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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish got their second big defensive commitment in three days, when 3-Star defensive end Jason Onye gave his public pledge to Brian Kelly and Mike Elston.
100% Commited, Love Thee ☘️☘️ #GoldRush21 pic.twitter.com/9vNGBAB1tm
— Jason Onye (@jason_onye) May 7, 2020
In a statement, Onye said:
I would like to first off thank God for putting me in this unbelievable position and giving me the ability to play the sport I love. Also, I would like to thank my parents for raising and supporting me to be the man I am today. Finally, I would also like to thank the whole Bishop Hendricken community, and coaching staff that has not only developed and shaped me as a football player but also as a man. With that being said, ,y recruitment is closed! I will be committing to the University of Notre Dame! #GoIrish #GoldRush21
Onye, the #1 player in the state of Rhode Island, chose the Irish over a long list of schools including the Ole Miss Rebels, Tennessee Volunteers, Penn State Nittany Lions, Michigan Wolverines, and more.
Jason is the 10th commitment in the 2021 class for the Irish and the second defensive end. He pairs up very nicely with the other DE, David Abiara.
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 | - |
”Onye is a man among boys playing in Rhode Island. I like his size and length and he uses it to overwhelm opponents. He has the starting points to be a good defense of end. He must improve his upper body strength and work on becoming more flexible in the lower body so he can win leverage battles and be stronger at the point of attack. He shows inability to chase place down on the backside and improving his flexibility will create more burst at the snap and enable him to change directions more fluidly.”
The 2021 Notre Dame recruiting class is slowly — but surely — coming together. Nine of the ten commits are from different states, and the Irish are currently ranked #8 by the 247 Composite Team Rankings. Only the Clemson Tigers have as few commitments and are ranked in the top 8.
The Irish still have a lot of work to do at defensive back, running back, linebacker, and at wide receiver — but they DO have their elite 5-Star quarterback in Tyler Buchner. If Notre Dame is allowed to have its schedule official visits in June like planned, the Irish should rack up a handful of commitments before the season.
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) |
This is a big commitment for Notre Dame, and for those that are worried about “only 3-stars” I suppose there’s not much else I can do for you. Onye is a talent that Mike Elston and Notre Dame want very badly, and given the track record there over the past 5 years, I’m really good with that.