Dec. 22, 2017
Signing Day Central | Press Conference Transcript
NOTRE DAME, Indiana — The University of Notre Dame football roster will increase by 21 student-athletes for the 2018 season.
The 21 new additions represent 13 states– three from New Jersey, three from Florida, two from California, two from Pennsylvania, two from Georgia, two from Illinois, one from Ohio, one from Oregon, one from Maryland, one from Tennessee, one from Indiana, one from Michigan and one from North Carolina.
As listed by position, Notre Dame adds six defensive backs, four linebackers, three defensive linemen, three wide receivers, two offensive lineman, two tight ends, one quarterback and one running back.
Seven of the 21 players–linebacker Bo Bauer, defensive back Houston Griffith, wide receiver Micah Jones, linebacker Jack Lamb, linebacker Ovie Oghoufo, running back Jahmir Smith and tight end George Takacs–will enroll at the University in January. They will participate in Notre Dame’s spring football practices. The other 14 players have signed national letters of intent and will arrive on campus by June for the start of summer school.
Among the 21 players who will be freshmen for the Irish this fall are:
- Class Rankings: No. 8 247Sports, No. 6 Rivals and No. 7 ESPN
- Five who were selected for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio: DL Jayson Ademilola, DB Derrik Allen, QB Phil Jurkovec, LB Shayne Simon and TE George Takacs
- Two who were selected for the Under Armour All-America Game in St. Petersburg, Florida: DB Houston Griffith, LB Jack Lamb
- Nine members of the 247Sports Top 247: Jayson Ademilola (51), Jurkovec (100), Lamb (118), Simon (129), Austin (132), Allen (134), Griffith (142), Lenzy (212), Takacs (247)
- Nine members of the Rivals.com 250: Griffith (35), Jurkovec (55), Allen (66), Lamb (77), Austin (81), Bauer (142), Simon (159), Jones (179), Jayson Ademilola (219)
- Eight members of the ESPN 300: Allen (78), Austin (83), Griffith (84), Jurkovec (120), Simon (173), Takacs (179), Lenzy (261), Lamb (273), Jayson Ademilola (284)
- Eleven members of the Prepstar Top 350 Dream Team: Allen (47), Griffith (48), Jurkovec (59), Bauer (117), Simon (127), Austin (151), Lenzy (176), Jones (243), Jayson Ademilola (267)
2018 Signing Class
Visit signingday.nd.edu for full bios
| Name | Position | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown/High School |
| Jayson Ademilola | DL | 6-3 | 288 | Jackson, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep |
| Justin Ademilola | DL | 6-2 | 246 | Jackson, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep |
| Derrik Allen | DB | 6-2 | 215 | Marietta, GA/Lassiter |
| Kevin Austin | WR | 6-2 | 197 | Ft. Lauderdale, FL/North Broward Prep |
| Bo Bauer | LB | 6-2 | 212 | Harborcreek, PA/Cathedral Prep |
| Tariq Bracy | DB | 5-11 | 170 | Milpitas, CA/Milpitas |
| John Dirksen | OL | 6-5 | 303 | Maria Stein, OH/Marion Local |
| Ja-Mion Franklin | DL | 6-1 | 296 | Ridgely, MD/North Caroline |
| Houston Griffith | DB | 6-0 | 194 | Chicago, IL/IMG Academy (FL) |
| Micah Jones | WR | 6-5 | 202 | Gurnee, IL/Warren |
| Phil Jurkovec | QB | 6-5 | 204 | Pittsburgh, PA/Pine-Richland |
| Jack Lamb | LB | 6-3 | 211 | Temecula, CA/Great Oak |
| Braden Lenzy | WR | 6-0 | 175 | Tigard, OR/Tigard Senior |
| Cole Mabry | OL | 6-5 | 275 | Brentwood, TN/Brentwood |
| Paul Moala | DB | 5-11 | 196 | Mishawaka, IN/Penn |
| Ovie Oghoufo | LB | 6-3 | 208 | Lathrup Village, MI/Harrison |
| Shayne Simon | LB | 6-3 | 212 | West Orange, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep |
| Jahmir Smith | RB | 5-10 | 198 | Sanford, NC/Lee County |
| George Takacs | TE | 6-6 | 244 | Naples, FL/Gulf Coast |
| Tommy Tremble | TE | 6-3 | 224 | Johns Creek, GA/Wesleyan |
| Joe Wilkins Jr. | DB | 6-2 | 180 | North Fort Myers, FL/North Fort Myers |