Notre Dame Football: 3-Star Safety Evan Fields Chooses Arizona State Over Irish

Midwest City High School’s Evan Fields today spurned a late offer from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and committed to the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Fields, a 6-foot-2, 191-pound safety from Oklahoma City took an official visit Jan. 20 to check out the university’s facilities, coaches and players. While the trip was mostly positive, Fields reportedly didn’t gel well with the current student-athletes.

The Irish offered Fields Dec. 8 and then sustained two decommitments earlier this month: Paulson Adebo and Elijah Hicks. Both defensive backs were rated four stars. Four-star Isaiah Robertson was the recruiting class’ sole safety, until the Irish recently flipped 3-star Jordan Genmark Heath. Heath, who was previously committed to Cal, is seen as a “rover” (linebacker/safety hybrid) in defensive coordinator Mike Elko’s scheme.

The Irish have one final target to buttress their defensive backfield: Four-star Russ Yeast, a Louisville Cardinals commit, was offered Jan. 18. The Irish once thought they had three cornerbacks in this class - Adebo, Hicks and Thomas Graham. Now it’s all down to Yeast, an in-state talent from Center Grove High School.

Fields had a final six that included the Irish, the Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, TCU Horned Frogs, Kansas State Wildcats and UCLA Bruins.