Notre Dame was the place for him.
At a press conference on Friday morning at Inglewood High, Shaquelle Evans announced that he verbally committed to Notre Dame, choosing the Irish over USC, UCLA, California, Colorado and several other programs.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Evans visited Notre Dame for the first time the weekend of Sept. 27th, and watched the Irish beat Purdue, 38-21.
“I’m about a month removed from the trip and I still feel that way,” Evans told Irish Eyes on Thursday night. “I felt good about it when I first left there, and I still feel good about it now. It’s a good place I can accomplish my goals, and I feel it’s the best place for me.”
Evans becomes the 17th member of Notre Dame’s recruiting class, and the second receiver, joining Nyshier Oliver. He told Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis he was in the fold on Thursday.
“He just said he was excited and that he was happy for me,” Evans said. “He said he can see great things at the school for me both academically and athletically. He said everyone was excited too.”
Just before he visited Notre Dame, Evans became a soft verbal commit to USC. It was a decision his mother wasn’t too happy about at the time. She thought her son rushed his decision and didn’t investigate all his options.
Kalisha Wright has a different perspective this time around.
“My mom, she’s happy for me,” Evans stated. “She thinks I made a good decision. I’m glad that she is happy, I’m happy, everyone is happy.”
Now she just has to see South Bend for the first time.
“Most likely, she is going to come out there the first game of the season next year. She says she is going to come out there then.”
Evans also got his official invitation to play in the U.S. Army All-American game on Friday morning. He will be joined at the Jan. 3rd game in San Antonio, by fellow Irish verbal commits, Zeke Motta, Tyler Stockton, Cierre Wood and Chris Watt.
Though he said it wasn’t much of a burden, Evans is happy to be done with the recruiting process.
“It’s great timing,” Evans said. “I just happened to fall into a place like this. It’s lucky and cool, and something I’m happy about. The timing is perfect.
“What made Notre Dame special to me was the fans. The fans were passionate and the students are supportive, they stand up the whole game carrying their team. Everybody was into the game. It was crazy to see that. A great college town. That helps out a lot when you have fans like that behind you.”