Notre Dame Continues To Push For Pennsylvania Athlete

Notre Dame is one of many programs making a push for 2021 safety/rover Donovan McMillon

Notre Dame elected to take no linebackers in the 2020 class after taking large classes in both 2018 and 2019. Thus far the staff has left many to wonder what the plan is with linebacker/rover in the 2021 cycle.

Notre Dame Defensive Coordinator Clark Lea has been very particular in his tenure when offering rover prospects, including Jeremiah Owusu-Karamoah, who is now a key part of Notre Dame’s defense.

With very few potential rover-type offers out, the Irish are keying in on Canonsburg (Pa.) Peters Township High School safety Donovan McMillon, who has early interest in the Irish.

“I see Notre Dame as a great school,” McMillon told Irish Breakdown.

McMillon has received a major pickup in his normal day due to him being one of the highest risers in the 2021 class, plus coaches reaching out to recruits more because of the dead period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There’s definitely been a huge change during our regular day,” explained the 6-2, 190-pound rover prospect. “I have about five to six calls or facetimes a day, but we all love the process and can’t wait to see how it goes.”

McMillon has been talking to the Irish coaching staff recently too, coming from multiple coaches on the staff.

“Coach [Brian] Kelly, Coach [Clark] Lea, and Coach [Nick] Lezynski,” said McMillon, who hails from a town nearby Pittsburgh.

As for where the Irish stand in McMillon’s recruitment, he is taking it one day at a time, and hasn’t put any school at the top.

“Time will tell which school stands out. For right now, they are all equal,” stated the now four-star safety.

To gain any advantage in McMillon’s recruitment, the Irish staff needs to get him on campus, which is something he is planning on doing, however he doesn’t know a timetable due to the dead period.

The Irish have time to continue to build a relationship with the hard hitting McMillon, who doesn’t see a commitment coming in the near future.

“It’s looking like after the season at this point,” McMillon stated.

McMillon has seen his recruitment pick up steam in recent weeks, and more and more coaches are reaching out and more offers are rolling in.

He is nearing 50 offers including schools such as Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Georgia, Penn State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Arizona State, Boston College, Duke, Iowa, Indiana, Georgia Tech, Northwestern, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan State, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Virginia, and others.

The process isn’t close to being done for McMillon, which fits the Irish’s timeline for linebackers, as very few linebackers have been offered so far in the 2021 class, and it seems the staff is okay with taking its time. The Irish can’t afford to miss a Notre Dame type of kid and talent, which describes McMillon, so getting him on campus as soon as the dead period is lifted is very important. 

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