clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Notre Dame Football Recruiting: 4-Star OL Sam Pendleton commits to the Irish

It seems that ND made a big impression on the big fella

By Joshua Vowles

On Monday, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish added another piece to its #1 ranked recruiting class. 4-Star offensive lineman Sam Pendleton gave his public commitment to Notre Dame and Harry Hiestand in a ceremony at his high school that was seen on CBS HQ.

The 6’4” 295 pounder from Pfafftown, North Carolina, chose the Irish over a nice offer list that included the Michigan Wolverines, Clemson Tigers, Florida Gators, and others. Pendleton is a consensus top 30 offensive lineman from the recruiting services.

Sam is Notre Dame’s 10th commitment for the 2023 class, with 8 of the commits hailing from different states around the country. According to the 247 Composite, all of Notre Dame’s commitments are ranked as a 4-Star or higher — which if you do the math correctly means that the Blue-Chip Ratio is at 100%.

2023 Notre Dame Commit List (23)

SIGNED POSITION PLAYER STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE On3 On3 Consensus COMMIT DATE
SIGNED POSITION PLAYER STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE On3 On3 Consensus COMMIT DATE
☘️ DE Brenan Vernon OH 6'5" 245 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/29/21
☘️ S Adon Shuler NJ 6'0" 190 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/15/21
☘️ TE Cooper Flanagan CA 6'5" 225 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 09/02/21
☘️ LB Drayk Bowen IN 6'2" 215 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/03/21
☘️ LB Preston Zinter MA 6'2" 220 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 01/11/22
☘️ WR Braylon James TX 6'3" 185 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 04/19/22
☘️ OL Sam Pendleton NC 6'4" 295 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 04/25/22
☘️ DL Boubacar Traore MA 6'5" 240 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 04/27/22
☘️ DL Devan Houstan MD 6'5" 270 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 05/07/22
☘️ OL Sullivan Absher NC 6'7" 290 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 05/13/22
☘️ OL Joe Otting KA 6'4" 275 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/07/22
☘️ OL Charles Jagusah IL 6'6" 308 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/30/22
☘️ CB Micah Bell TX 5'11" 170 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/01/22
☘️ WR Rico Flores CA 6'1" 190 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/03/22
☘️ CB Christian Gray MO 6'0" 170 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/04/22
☘️ WR Jaden Greathouse TX 6'2" 215 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/15/22
☘️ LB Jaiden Ausberry LA 6'1" 210 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/04/22
☘️ S Ben Minich OH 5'11" 190 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/05/22
☘️ DE Armel Mukam VA 6'4" 250 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 08/24/22
☘️ RB Jeremiyah Love MO 6'0" 190 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/26/22
☘️ QB Kenny Minchey TN 6'3" 215 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/22/22
☘️ OL Chris Terek IL 6'6" 295 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/27/22
☘️ WR Kaleb Smith TX 6'1" 180 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 12/01/22

Notre Dame has really stacked up the talent along the offensive line over the last two cycles. All of the talent could be intimidating to some recruits, but Pendleton stepped up in a big way as this class’s first pledge along the OL. I still think the Irish take at least 3 linemen, but in my opinion, I think they will likely sign 4 on signing day.

2023 Notre Dame Football Scholarship Chart

Position / Year Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior 5th/6th Year
Position / Year Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior 5th/6th Year
Quarterback Kenny Minchey Steve Angeli - - Sam Hartman
Running Back Jeremiyah Love Jadarian Price, Gi'Bran Payne Audric Estime - Devyn Ford
Tight End Cooper Flanagan Eli Raridon, Holden Staes Mitchell Evans, Davis Sherwood Kevin Bauman -
Wide Receiver Braylon James, Rico Flores, Jaden Greathouse, Kaleb Smith Tobias Merriweather Deion Colzie, Jayden Thomas Chris Tyree Matt Salerno
Center - Ashton Craig Pat Coogan - Zeke Correll
Guard Sam Pendleton, Joe Otting, Chris Terek Billy Schrauth Rocco Spindler - Andrew Kristofic
Tackle Sullivan Absher, Charles Jagusah Ty Chan, Aamil Wagner Blake Fisher, Joe Alt Michael Carmody, Tosh Baker -
Defensive Tackle Boubacar Traore, Devan Houstan Tyson Ford, Donovan Hinish Gabe Rubio Aidan Keanaaina, Rylie Mills Howard Cross
Defensive End Brenan Vernon, Armel Mukam Joshua Burnham, Aiden Gobaira, Junior Tuihalamaka Jason Onye Jordan Botelho NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Javontae Jean-Baptiste
Linebacker Drayk Bowen, Preston Zinter, Jaiden Ausberry Nolan Ziegler, Jaylen Sneed - - Jack Kiser, Marist Liufau, JD Bertrand
Safety Adon Shuler, Ben Minich - - Xavier Watts, Ramon Henderson D.J. Brown, Thomas Harper, Antonio Carter
Cornerback Micah Bell, Christian Gray Jayden Mickey, Benjamin Morrison Ryan Barnes, Chance Tucker Clarence Lewis Cam Hart
Specialists - Bryce McFerson (P) - - Michael Vinson (LS), Spencer Shrader (K)
Totals 23/85 (23) 43/85 (20) 56/85 (13) 66/85 (10) 83/85 (17)
5th year eligibility moving forward is not represented on this chart due to COVID year. May be subject to change.

Pendleton was trending elsewhere before his visit to Notre Dame for the Blue-Gold Game, and the weekend seemed to really deliver for the big man from Carolina. He’s a guy Harry wants, which means he is a guy that we really need.

FIST PUMPS UP FOR SAM!

Next Up In Notre Dame Football Recruiting