Under Armour All-American ATH Ronald Darby commits to Notre Dame
by Wade Perry
Posted April 20, 2011 11:11 pm
For anybody who follows college football recruiting, you had to have known that Potomac’s (Oxon Hill, Md.) Ronald Darby was going to be a hot commodity entering this spring.
The ultra-talented class of 2012 prospect has been on the radar of many college coaches for quite some time, thanks in large part to his blistering 4.37 40 yard dash time.
Darby, who is also a track star for Potomac High School saw his scholarship offer list skyrocket to 30 different schools this spring.
Alabama, Florida State, Florida, USC, and Notre Dame–were just a few teams jockeying for his services.
Darby decided to commit to head coach Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish last Saturday–when he was visiting South Bend for the Notre Dame spring game.
The early commitment from Darby came as a surprise to many people following his recruitment.
In pulling the trigger early, he sent a wave of excitement through the entire Notre Dame fan base and also broke the hearts of several college football coaches across the country.
Speed is a highly coveted commodity by Division I-A college football coaches and Darby is blessed with a jaw-dropping amount of it.
The native of Oxon Hill, Maryland has a silky smooth backpedal and the ability to blanket a receiver in the open field with ease.
Many college coaches were recruiting him as a cornerback and that’s exactly the position he’ll be playing at Notre Dame in the fall of 2012.
The talented cornerback joins class of 2012 cornerback Tee Shepard in South Bend–giving the Irish one of the best cornerback tandems in the country for the 2012 recruiting class.
Notre Dame currently has five commitments for the 2012 recruiting class thus far.
With the likes of ultra-talented defensive lineman Aaron Lynch already on campus for the Irish–it appears Notre Dame could truly be a force to be reckoned with in the college football landscape for years to come.
FinestPreps.com caught up with Darby to talk about his commitment to the Irish, among other topics.
Below is the interview.
FinestPreps.com Interview with Potomac ATH Ronald Darby
FinestPreps.com: “First off Ron talk about what made you decide to commit to Notre Dame early?”
Ronald Darby: “Because going through the recruiting process a lot of the schools told me a lot of good things about their program–how big the stadium is, how much they love me and things like that. Notre Dame was the only school that not only told me how much they wanted me to play for their team but told me how good my life could be after the football aspect. They told me how good the graduation rate is, how much they care about their players not only as athletes but as people. So that’s what really sold it to me.”
FinestPreps.com: One of the biggest things I’ve heard from recruits after they commit to a school, they always tell me it’s like a weight being lifted off of their shoulders. Is that how you feel right now Ron–like a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders?
Ronald Darby: “Yes. I had like 30 plus offers and all the coaches wanted me to take visits and do this and that. The whole problem is every coach tries to give me the same opportunity as another coach because I’m only one person. I couldn’t be in 30 plus places at once. I would but it’s just like a big weight lifted off my shoulders.”
FinestPreps.com: Talk about your experience at the Notre Dame spring game Ron.
Ronald Darby: “My experience there was great. I got to meet up with Tee Shepard, Nick (Baratti), (Scott) Daly, and Taylor (Decker)–and a couple of other people that had just committed. We all had fun. We all bonded real quick. They’re all cool people. Crowd wise I was signing autographs, taking pictures, like I already played for the team. Their fans are really die-hard. I enjoyed the spring game. It was a great event. I enjoyed all of the coaching staff. They were showing me good love. I also spoke with the track coach. I just had a real great time.”
FinestPreps.com: What kind of a reaction have you gotten from Notre Dame fans since you committed?
Ronald Darby: “Man a lot of love. I had about 400 friend requests going into the weekend and when I left I was up to like 700 friend requests from all Notre Dame fans–just messages from Notre Dame fans telling me how much they love that I committed. They were saying welcome to the family. They showed me a lot of love even before they knew I was committed. I was signing autographs and when they found out they just went crazy really. Word spread on campus real quick. Once I did it–in 10 minutes I believe the whole campus knew. (Laughs)”
FinestPreps.com: Talk about how much it means to you to be a selection for the Under Armour All-American game.
Ronald Darby: “It means a lot to me that I’m going to play in that game. That’s a real big thing and I’m real happy that I’m able to do that. That’s a great event. I can’t wait to get out there.”
FinestPreps.com: What about visits as far as the recruiting process is concerned Ron? Are you still going to take visits to other schools or are you shutting down shop?
Ronald Darby: “I’m not really sure I believe I’m shutting down. I’m not too sure but right now there’s nothing planned.”
FinestPreps.com: What do you think about Mark Ingram being on the cover of NCAA Football 12 Ron?
Ronald Darby: “I think he’s a real good college player. I was expecting somebody like Cam Newton but Mark Ingram is a real, real good player–a real special player. He probably deserved it really. He put in his work at Alabama.”
FinestPreps.com: Who do you want to get on the cover of Madden 12, Ron? I know it’s down to Peyton Hillis and Mike Vick.
Ronald Darby: “I’m gonna say Michael Vick.”
FinestPreps.com: Why Michael Vick?
Ronald Darby: “To me he’s a legend that’s still in the game. He’s a real special quarterback and it’s hard to find skills like his when it comes to how dynamic he is. He can run, pass, he’s a left-handed quarterback, can throw the ball like a bullet. He’s just a playmaker.”
As a junior, Darby piled up 1,329 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns for Potomac. He also had three interceptions and eight pass breakups as a defensive back.
Keep it locked to FinestPreps.com for more articles on Darby and other top high school football prospects in America!
Check out Ronald Darby’s highlight tape below–courtesy of FinestPreps.com!