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Notre Dame Football Recruiting: 4-Star athlete Brandyn Hillman commits to the Irish

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By Joshua Vowles
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brandyn hillman notre dame football
Brandyn Hillman
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While the transfer portal spins, recruiting never sleeps. On Wednesday, 4-Star athlete Brandyn Hillman gave his public commitment to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The 6’1” 190 pounder from Portsmouth, Virginia, chose the Irish over a respectable offer list that included the USC Trojans, Kentucky Wildcats, Virginia Tech Hokies, Oklahoma Sooners, Tennessee Volunteers, and more.

Hillman is the very definition of the word “athlete” and could take a number of different of paths during his college career — or just one. During his high school career, he excelled at wide receiver, safety, and even as a punter.

On3 Evaluation:

Two-way player for Churchland HS (VA) who is the team’s starting quarterback and safety. Stands in at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds with an impressive 6-foot-5 wingspan. Extremely explosive athlete who recorded a 40-inch vertical and ran an electronically-timed 4.70 40-yard dash and a blistering 4.15 shuttle during the spring camp circuit prior to his senior season. Movement skills are fantastic. Has the long speed to pull away from defenders as a ball carrier and can see the hip fluidity and change of direction when working as a defensive back. Physical player that runs through tacklers with the ball in his hands and more than willing to come downhill and play in the box from the secondary. Extremely high ceiling player whose upside is at its highest as a safety prospect but could also be productive on the offensive side of the ball as a gadget player.

Hillman is now the 27th commitment of the 2023 Notre Dame recruiting class. He is the lone commitment from the state of Virginia which becomes the 15th different state represented in this class. According to the 247 Team Composite Rankings, Notre Dame is holding on to the #3 ranking with the Texas Longhorns, Ohio State Buckeyes, and LSU Tigers right behind them.

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

Truthfully, I’m uncertain as to where to slot Hillman. Even if he is at one position in the fall, he could easily be moved the very next spring — and then again in fall. As of right now, I’m slotting him in at WR but could definitely see a move to safety.

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.

Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame are trying to add as many athletes as possible to upgrade the Irish roster. In many ways Hillman can be a part of that upgrade, but it’s still going to depend on placement and development.

FIST PUMPS UP FOR BRANDYN!

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