Consensus four-star offensive tackle Quinn Carroll went on the local news Tuesday night in the city of his homestate University of Minnesota and promptly committed to … Notre Dame. Coming from the Minneapolis suburb of Edina, Carroll certainly felt some pressure to follow in his father’s footsteps and play for the Gophers, but that was not enough to sway him from paving his own path.
Making his own way was part of the Irish allure for Carroll, who also had a brother play at Virginia Tech, another of the finalists for the No. 6 tackle in the country and No. 33 overall prospect, per rivals.com.
Carroll said he looked forward to “creating a new experience for myself, my friends, my family.” He also considered Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin up until Tuesday night, elevating those six offers above recruitments from just about every notable program in the country.
“Notre Dame had held a special place in my heart for a while after I visited there in the fall,” he said on local NBC affiliate KARE 11’s nightly news. “I never was fully committed in my heart. After this last official visit, I stepped on campus and remembered what I was feeling months before and I knew that it was the place for me.”
Carroll was able to take an official visit for the Blue-Gold Game only because of an NCAA rule change allowing high school juniors to make official visits beginning in April, a new rule fresh this recruiting cycle and one that has certainly played a part in the rush of commitments following the spring scrimmage bringing the current total to nine.
An excellent run blocker, to say the least, Carroll is the third offensive lineman to commit in the class of 2019, joining consensus four-star John Olmstead (St. Joseph High School; Metuchen, N.J.) and consensus three-star Andrew Kristofic (Pine-Richland H.S.; Gibsonia, Pa.). Irish offensive line coach Jeff Quinn may pursue one more offensive lineman in the class, but it would be quite a surprise for the grouping to grow to five.
After 2018, Notre Dame will lose fifth-year center Sam Mustipher and fifth-year left guard Alex Bars, both out of eligibility, and possibly senior lineman Trevor Ruhland. He will have one more season of eligibility remaining, but it may be debated if the Irish coaching staff will extend Ruhland an invite for a fifth year. Otherwise, 10 linemen are currently on the roster.
Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing in at about 280 pounds, a prospect of Carroll’s caliber could conceivably challenge for playing time at guard with Bars’ departure or perhaps develop until a tackle opening arises in one or two seasons.
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