Irish recruiters have high hopes for defensive end
By TIM CASEY
Assistant Sports Editor
Will Irish fans remember Shaun Cody as another Carlyle Holiday or as C.J. Leak revisited?
For the third straight year, Notre Dame enters signing day awaiting a decision from one of its top recruiting targets. In 1999, quarterback Leak shocked the Irish. He committed to Wake Forest on signing day, just weeks after Bob Davie and his assistants assured the North Carolina native that they would not sign another signal caller. Last season, following weeks of predictions and scrutiny, Holiday chose Notre Dame over Nebraska on signing day.
Today, Cody, one of the nation's top defensive recruits, is expected to announce his intentions. He has apparently narrowed his choices to UCLA, USC, Washington, Miami and Notre Dame.
As a defensive end Cody recorded 33 sacks during his junior season at Hacienda Heights High School in California.
He added 22 sacks as a senior and was recently named USA TODAY's defensive player of the year.
Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, Notre Dame's "best recruiter," according to ESPN.com recruiting analyst Tom Lemming, has been assigned to pursue Cody.
"[Notre Dame] needs Shaun Cody," said Max Emfinger, a recruiting analyst for USATODAY.com and Rivals.com. "He's everything that's been written about him. In the All-Star games, he was dominant. He beat up everybody, all the offensive lineman in the country. You just can't block him. He's everywhere."
Before hailing Cody as the next Bruce Smith, understand that he has yet to play a college game. But if the Irish land Cody, Emfinger will elevate the Irish from his current "16, 17, or 18" to "12 or 13" in his national recruiting rankings.
Thus far, Notre Dame has received 20 verbal commitments. In addition to Cody, the Irish are in the hunt for North Carolina running back Alvin Pearman, who has narrowed his choices to Notre Dame, North Carolina, Virginia and Northwestern.
Lydell Ross, a running back from Florida, may also sign with the Irish. He verbally committed a few weeks ago but changed his mind after visiting Florida and Ohio State. Emfinger believes Ross will sign with Florida and that the Irish trail Ohio State, as well.
"On my Web site I've had Notre Dame people ask me questions all year if they're going to get Lydell Ross or some other big-name running back," Emfinger said. "But if you lose a Lydell Ross and pick up a Ryan Grant [a running back who verbally committed to Notre Dame], I don't see how there's that much of a difference between those two players. In fact, Ryan Grant's a little bit faster."
Grant's situation shows how difficult it is to trust recruiting analysts' predictions. While Emfinger believes Grant could be a great running back, Lemming says, "I think he'd be an All-American at safety."
Grant, a 6-foot-1 200 pounder from New York, ran for over 2000 yards as a senior.
Other top players who have verbally committed to the Irish include offensive lineman Mark LeVoir from Minnesota, linebacker Corey Mays from Chicago and wide receiver Carlos Campbell from Virginia.
The Irish have also received commitments from five offensive linemen and four defensive backs.
But Cody is the real story on signing day 2001. The 6-foot-5 240 pounder is ranked fifth among Lemming's top 100 recruits.
"[Cody's] the kind of players that Notre Dame has gotten in the years past," Emfinger said. "But they've slipped in the past few years. They haven't been able to get those dominating players like Shaun Cody."
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, February 7, 2001
