Junior Day nets another recruit as Rashad Kinlaw commits

It’s a recruiting weekend that just won’t stop giving. With a tidal wave of momentum still rolling, Notre Dame accepted the commitment of New Jersey athlete Rashad Kinlaw to the 2013 recruiting class. Kinlaw had offers from Iowa, Rutgers, Boston College, and North Carolina State, thanks to some electric performances at quarterback before suffering an ankle injury that ended his junior season in mid-October.

Kinlaw spent the weekend in South Bend with his mom and grandmother and committed to defensive coordinator Bob Diaco this afternoon, per Blue & Gold’s Jason Sapp.

“I was talking to my mom about it and called Coach (Bob) Diaco a couple of minutes ago,” Kinlaw told Sapp Monday afternoon. “I told him I was ready to join the family. He asked if I was ready for sure and I told him I was. They all congratulated me and I’m going to call back at 5 p.m. to talk to Coach Kelly.”

While his offer list isn’t as impressive as some of the other athletes on board for the Irish, Kinlaw is an incredibly intriguing prospect thanks to some elite size and speed. The Irish offered Kinlaw a scholarship as a cornerback in early March, a position that’s mighty intriguing with Kinlaw’s size, which has been reported anywhere from six-foot to six-foot-two, both plenty big enough for the position and close to the prototype for Bob Diaco’s defenses.

Another interesting data point for Kinlaw comes courtesy of this write-up by NJVarsity.com, who list Kinlaw among the ten best prospects in the state of New Jersey. The trait that seems to impressive them the most? Kinlaw’s speed.

Although he has played quarterback for the past two seasons, his future at the college level will be elsewhere. Kinlaw has top level speed and may be the fastest junior prospects in the state. His acceleration is second to none and he has next level quickness that makes him one of the more electrifying juniors in the state. In addition to playing quarterback, Kinlaw has thrived in limited action as a defensive back but could also translate into an excellent receiver at the college level as he is very dynamic with the ball in his hands. As much as he is a consideration for the defensive backfield, his offensive prowess cannot be discounted.

Kinlaw spent the weekend with a fellow Garden Stater, cornerback Bennett Jackson, another blazing skill player that this coaching staff has placed at cornerback, laying the blueprint for what’ll likely happen with Kinlaw. With plenty of vacancy thanks to a few recruiting misses and Tee Shepard’s departure, the fit likely seemed perfect for all parties involved.

Kinlaw is the eight commitment to the class of 2013, and the fifth to come from this weekend’s junior day.
***