:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25211461/20131130_jla_ax5_372.0.jpg)
Coach Brian Kelly received his 22nd verbal commitment for the 2014 class today from Kolin Hill (Schertz, TX - Samuel Clemens). He is listed at 6'2"/220 lbs.
Hill visited over the weekend for the "Echoes" Awards Show/Banquet after earning a scholarship offer last month. He chose Notre Dame over offers from Oklahoma, Colorado and Boise State.
~~~
Recruiting Service Rankings:
ESPN - Not Rated
Rivals- 3 star, (#19 ILB, #36 TX), 5.7 Grade
Scout- Not Rated
247Sports - 3 star (#51 WDE, #134 TX), 85 Grade
247Sports Composite Score - 3 star (0.8639, #568 Overall (#27 OLB, #67 TX)
~~~
Highlights:
~~~
Impact:
Immediate Future:
Hill was a bit of a late bloomer on the national stage, earning a lot more attention thanks to his play this fall. He projects to the CAT linebacker spot for the Irish, so he probably won't be able to crack the two deep in 2014. This will give him the season to learn the responsibilities of the position, add some weight and continue on his development trajectory.
Long Term/Career:
Hill looks very similar on his highlight tape to Darius Fleming and Prince Shembo, both of whom previously played the CAT linebacker spot in Notre Dame's 3-4 scheme. He played mostly defensive end at the prep level, but showed plenty of ability to play in space as a linebacker. He uses his hands well to keep blockers away and shed them in space. He has a non-stop motor and pursues the ball carrier or quarterback until the whistle. He probably needs to work on some of the finer points of the position like setting the edge against the run.
Overall, Brian Kelly and his staff are getting a talented athlete who fits the scheme well and will have some good upperclassmen in front of him on the depth chart to learn from.
Welcome to Notre Dame Kolin!
