Coach Brian Kelly received his 19th verbal commitment for the 2014 class today from Drue Tranquill (Fort Wayne, IN - Carroll). He is listed at 6'2" and 210 lbs and runs a 4.50 40 yard dash.
He visited Notre Dame most recently for the USC game. He was previously committed to Purdue and also held offers from several Big Ten programs including Penn State, Indiana and Minnesota.
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Recruiting Service Rankings:
ESPN - 3 star (#39 OLB, #7 IN), 78 Grade
Rivals - 3 star (#34 S, #7 IN), 5.7 Grade
Scout - 4 star (#23 OLB), #269 Overall
247Sports - 4 star (#22 S, #4 IN), 90 Grade
247Sports Composite Score - 3 star (0.8851), #343 Overall (#27 S, #6 IN)
Highlights:
Drue Tranquill Football Highlights 2012
Drue Tranquill 2013 AWP Sports 7v7 Highlights
Impact:
Immediate Future:
Tranquill already has ideal size for the safety position, but walks into a fairly deep roster at that spot. He should likely make an appearance on special teams, specifically as a gunner on punt coverage teams.
Long Term/Career:
Tranquill is an interesting prospect at the next level-something that is shown by the split between the services rating him as a safety or outside linebacker. While he could add 25-30 lbs and grow into a linebacker, I think his best position is as a strong safety in college. His highlights (from his junior season) show he is a physical presence near the line of scrimmage, yet is athletic enough to cover the slot receiver or running back on passing plays.
Some recruiting experts indicated that the staff want him to focus on developing as a linebacker at the next level, comparing him to Brian Urlacher who had a similar career trajectory. Where he ends up for the Irish may depend heavily on depth and need on the defense. Overall, he is a great addition to the program and could play multiple spots in DC Bob Diaco's scheme.
Welcome to Notre Dame Drue!