clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Notre Dame Football Recruiting: Indiana center Ashton Craig commits to the Irish

Brian Kelly wants a guy that can snap it

By Joshua Vowles
Ashton Craig
Twitter @lhstigercoach

Notre Dame added a top in-state offensive lineman on Saturday when Lawrenceburg 3-Star Ashton Craig gave his commitment to the Fighting Irish.

Craig is ranked across the recruiting service industry as an offensive tackle, but Notre Dame wants him to come in and play center. The 6’5” 285 pounder chose the Irish over a nice basket of offers that include the Michigan Wolverines, Florida State Seminoles, Northwestern Wildcats, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and others.

According to his high school coach, Ryan Knigga, the Irish have a very athletic lineman on board with something to prove.

“The best thing he provides overall is his athleticism. For his size and the way that he can move and bend, he’s one of the more athletic lineman [in the country]. He brings tenacity and is an attention-to-detail kid as far as game plan and studying film goes.

“He’s going to bring an edge, a chip on his shoulder, play to the whistle and has a might motor.”

Craig is the 16th commitment for Notre Dame’s 2022 recruiting class. Craig is the third offensive lineman in this class, and the second from the state of Indiana. As of publishing, Notre Dame’s class is ranked #2 according to both Rivals and 247 Composite Team rankings.

Notre Dame Football’s 2022 Commit List (22)

SIGNED POSITION PLAYER STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE On3 On3Consensus COMMIT DATE ENROLLED
SIGNED POSITION PLAYER STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE On3 On3Consensus COMMIT DATE ENROLLED
☘️ 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 ✅
☘️ 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 ✅
☘️ 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 -
☘️ OL Aamil Wagner Ohio 6'6" 265 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/11/21 -
☘️ P Bryce McFerson North Carolina 6'1" 175 6⭐️ SAILER 6⭐️ SAILER 6⭐️ SAILER 6⭐️ SAILER 6⭐️ SAILER 6⭐️ SAILER 11/21/21 -
☘️ OL Billy Schrauth Wisconsin 6'5" 300 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/9/21 ✅
☘️ RB Gi'Bran Payne Ohio 5'10" 190 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 04/15/22 -

There are a lot of crystal ball predictions and rumored “silent commitments” still out there for Notre Dame. June has been a very busy month for the Irish with official visits back on the schedule after almost a year and a half went by that saw the NCAA forbid them. So, how many more can the Irish add to this class? I think that number is still very fluid — but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Irish signed 25 or more in this class despite more conservative numbers being tossed around elsewhere.

2022 Notre Dame Football Scholarship Chart

Position / Year Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior 5th/6th Year
Position / Year Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior 5th/6th Year
Quarterback Steve Angeli Tyler Buchner, Ron Powlus III Drew Pyne - -
Running Back Jadarian Price, Gi'Bran Payne Logan Diggs, Audric Estime Chris Tyree - -
Tight End Eli Raridon, Holden Staes Cane Berrong, Mitchell Evans Michael Mayer, Kevin Bauman - -
Wide Receiver Tobias Merriweather Lorenzo Styles, Deion Colzie, Jayden Thomas - - Braden Lenzy, Joe Wilkins, Avery Davis, Matt Salerno
Center Ashton Craig Pat Coogan - Zeke Correll Jarrett Patterson
Guard Billy Schrauth Rocco Spindler - Andrew Kristofic, Josh Lugg
Tackle Joey Tanona, Ty Chan, Aamil Wagner Blake Fisher, Joe Alt, Caleb Johnson Michael Carmody, Tosh Baker - -
Defensive Tackle Donovan Hinish, Tyson Ford Gabriel Rubio Aidan Keanaaina, Rylie Mills Howard Cross, Jacob Lacey Jayson Ademilola, Chris Smith
Defensive End 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 - Jack Kiser, Marist Liufau, JD Bertrand Bo Bauer
Safety Jayden Bellamy Justin Walters Xavier Watts, Ramon Henderson, Brandon Joesph - D.J. Brown, Houston Griffith
Cornerback Jayden Mickey, Benjamin Morrison Ryan Barnes, Chance Tucker, Philip Riley Clarence Lewis Cam Hart TaRiq Bracy
Specialists Bryce McFerson (P) Josh Bryan (K) Alex Peitsch (LS) - Michael Vinson (LS), Blake Grupe (K)
Totals 22/85 (22) 45/85 (23) 60/85 (15) 71/85 (11) 86/85 (15)

I’m thrilled by this commitment. I like it when a player is targeted as a center in high school, and is developed as such in college. Notre Dame was recruiting Wisconsin 4-Star Carson Hinzman at center, but it appears that they have moved on to the guy that they want.

FIST PUMPS UP FOR CRAIG!

Next Up In Notre Dame Football Recruiting