Safety Paul Mencke Jr. "Feels Good" About The Fit With Notre Dame
Notre Dame is set to host a flurry of talented recruits for official visits in June, and one of those prospects is Cibolo (Texas) Samuel Clemens standout safety Paul Mencke Jr. The 6-2, 180-pound defender will be in town the first weekend of June, and its second trip in two months.
With Mencke having already been to Notre Dame back in April, this trip is about getting a more thorough understanding of the school and fit. It’s a relationship that has been developing well heading into decision time but this visit will be big to really understand the potential fit.
"I’m looking forward to seeing the freshman dorms and the town outside the university,” Mencke said. "I’ve gotten a taste of everything that the program can bring to the table. This will give me an even deeper look.
"My relationship with the Notre Dame staff has developed best when I came there a few weeks ago,” he continued. "I like how straightforward the staff is about everything. It’s really refreshing.”
As for fit, Mencke can definitely see himself in South Bend. It is one person in particular that really sells that fit to him, and it's a player Mencke models his game after.
“I feel good about the fit, as you can see with Kyle Hamilton and other safeties they’ve developed they know how to create a mutant of a person,” he stated. “I think that I could be similar.”
The official visits are going to go a long way for Mencke to make his final decision. Notre Dame is certainly a top contender for the Texas defensive back.
"I’m going to commit when it feels right or a week after my last official visit,” Mencke said. "Notre Dame is in my top three right now as we speak.”
Mencke also has visits set up to Duke (6-16) and Stanford (6-23).
Safety has been a major question mark in the 2024 recruiting class. The Irish staff has a chance to find clarity during the June visits, including this early one with Mencke.
Mencke is considered a near consensus three-star recruit. The exception is On3, who has him pegged as a four-star recruit and ranks him as the No. 137 overall player and No. 11 safety in the 2024 recruiting class.
As a junior, Mencke was a playmaker for Samuel Clemens. He collected 67 total tackles and three interceptions for the squad despite missing one game.
Some of his notable scholarship offers thus far include the Fighting Irish, Washington, Stanford, Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, Washington State, Iowa State, Arizona State, Duke and Kansas among others.
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