The Irish had their hat on the table for Illinois wide receiver Malik Elzy at the All-American Bowl but it really didn’t seem like Notre Dame was a contender. Having know Elzy since his freshman year, I knew he was going to be a big-time threat.

At one point, Elzy was committed to Cincinatti, but when Luke Fickell left to take the Wisconsin job, the six-foot-two-inch and 205-pound receiver opened things up again. During the All-American game, Elzy made his decision, selecting Illinois and staying close to home.

This really doesn’t hurt the Irish, as they signed Braylon James, Jaden Greathouse, Rico Flores, and Kaleb Smith. Brandyn Hillman could end up playing the position as well.

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Story originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire