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Notre Dame’s 2017 recruiting class got a little lighter this week when 4-star defensive end Robert Beal decided to withdraw his commitment from the Fighting Irish.

The Norcross, Ga. prospect originally pledged to Notre Dame on Nov. 1, 2015, but he had a change of heart on Thursday. As Scout points out, Beal’s grandmother lives in South Bend, Ind. which was a deciding factor in his original commitment.

Beal, ranked as the No. 9 defensive end and No. 122 overall prospect, is a high priority for several teams, particulary in the south.

He’ll get an up-close look at Florida State this upcoming Saturday during the Seminoles’ Junior Day.

Other teams believed to be strongly in the mix are Alabama, Clemson and the home-state Georgia Bulldogs.

Kirby Smart would like nothing more than to lock down the Georgia borders early on in his tenure as the Bulldogs head coach. Norcross is an hour drive directly to the west from Athens.

The glass-half-full news for Brian Kelly and the Irish is there’s more than enough time to re-convince Beal that Notre Dame is the right fit for him. But it will be an uphill battle with the likes of Smart, Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher whispering in his ears.

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