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Notre Dame Football Recruiting: 4-Star OL Elijah Paige commits to the Irish

Hair game is absolutely on point

By Joshua Vowles
/ new
elijah paige notre dame football
Elijah Paige
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On Friday, 4-Star offensive lineman Elijah Paige announced his commitment on the Irish Players Club Twitter Spaces thing. The 6’7” 305 pounder from Phoenix, Arizona, chose the Irish over a strong offer list that included the USC Trojans, UCLA Bruins, Washington Huskies, Oregon Ducks, Wisconsin Badgers — and yes — the Michigan Wolverines.

Evaluation from Irish Illustrated’s Tim Prister:

Paige is a right side/strongside offensive lineman on the next level, just as Baker is. Although he runs very well in the open-field, he needs work with his lateral foot movement against speed rushers. Speed rushers look like they’d be a problem at his current level of development. He should do a better job as a senior of getting opponents out of his kitchen. Through his junior season, he was involved in more stalemates than one might anticipate for a highly-rated prospect.

Paige becomes the 15th commitment for Notre Dame’s 2023 recruiting class. The class represents 12 different states and Paige’s commitment is the third straight that comes west of the Mississippi River. Paige is also the second straight offensive line commitment. Notre Dame continues to hold a strong lead with the #1 class on both Rivals and the 247 Team Composite Rankings (I refuse to acknowledge the On3 weirdness).

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

With Paige, Notre Dame now has 4 offensive lineman committed to the class. The way that the offensive tackle position is set for the Irish, Paige will likely see a chance to start in his third year — which is perfectly fine with Harry Hiestand’s development technique. Notre Dame could add up to two more offensive linemen in this class, although one more is most likely.

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.

Paige is a big BIG boy but moves around quite well. I firmly agree with those that classify him as a right tackle prospect, and I’m very curious to see how his senior year develops. While he is currently a 3 / 4 star player, I wouldn’t be very surprised at all to see him end up as a very firm 4-Star when the final rankings are released.

FIST PUMPS UP FOR ELIJAH!

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