Notre Dame Football Recruiting: 4-Star defensive end Owen Wafle commits to the Irish

On Monday, 2024 4-Star defensive end Owen Wafle gave his public commitment to Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Wafle is a top 200 prospect according to Rivals and the 247 Composite. The 6’3” 270 pounder chose the Irish over his finalists from an early offer list, including the Iowa Hawkeyes, Michigan State Spartans, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, and Vanderbilt Commodores.

Hailing from The Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey, Owen will be only third recruit for the football team from that school in recent memory. The other two players were linebacker Abdel Banda and running back Junior Jabbie.

247 Evaluation:

Thick build with plus length and has frame to add 20 to 30 pounds and remain effective with speed and agility. Has versatility to play on edge or increase size and move inside on defensive line of scrimmage. Has low center of gravity and plays low to win leverage. Has snaps on both sides of ball as fullback and defensive lineman. Strong, physical, hard-nosed player with strong work ethic. Showed ability to bend during spring workout. Ferocious style of play evident during in-game eval in fall 2021. Gets off quickly at snap and covers ground well in first three steps. Shows stack-and-shed ability. Can take on block and re-direction along line of scrimmage. Can anchor in run game. Willing to take on and fight through double teams. Relies heavily on power and strength and often wins leverage by sinking hips. Plays with high effort and has strong work ethic. Does show rip and spin moves but needs to continue to develop technique and diversify move sets. Has to maintain lower body flexibility while also getting stronger. Multi-year starter at high-level program. Has late round NFL draft potential.

Wafle joins Brandon Davis-Swain as part of the 2024 class — both players are on the defensive line.

Certainly the 2023 cycle remains a priority for all of us to keep an eye on, locking down blue-chip talent is a priority for Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame for every cycle at any time. The Irish are off to a great start in 2024 with a class ranking of #5 with these two commitments.

FIST PUMPS UP FOR OWEN!