BREAKING: La Mirada (Calif.) high school cornerback Elijah Hicks has committed to Notre Dame.

Although the public announcement became official on Tuesday, things actually went down on Sunday during his trip to South Bend.

Irish247 mentioned last week in Tunnel Vision that it was a very good possibility the 6-0, 185-pounder from the class of 2017 left Notre Dame as a committed prospect for the Fighting Irish. That's exactly what occurred. Hicks chose Notre Dame over offers from Northwestern, Colorado, Washington, Cal, Michigan, Oregon, UCLA and many others.

"I've got some unexpected news," said Hicks to Irish247 in a text message on Sunday. He quickly got on the phone and stated that he committed to head coach Brian Kelly. "I went ahead and pulled the trigger. It's pretty exciting. It's my birthday too, so it's kind of cool I did this on this day."

This is big news for the Fighting Irish, as Hicks continues to look like one of the premier cornerbacks on the West Coast. Following a strong junior season, Hicks put in the work on the field to ensure a big senior season. He looks to have improved in all facets of his game, but most notably in his quickness, instincts, ability to break on the ball, and flip his hips in a smooth fashion. Irish247's Evan Sharpley will have a full film evaluation shortly.

“I chose Notre Dame because on my official visit I felt comfortable and it felt like home,” said Hicks. “One of my favorite quotes about Notre Dame is, ‘Other teams play college football, Notre Dame is college football.’ Coach Lyght, I feel like he could give me the tools that’s necessary to make it to the NFL and have a long career. Also, they have a rich tradition and great academic support.”

247Sports national director of scouting Barton Simmons shared some thoughts on Hicks, a player he believes will be an eventual leader for the Fighting Irish defense.

"There are other players nationally that have better measurables, better size, speed and athletic ability, but Hicks is one of the more instinctive, competitive defensive backs in this class," said Simmons. "I had a chance to watch him at the Nike camps last spring and he brings a ton of energy and presence to the field. I think he'll be a guy that's a leader defensively for Notre Dame and someone who will be able to add value both on offense and in the special teams phase. He's a football player in the truest sense and you can never have too many of those."





As a senior, Hicks has racked up 20 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions through seven games.