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Fans of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish use the word, “HUGE” a lot when it comes to recruiting. I use it a lot — and why wouldn’t we? Recruiting is fun, and it’s exciting. There is so much hope for the program and for a better future, that we commonly get a little pumped, and let our emotions get the best of us.
With the commitment of NaNa Osafo-Mensah, it’s perfectly acceptable to say that this is a HUGE commitment — because it is. It’s not only extremely important for the future of the defense, but it’s importamt to how Notre Dame will recruit in the future.
Just a few months ago, there was quite a big deal made by myself, and others, about the new direction Notre Dame recruiting was heading in 2019 and beyond. A public de-emphasis of the recruiting of the state of Florida. There was to be more concentration on recruits in Georgia and Texas (as well as in the midwest).
As of right now, Notre Dame still only has 8 offers out to prospects from the state of Florida. It’s a ridiculously low number compared to the normal 25-30 offers it had been sending out in previous years. Compared to California (29), Georgia (23), and Texas (25) Florida has become quite insignificant to the Irish recruiting effort despite having been the king for so many years.
Notre Dame has 9 offers to prospects in Tennessee.
It’s not just the offers that are raising eyebrows anymore. The commitment of NaNa, is now the second 4 Star prospect from the state of Texas to commit to the Irish. It’s also a big win over the almighty Texas Longhorns. If the Irish want to make a success out of their new strategy, they absolutely have to win a few of these battles.
So in the grand scope of it all, the new Notre Dame recruiting strategy is working quite well. The Irish are in the top ten of the team rankings according to the 247 Composite, and the class is filling needs with dynamic players. Today’s commitment of NaNa Osafo-Mensah gives us all hope that the direction Notre Dame is heading with its recruiting philosophy is working — for now.
2019 Notre Dame Football Scholarship Chart
| Position/Year | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | 5th Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position/Year | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | 5th Year |
| Quarterback | Brendon Clark | Phil Jurkovec* | Ian Book* | ||
| Running Back | Kyren Williams | Jahmir Smith*, C'Bo Flemister* | Jafar Armstrong* | Tony Jones Jr.* | |
| Tight End | ⭐️ | George Takacs*, Tommy Tremble* | Cole Kmet, Brock Wright | ||
| Wide Receiver | Cam Hart, Kendall Abdur-Rahman | Micah Jones*, Kevin Austin, Braden Lenzy*, Lawrence Keys III*, Joe Wilkins Jr.* | Michael Young, Isaiah Robertson | Chase Claypool, Javon McKinley* | Chris Finke |
| Center | Zeke Correll | Jarrett Patterson* | Trevor Ruhland | ||
| Guard | John Olmstead | John Dirksen* | Dillan Gibbons*, Aaron Banks* | Tommy Kraemer* | |
| Tackle | Andrew Kristofic, Quinn Carroll | Cole Mabry* | Robert Hainsey, Josh Lugg* | Liam Eichenberg* | |
| Defensive Tackle | Jacob Lacey, Hunter Spears | Jayson Ademilola, Ja'mion Franklin* | Kurt Hinish, Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa* | ||
| Defensive End | Howard Cross, NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Isaiah Foskey | Justin Ademilola*, Ovie Oghoufo* | Kofi Wardlow* | Ade Ogundeji*, Daelin Hayes, Khalid Kareem, Julian Okwara, Jamir Jones | |
| Linebacker | Jack Kiser, Osi Ekwonu, Marist Luifau, JD Bertrand | Matt Bauer, Jack Lamb*, Shayne Simon, Paul Moala | Drew White*, Jordan Genmark Heath, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah* | Jonathan Jones* | Asmar Bilal |
| Safety | Litchfield Ajavon, Kyle Hamilton | D.J. Brown* | Jalen Elliott, Alohi Gilman* | ||
| Cornerback | K.J. Wallace, Isaiah Rutherford | Tariq Bracy, Houston Griffith | Avery Davis* | Troy Pride Jr., Donte Vaughn | Shaun Crawford** |
| Specialists | Jay Bramblett | John Doerer | John Shannon* | ||
| 22/85 (22) | 46/85 (24) | 63/85 (17) | 80/85 (17) | 84/85 (4) |