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Notre Dame Football Recruiting: 4-Star Wide Receiver Jayden Thomas commits to the Irish

And another one... this is fun

By Joshua Vowles
Jayden Thomas

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish remain red hot on the recruiting trail in Georgia after 2021 4-Star wide receiver Jayden Thomas gave his commitment to play in South Bend. The 6’1 205 pounder from Pace Academy chose the Irish over the Michigan Wolverines, Penn State Nittany Lions, Georgia Bulldogs, Arkansas Razorbacks — and many others.

247’s Brandon Huffman offers this evaluation:

Strong, physical receiver with deceptive speed, detailed in his routes and crisp in and of his breaks. Tracks the ball well, can get thrown off route, recover and find the ball. High points the ball and adjusts to throws, both over and under. Not a burner, but when in open field, shows surprising acceleration. Projects as multi-year Power 5 starter and third-day NFL draft selection.

Thomas is also an exceptional baseball player, and may eventually have the opportunity to play both sports at Notre Dame like Golden Tate, Cole Kmet, and Jeff Samardzija — all great pass-catchers for the Irish in the past.

Thomas is the 19th commitment for Notre Dame in the 2021 class, and the third player from the state of Georgia (joining Cane Berrong and Deion Colzie). This is exactly what the Irish had in mind several years ago when they shifted recruiting focus away from Florida and towards Texas and Georgia.

Notre Dame Football’s 2021 Commit List (27)

POSITION PLAYER SIGNED STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE COMMIT DATE EARLY ENROLLEE
POSITION PLAYER SIGNED STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE COMMIT DATE EARLY ENROLLEE
QB Tyler Buchner ☘️ California 6'2" 200 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 03/08/19 YES
DT Gabriel Rubio ☘️ Missouri 6'6" 290 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/15/19 YES
OT Blake Fisher ☘️ Indiana 6'6" 300 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/15/19 YES
TE Cane Berrong ☘️ Georgia 6'5" 220 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/21/19 YES
WR Lorenzo Styles ☘️ Ohio 6'1" 170 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/13/19 YES
S Justin Walters ☘️ Illinois 6'2" 175 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 02/02/20 YES
OL Pat Coogan ☘️ Illinois 6'5" 290 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 04/15/20 -
DE Jason Onye ☘️ Rhode Island 6'5" 245 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 05/07/20 -
CB Ryan Barnes ☘️ Maryland 6'2" 180 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/06/20 YES
OT Joe Alt ☘️ Minnesota 6'7" 257 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/06/20 -
CB Chance Tucker ☘️ California 6'1" 170 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/22/20 -
RB Logan Diggs ☘️ Louisiana 6’0" 195 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/29/20 -
TE Mitchell Evans ☘️ Ohio 6'7" 240 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/31/20 YES
LB Prince Kollie ☘️ Tennessee 6'2" 205 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/07/20 -
OG Rocco Spindler ☘️ Michigan 6'5" 315 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/08/20 YES
DE Will Schweitzer ☘️ California 6'4" 220 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/16/20 YES
WR Deion Colzie ☘️ Georgia 6'4" 195 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 09/28/20 -
WR Jayden Thomas ☘️ Georgia 6'1" 205 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/02/20 -
CB Philip Riley ☘️ Florida 6'0" 195 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/16/20 YES
K Josh Bryan ☘️ Colorado 6'1" 185 SAILER 6⭐️ SAILER 6⭐️ SAILER 6⭐️ SAILER 6⭐️ 11/17/20 -
LB Kahanu Kia ☘️ Hawaii 6'2" 220 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/19/20 -
OT Caleb Johnson ☘️ Florida 6'7" 295 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/19/20 YES
CB JoJo Johnson ☘️ Indiana 5'11" 180 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/24/20 -
DE Devin Aupiu ☘️ California 6’6” 225 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 12/09/20 YES
QB Ron Powlus III ☘️ Indiana 6'3" 225 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 12/16/20 YES
S Khari Gee ☘️ Georgia 6'3" 190 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 12/18/20 -
RB Audric Estime ☘️ New Jersey 6'2" 215 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 12/18/20 -

Thomas not only became the 3rd player from Georgia to join the class — he is now the third WR to give his pledge joining Peach State brother Deion Colzie and Ohio’s Lorenzo Styles. The Irish were in need of offensive playmakers in this class and have now really done well for themselves at WR — and might not be done with that position group in 2021.

2021 Notre Dame Football Scholarship Chart

Position / Year Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior 5th Year
Position / Year Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior 5th Year
Quarterback Tyler Buchner, Ron Powlus Drew Pyne Brendon Clark* - Jack Coan
Running Back Logan Diggs, Audric Estime Chris Tyree Kyren Williams* C'Bo Flemister* -
Tight End Cane Berrong, Mitchell Evans Michael Mayer, Kevin Bauman - George Takacs* -
Wide Receiver Lorenzo Styles, Deion Colzie, Jayden Thomas Xavier Watts - Kevin Austin*, Braden Lenzy*, Joe Wilkins*, Lawrence Keys III* Avery Davis
Center - - Zeke Correll* Jarrett Patterson* -
Guard Pat Coogan, Rocco Spindler - Hunter Spears* John Dirksen* Cain Madden
Tackle Blake Fisher, Joe Alt, Caleb Johnson Tosh Baker, Michael Carmody Andrew Kristofic*, Quinn Carroll* - Josh Lugg**
Defensive Tackle Gabriel Rubio Aidan Keanaaina, Rylie Mills Howard Cross*, Jacob Lacey Jayson Ademilola Kurt Hinish**, Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa**
Defensive End Jason Onye, Will Schweitzer Alexander Ehrensberger, Jordan Botelho NaNa Osafo-Mensah*, Isaiah Foskey* Justin Ademilola* -
Linebacker Prince Kollie, Kahanu Kia - Jack Kiser*, Osita Ekwonu*, Marist Liufau*, JD Bertrand* Bo Bauer, Shayne Simon, Paul Moala Drew White, Isaiah Pryor
Safety Justin Walters, Khari Gee - Litchfield Ajavon*, Kyle Hamilton, KJ Wallace* Houston Griffith, D.J. Brown* -
Cornerback Ryan Barnes, Chance Tucker, Philip Riley, JoJo Johnson Clarence Lewis, Caleb Offord, Ramon Henderson Cam Hart* TaRiq Bracy -
Specialists Josh Bryan (K) Alex Peitsch (LS) Jay Bramblett - Jonathan Doerer**
Totals 26/85 (26) 41/85 (15) 60/85 (19) 76/85 (16) 85/85 (9)
* Eligible for 5th Year ** Eligible for 6th Year

This is a fantastic addition for the Irish. Outside of the obvious need for playmakers at WR, snagging more and more of Georgia’s top talent should make Irish fans damn near giddy. There is a lot to love here, and a class that almost seemed to be left for dead by fans back in May, is gradually becoming a solid Top 10 group.

Eat a peach and FIST PUMPS UP for Jayden Thomas!

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