Defensive End/Nose Guard Matt Dickerson Verbally Commits to Notre Dame!

Coach Brian Kelly received his 17th verbal commitment for the 2014 class today from Matt Dickerson (San Mateo, CA - Junipero Serra). He is listed at 6'5"/275 lbs and 4.90 40 yard time.

Dickerson committed on his visit this weekend with his family. He earned an offer from the Irish at the end of May and was earning a lot of attention nationally over the summer. The fast rising senior holds 16 offers and chose Notre Dame over UCLA, USC, Oregon, Cal and Washington.

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Recruiting Service Rankings:

ESPN - 4 star (#27 DT, #29 CA), 81 Grade

Rivals - 3 star (#17 SDE, #31 CA), 5.7 Grade

Scout - 3 star (#38 DE)

247Sports - 3 star (#66 DT, #101 CA), 84 Grade

247Sports Composite Score - 3 star (0.8612), #592 Overall (#39 DT, #51 CA)

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Highlights:

Matt Dickerson Interview (via West FSNext Scout)

hudl highlights can be viewed here.

Impact:

Immediate Future:

Dickerson's contributions as a freshman largely will be determined by where the staff sees him long term. He is already at 275 lbs as a senior in high school, with reports stating that he could easily add weight to get over 300 lbs. I think it is likely that he redshirts as a freshman to put on and redistribute weight so that he can play inside over the long term, but if the staff needs players at DE, he could fit the bill in 2014.

Long Term/Career:

Dickerson is a prototypical defensive line recruit for Brian Kelly and his staff-he has versatility to play multiple positions over his career. He will likely start as a DE in Bob Diaco's defense and could ultimately grow into NG. His highlights show that he has a great motor and is relentless in pursuing the quarterback or ball carrier. He does a nice job of taking on blockers and shedding them-a skill that he will need to continue to refine to be an effective defensive lineman in a 3 man front.

Dickerson is another great addition to what is turning into an excellent haul for the Irish defensive front seven.

Welcome to Notre Dame Matt!