Irish Sports Daily

Of the nine recruits already to have verballed to enroll in the class-of-2011, Matt Hegarty (Aztec, N.M./Aztec) is the top rated player in the class, ranking 24^th overall and fourth at his position, offensive tackle. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Hegarty pulled the trigger late in April, becoming one of Notre Dame’s most valuable recruits in the class-of-2011.

Hegarty also earned four stars with the ranking and an 83 Scouts Grade.

Ben Koyack (Oil City, Pa./Oil City) is the next Irish commit making an appearance on the list, earning a spot as the fourth-best tight end in the nation and the 79^th player overall. Koyack is classified as a four-star player, and the junior offered his verbal April 27^th, one day prior to Hegarty’s commitment. The 6-foot-5, 228-pound tight end is also listed with an 81 Scouts Grade.

Finally, Jordan Prestwood (Plant City, Fla./Plant City) rounds out the members of current Notre Dame commitments making an appearance in the ESPN 150 at 129th overall. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound offensive tackle becomes the 10^th-best at his position Wednesday with the release of the initial ESPN 150 rankings.

Prestwood also earned a four-star label, and an 80 overall Scouts Grade.

In addition to the three verbals earning ESPN 150 berths, a number of Irish targets are also well represented in the list.

Ray Drew (Thomasville, Ga./Thomas County Central) has been one of Notre Dame’s recruiting priorities since receiving an offer in the first week of February.

The 6-foot-5, 253-pound defensive end earned an 87 Scouts Grade, five-star ranking and a spot as the third overall player in the nation.

With the ranking, Drew becomes the second-best defensive end, being placed just below Jadeveon Clowney (Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe), the top player in the ESPN 150.

Also in the top 10 is Cyrus Kouandjio (Hyattsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic), an offensive linemen sought out by Notre Dame.

Kouandjio stands in at a massive 6-foot-7, 320 pounds and is the second-best offensive tackle prospect, ranking sixth overall in the ESPN 150 with a five-star billing and an 86 Scouts Grade.

The Irish have a number of targets coming in the 30s in the ESPN 150. Most notably, running back Savon Huggins (Jersey City, N.J./Saint Peter’s) earns a 31^st-overall ranking, Cyrus Hobbi (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) comes in at 33^rd, Antonio Richardson (Nashville, Tenn./Ensworth) becomes the 34^th-best player and Trey DePriest (Springfield, Ohio/Springfield South) is listed as the 35^th-best prospect in the nation.

All four earn four-star rankings and an 82 Scouts Grade.

Another offensive lineman target makes an appearance in Brey Cook (Springdale, Ark./Har-Ber), as the 6-foot-6, 295-pound tackles comes in at 40^th overall in the nation.

One of Notre Dame’s most important targets, Aaron Lynch (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast) becomes the 49^th-best rated player and the seventh ranked defensive end.

Wide receiver DeAnthony Arnett (Saginaw, Mich./Saginaw) has long listed Notre Dame among his favorites and earns a 53^rd-overall billing with Wednesday’s release of the ESPN 150. The 6-foot, 170-pound Arnett becomes the seventh-best wideout in the country with an 81 Scouts Grade.

Another Irish wideout target, Kasen Williams (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline) earns a spot as the 62^nd-best player in the nation.

Wayne Lyons (Oakland Park, Fla./Dillard), a safety target, comes in at 69^th-overall. The hard-hitting defensive back also becomes the seventh-ranked player at his position.

Offensive tackle/defensive end Giorgio Newberry (Fort Pierce, Fla./Fort Pierce Central) also makes an appearance in the ESPN 150, coming in at 75^th overall.

Rounding out the Irish targets in the top 100 are 81^st-ranked Anthony Chickillo (Tampa, Fla./Alonso), 90^th-ranked DaVaris Daniels (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills) and 99^th-overall Anthony Rabasa (Miami, Fla./Cristopher Columbus).

Daniels’ teammate and fellow wide receiver, Evan Spencer (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills), trails Daniels by several spots, coming in at 104^th-overall in the nation.

Rounding out the list of top Irish targets in the ESPN 150 are 104^th-ranked, quarterback Bubba Starling (Gardner, Kan./Gardner Edgerton), 111^th-ranked, cornerback Brandon Phelps (Damascus, Md./Damascus), 121^st-ranked, running back Jameel Poteat (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) and 132^nd-ranked, defensive end Stephon Tuitt (Monroe, Ga./Monroe Area).

In addition, there are a number of Notre Dame targets that did not make the ESPN 150, but earned four-star rankings with Wednesday’s release of the list.

These include Rob Hankins (Dallas, Texas/Parish Episcopal), Patrick Martin (Greensville, S.C./J.L. Mann), Nick Vannett (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville Central), Blake Countess (Baltimore, Md./Good Counsel) and Hakeem Flowers (Greensville, S.C./Wade Hampton), each of whom received an 80 Scouts Grade.

Additionally, players receiving a four-star ranking and a 79 Scouts Grade include Clay Burton (Venice, Fla./Venice), Christion Jones (Adamsville, Ala./Minor), Marquise Williams (Charlotte, N.C./Mallard Creek), Ray Hamilton (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville), Justice Hayes (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) and Christian French (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/John F. Kennedy).

For a complete listing of the ESPN 150, click here.