It was a busy, and impressive recruiting weekend for Notre Dame centered around their 48-20 victory over USC. One player who came away impressed was 2025 Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central pass rusher Damien Shanklin, who experienced his first game day in South Bend.
The game, which ended with Shanklin storming the field, was a big moment. It really got the in-state standout pumped up, capping off a big visit.
"It was a great trip,” Shanklin told Irish Breakdown. "It really exceeded every expectation I had. The game was absolutely amazing. The atmosphere was most definitely dope. It was loud and electric.”
Shanklin also had the chance to meet with the coaches, who really left an impression on him. There’s no question that he is wanted in South Bend.
"It was great to see the coaches,” Shanklin said. "They are great coaches and very welcoming. I talked to most of the coaches on the staff and they told me that they see me going there and helping the team out.”
For a defensive lineman, seeing Notre Dame’s defensive performance was substantial. The Irish defensive line put together a dominant performance, which Shanklin loved to see.
"Oh yeah, that group is a bunch of dogs,” he said. "They were balling and dominating the line of scrimmage.”
While Shanklin does not appear to be ready to make a decision, it’s hard not to feel great following this visit. They showed Shanklin the entirety of what the program can bring to the table.
Shanklin is beginning to collect several impressive offers over the last few months. Some of the top programs who have extended offers thus far include the Fighting Irish, USC, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Cincinnati, Minnesota, Purdue, West Virginia, Kansas, Indiana and Rutgers among others. Warren Central is the same school as former Irish star Sheldon Day.
As a sophomore, Shanklin assumed a substantial role for Warren Central. The in-state standout collected 32 total tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks.
Now a junior, Shanklin has taken his game to a higher level. In eight games so far, the talented defender has recorded 47 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss and three sacks. Shanklin has also broken up four passes.
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