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Notre Dame Football Recruiting: 4-Star linebacker Joshua Burnham commits to the Irish

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Pulling another one down from the Mitten State

By Joshua Vowles
joshua Burnham notre dame football
Joshua Burnham
Record-Eagle

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish just landed a huge part of its 2022 recruiting class on Wednesday with the commitment of 4-Star linebacker Joshua Burnham. The 6’4” 215 pounder from Traverse City is one of the best linebackers in the country and is ranked as high as 85th overall according to 247 Sports.

This recruiting battle really just boiled down to the Irish and the Michigan Wolverines, but Burnham also held offers from the Alabama Crimson Tide, Ohio State Buckeyes, Wisconsin Badgers, Michigan State Spartans, and others.

His evaluation from 247’s Allen Trieu:

Very good, versatile football player and athlete at his size. Has not only played linebacker, but also tailback and quarterback and played those positions well. Also a good basketball player who shows bounce and athletic ability on the court. Runs well for a bigger guy, can get to the places on the field he needs to to make tackles and showed that as a runner on offense also. Smart, makes proper reads and fills as a backer and size and strength make him a sure tackler. Can still get generally more explosive as a hitter and athlete. At his size, the question is mostly about future projection. SAM is a good possibility, stand-up edge rusher is possible and if his body keeps growing, defensive end is in the picture. But he is a good enough athlete to project to linebacker unless nature just takes over and he gets too big. But whatever his base position is, he has shown he can drop into space and rush the passer, so he should be able to fill multiple roles in multiple defensive schemes.

This is the 11th commitment in the 2022 class for the Irish and the second linebacker. Burnham joins fellow Michigan linebacker Nolan Ziegler in this class. Currently, Notre dame has the #2 class in the country according to the 247 Composite Team Rankings — just above the LSU Tigers and far behind the Buckeyes.

Notre Dame Football’s 2022 Commit List (21)

POSITION PLAYER STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE COMMIT DATE
POSITION PLAYER STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE COMMIT DATE
OL Joey Tanona Indiana 6'5" 280 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/25/20
LB Nolan Ziegler Michigan 6'4" 205 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/22/20
OL Ty Chan Massachusetts 6'6" 275 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 12/2020
DE Tyson Ford Missouri 6'5" 250 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 01/18/21
DE Aiden Gobaira Virginia 6'6" 235 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 02/06/21
RB Jadarian Price Texas 5'11" 180 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 02/21/21
QB Steve Angeli New Jersey 6'3" 215 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 03/04/21
WR Amorion Walker Louisiana 6'3" 178 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 03/10/21
CB Jaden Mickey California 5'11" 175 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 03/14/21
LB Joshua Burnham Michigan 6'4" 215 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 03/17/21
TE Eli Raridon Iowa 6'6" 228 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 05/02/21
TE Holden Staes Georgia 6'5" 230 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 05/07/21
DT Donovan Hinish Pennsylvania 6'2" 275 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/04/21
LB Niuafe Tuihalamaka California 6'2" 235 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/19/21
OL Ashton Craig Indiana 6'5" 283 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/26/21
DB Jayden Bellamy New Jersey 5'11" 175 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/02/21
S Devin Moore Florida 6'3" 190 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/04/21
LB Jaylen Sneed South Carolina 6'2" 210 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/12/21
CB Benjamin Morrison Arizona 6'0" 170 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/15/21
WR Tobias Merriweather Washington 6'4" 185 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/04/21
WR C.J. Williams California 6'2" 193 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/08/21

The Irish appear to be doing an excellent job at filling out their roster for the 2022 season. As far as linebacker goes, Notre Dame may eventually sign up to 4 recruits in this class after signing just 2 in the last two classes — both of which were in the 2021 class with Prince Kollie and Kahanu Kia.

2022 Notre Dame Football Scholarship Chart

Position / Year Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior 5th Year
Position / Year Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior 5th Year
Quarterback Steve Angeli Tyler Buchner, Ron Powlus III Drew Pyne - -
Running Back Jadarian Price Logan Diggs, Audric Estime Chris Tyree Kyren Williams* C'Bo Flemister*
Tight End Eli Raridon, Holden Staes Cane Berrong, Mitchell Evans Michael Mayer, Kevin Bauman - George Takacs*
Wide Receiver Amorion Walker, Tobias Merriweather, C.J. Williams Lorenzo Styles, Deion Colzie, Jayden Thomas Xavier Watts - Braden Lenzy*, Kevin Austin*, Joe Wilkins*
Center Ashton Craig - - Zeke Correll* Jarrett Patterson*
Guard - Pat Coogan, Rocco Spindler - - John Dirksen*
Tackle Joey Tanona, Ty Chan Blake Fisher, Joe Alt, Caleb Johnson Michael Carmody, Tosh Baker Andrew Kristofic*, Quinn Carroll* -
Defensive Tackle Donovan Hinish Gabriel Rubio Aidan Keanaaina, Rylie Mills Howard Cross*, Jacob Lacey, -
Defensive End Tyson Ford, Aiden Gobaira Jason Onye, Will Schweitzer Alexander Ehrensberger, Jordan Botelho NaNa Osafo-Mensah*, Isaiah Foskey*, Osita Ekwonu* Justin Ademilola*
Linebacker Nolan Ziegler, Joshua Burnham, Junior Tuihalamaka, Jaylen Sneed Prince Kollie, Kahanu Kia - Jack Kiser*, Marist Liufau*, JD Bertrand* -
Safety Jayden Bellamy Justin Walters, Khari Gee - Litchfield Ajavon*, Kyle Hamilton D.J. Brown*
Cornerback Devin Moore, Jayden Mickey, Benjamin Morrison Ryan Barnes, Chance Tucker, Philip Riley, JoJo Johnson Clarence Lewis, Caleb Offord, Ramon Henderson K.J. Wallace*, Cam Hart* -
Specialists - Josh Bryan (K) Alex Peitsch (LS) Jay Bramblett -
Totals 21/85 (21) 47/85 (26) 62/85 (15) 79/85 (17) 88/85 (9)
* Eligible for 5th Year

We have yet to see how new defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman will eventually shape this defense, but he has already stated that it will be based on personnel first — before scheme. Burnham is the type of player where that really doesn’t matter. Right now he is versatile and with his size, the Irish could use him in multiple ways along the front seven.

This is a tremendous pickup for Notre Dame, and if we just want to be petty about it all, it’s always fantastic when you take one of the best players out of Michigan — for obvious reasons.

FIST PUMPS UP FOR BURNHAM!

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