In one of the worst kept recruiting secrets out there, outside linebacker Danny Mattingly has opened up his recruitment, talking openly about the decision for the first time. Notre Dame’s recruiting class is now officially at 21, giving the team some breathing room as it continues to chase some high profile targets still left on their recruiting board.
Mattingly spoke with Rivals.com about his decision to open things back up, a recruitment that’ll now include official visits to Miami, Oregon, UCLA, Washington and Arizona State.
“I don’t have any favorites or anything like that,” Mattingly told Rivals. “Those are the schools I’m looking at and I’m going to finish my trips, review everything and see what I think.”
Mattingly has always been an intriguing athlete, and at 6-foot-5, 225-pounds, he’s got the size to grow into a prototype edge player, or find himself at tight end. Yet after an early commitment to Notre Dame, the Spokane native seemed uncomfortable staying committed to the Irish without taking other official visits.
With Notre Dame in a unique position to be incredibly selective in their current recruiting class, the decision to take visits likely turned that commitment into a situation where both parties started looking around. While Mattingly only addressed the issue recently, it was believed by many that Notre Dame had already moved on, with Jason Sapp of BlueandGold.com noting that the Irish coaching staff hadn’t scheduled any visits with Mattingly during the recent contact period.
Notre Dame feels like it is in very good shape with Al-Quaddin Muhammad, another edge player that could add to a linebacking group that looks tremendous. It also allows the staff to continue to chase elite defenders like Max Redfield and Eddie Vanderdoes.
Mattingly says he’s still considering Notre Dame, but the interest right now doesn’t appear to be mutual.