Todd Lyght Makes Big Impression On Top 2019 GA DB KJ Wallace

As Todd Lyght scours the country looking for defensive backs to help fill out Notre Dame’s 2018 recruiting class, the Irish defensive backs coach has also been looking at several 2019 DBs.

KJ Wallace‍ was one of those players Lyght came across and the 2019 Georgia cornerback received an offer from Notre Dame after Lyght stopped at Lovett School last week.

“It’s big because it’s always been a dream school of mine,” the Atlanta native said. “I was real happy when I got it. Coach Lyght is real cool. He’s a real cool guy. He’s one of the most down to earth coaches I’ve come across during this whole process.”

The 5-foot-11, 183-pounder also has offers from schools like Auburn, Georgia Tech, Penn State, Tennessee, South Carolina, Wisconsin and Vanderbilt among others.

“Coach Lyght said although I’m 5-11, he thinks I play like I’m 6-2,” Wallace explained. “I think coaches like the fact that I played receiver and I flip my hips. He also said he likes my foot speed right now, but would always want me to get faster.”

Wallace said “the history” of Notre Dame caught his interest and he remembers playing with the Irish in video games when he was younger, but still needs to learn more about the school and the program.

He’ll learn more this weekend, when he makes the trip out to South Bend for the Irish’s Junior Day.

“I definitely want to see the campus for myself because I’ve never been out there and just find out a little bit more about the school academically,” he said. “I know the football stuff, but not necessarily the academic part.”

Wallace has a couple other visits in mind.

“I’m supposed to be going to Penn State in a couple weeks,” he said. “I might go to Duke on the 14th, but other than that I don’t know. I’m going to take my official visits sometime close to the summer.”

Academics will be the top priority when Wallace is choosing a school in the end.

“Academics first,” he said confidently. “Things like proximity to home don’t really matter to me. I’d say academics and can I fit into the program; not necessarily just football, but the campus life and things like that.

“The football aspect of it, coaches. I know they say don’t go to the school for coaches because coaches can up and leave whenever they want to. But when I’m there, I’m going to want to at least appreciate the coaches and hope they appreciate me.”