With 16 verbal commitments already, Notre Dame is already off to a great start with the Class of 2013, but on Monday, the Irish got on the board with the Class of 2014.
Virginia linebacker Greer Martini picked up an offer from the Irish at last week's camp and phoned Notre Dame assistant Scott Booker to inform him of his decision to commit to Notre Dame.
"I was up at camp and afterward they offered me a scholarship," the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder from Cary, N.C. (Woodberry Forest) said.
Martini had early offers from Maryland and North Carolina State, but committing to Notre Dame was really a no-brainer.
"I came home and kind of thought about it, but I had already made up my decision once I left campus," he said. "I just wanted to get it over with.
"How can you go wrong with Notre Dame?"
Martini was thrilled to have the chance to make the decision he did.
"I was just sitting there with my dad and it was just such a relief," he said of landing the Irish offer. "I was just so happy because I can get a great education at Notre Dame and just great football. We're just so excited as a family to have that opportunity.
Martini said Booker seemed excited when he called.
"I don't know," laughed Martini. "Hopefully he was pretty excited."
The Irish see Martini as an inside linebacker.
"Obviously, they think I can stop the run and hopefully I can stop the pass," he said. "I think that now that I committed and now that I'm in the program, they think that I’ll be able to help out and encourage guys to come and build class with me at Notre Dame."
Martini was teammates with 2012 Notre Dame safety signee C.J. Prosise at Woodberry Forest last season.
"C.J. just called me up and congratulated me and said that he was excited for me," said Martini.
Martini made a previous trip to South Bend during the winter. Prior to that visit, Woodberry Forest head coach Clint Alexander told ISD about Martini's potential.
“He is long and has not yet fully developed into his body,” said Alexander. “His father was an offensive lineman in college and was 6-foot-4 and 282 pounds as a player. He is very smart and can read and diagnose plays quickly which makes him even faster on the field. Greer can cover and fill against the run."
Alexander first noticed Martini as an eighth-grader, when he was Woodberry Forest's all-sports camp.
“I told my wife, ‘If this kid comes here, he’ll be the greatest linebacker I’ve ever had,’” Alexander remembered. “His ball skills are just ridiculous. He had six fumble recoveries, two for touchdowns. Some kids just have that it and he has that it. He’s an unbelievable leader, just special.”
