but he already knows he could see himself playing for Lea if the opportunity presents itself.  

“He’s a great dude,” stated Maguire. “He seemed interested in me, and he seemed like someone I would definitely like to be my coach.” 

The four-star prospect holds Army, Baylor, Buffalo, UConn, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Vanderbilt, Virginia, West Virginia and will look to get out on the road this spring. 

“I think I’m going to go to a few Junior Days,” explained Maguire. “I’ll be at Northwestern on Friday before I go to Notre Dame for an unofficial visit. I’m not going to get out too much, but a few unofficial visits over the next few months.

“I just want to get a feel for what the school is like as much as I can. I want to see a foundation of the coaching staff and what the school has to offer.” 

The Pennsylvania native is also making sure he improves his game during the offseason. 

“I am really working on my size,” Maguire said. “I want to gain a few more pounds, but a lot of it is working on my speed and agility. I want to run in the low 4.6s, so I’m getting a lot of speed work and explosive work. 

“I want to play looser and look to make big plays all the time.” 

When it comes to future position, Maguire can play inside or outside, and a lot of programs simply want him on the roster. 

“It depends on the school,” stated Maguire. “Some schools are recruiting me outside as a coverage guy and outside run, but not like a defensive end. Other schools are recruiting me inside.

“A lot of them have said they won’t really know where I project until I come.” 

As Maguire heads to Notre Dame on Saturday, the Malvern Prep star admits an offer would likely shake up his recruitment. 

“It’d be pretty big,” said Maguire. “It would be the best football school for me. Notre Dame would definitely be a school that would draw high interest from me.”