Five star DE returns from Notre Dame

Five star strong side defensive end Phillip Mbakogu (6-3, 260, 4.8) from Hayward, Calif., is certainly living up to his reputation as one of the best players the west as to offer. Mbakogu has close to thirty offers and he just returned from his first visit to Notre Dame. Needless to say the South Bend campus impressed Mbakogu.

“It was great out in South Bend,” Mbakogu said. “The fans were going crazy.”

“Notre dame is a great school,” Mbakogu said. "The campus is beautiful and it is small so you can get to your classes very easily.”

Mbakogu has three other visits set to Kansas State, Oklahoma, and LSU. He will travel to Manhattan, Kansas to visit K State on December 5th. For his next trip Mbakogu will travel to Big 12 conference foe Oklahoma on December 12th. His last set visit will be to LSU on December 19.

Mbakogu’s last official visit could likely come out of Oregon, Washington State or Cal.

“I’m really open for my last visit,” Mbakogu said. “I want to see how things go for the rest of season.”

Mbakogu has been selected to play in the Cal/Florida all-star game that will be played in January at Moorpark City College. He has also been contacted by the US Army All-America game that is played in San Antonio inquiring if he would be available.

Mbakogu has been double and tripled teamed all season long and still he has been able to account for approximately 30 tackles and rack up six sacks.

Rivals.com also ranks Mbakogu as the country’s number one strong side defensive end prospect. He is also a member of Rival.com’s California top 100 and ranked as the fourth best prospect in the Golden State and he is named as the fourth best prospect on the Rival.com Super West 60 team.

Mbakogu and his Hayward teammates are currently 5-1 with their only blemish on their record coming at the hands of Napa 21-20. Hayward went for two because there was no overtime rule for this game and Hayward head coach Casey Marino went for the win rather than go for the tie. Our hats off to Coach Marino for wanting the win instead of settling for a tie.