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Notre Dame Football Recruiting

2019 Commit Hunter Spears Set For South Bend Return

April 11, 2018
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After committing to Notre Dame back in February, Hunter Spears‍ will be in South Bend this weekend for his official visit.

The 2019 four-star defensive lineman will join two fellow 2019 high-priority Texas defensive line targets, as well as other Irish commits in his class in South Bend for the weekend.

“This is a good time for my family,” the Sachse High School standout explained. “It was a time where we all can go.

“It will be a good time because my friend NaNa Osafo-Mensah will be up there, Colt Eilison will be up there, two Texas boys that I am working really to recruit right now and Jacob (Lacey) will be up there. He and I are pretty close, so I think it will be a good time to build that relationship and get some more people on board.”

Spears was last in town for the Irish’s Junior Day back in January and is looking forward to creating deeper relationships with the coaching staff as well as learning more about his future major.

“Definitely getting to spend more time with the staff since I will be up there for a couple days and getting to build some relationships with the players up there,” Spears expressed. “There will also be some other recruits up there, so hopefully I can do some recruiting while I am up there too.

“I want to make my major work which is pre-med, so it is something I want to make sure it is something I can make happen. Also, just getting to know more about the campus and getting to know more about Notre Dame. There will be some stuff I have already seen and some things I haven’t seen, it is going to be a great experience.”

While he is excited about getting to know the entire staff better, since his commitment, Spears has been talking to his future defensive line coach regularly.

“It has been steady,” Spears told Irish Sports Daily. “I talk to Coach (Mike) Elston just about every other day. I have good contact with them; they are always hitting me up making sure I am doing well. It has been good so far.”

Conversations with Elston are easy and building a good relationship is even easier for the future Irish defensive lineman.

“He is a really good guy so it is easy to have normal conversations with him,” said Spears.

The big defensive lineman is rehabbing from a serious knee injury he suffered last year, but he is looking like his old self again. Spears has dropped some weight and is focused on getting back into football shape. He is currently 280, down from upper-290s.

“I think with cutting weight and getting back in shape, I will have the flexibility to play all across the line, some strong side defensive end and defensive tackle,” Spears said confidently.

“I am pretty much 100 percent. I am really comfortable where I am at right now; I just have to get back some of my explosiveness, but that comes with getting back into football.”

The 6-foot-3, 280-pounder also keeps in mind advice Elston has shared, so he can be dominant next season and on the college level.

“Playing fast, playing hard, work on my pass rush a little more and just getting used to playing defensive tackle because I haven’t played much of it.”

 
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