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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
Twitter

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 Football Commit List (15)

POSITION PLAYER STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE On3 On3 Consensus COMMIT DATE
POSITION PLAYER STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE On3 On3 Consensus COMMIT DATE
DE Keon Keeley FL 6'5" 230 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/28/21
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
S Peyton Bowen TX 6'0" 185 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 01/01/22
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
RB Jayden Limar WA 5'11" 190 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 05/26/22
OL Joe Otting KA 6'4" 275 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/07/22
OL Elijah Paige AZ 6'7" 305 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 06/10/22

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 - Steve Angeli Tyler Buchner, Ron Powlus Drew Pyne -
Running Back Jayden Limar Jadarian Price, Gi'Bran Payne Audric Estime, Logan Diggs Chris Tyree -
Tight End Cooper Flanagan Eli Raridon, Holden Staes Cane Berrong, Mitchell Evans Michael Mayer, Kevin Bauman -
Wide Receiver Braylon James Tobias Merriweather Deion Colzie, Lorenzo Styles, Jayden Thomas - -
Center - Ashton Craig Pat Coogan - Zeke Correll
Guard Sam Pendleton, Joe Otting Billy Schrauth Rocco Spindler - Andrew Kristofic
Tackle Sullivan Absher, Elijah Paige Joey Tanona, Ty Chan, Aamil Wagner Blake Fisher, Joe Alt, Caleb Johnson Michael Carmody, Tosh Baker -
Defensive Tackle Boubacar Traore, Devan Houstan Tyson Ford, Donovan Hinish Gabe Rubio Rylie Mills, Aidan Keanaaina Howard Cross, NaNa Osafo Mensah
Defensive End Keon Keeley, Brenan Vernon Joshua Burnham, Aiden Gobaira Jason Onye, Will Schweitzer Alexander Ehrensberger Isaiah Foskey, Osita Ekwonu
Linebacker Drayk Bowen, Preston Zinter Nolan Ziegler, Junior Tuihalamaka, Jaylen Sneed Prince Kollie Jordan Botelho Jack Kiser, Marist Liufau, JD Bertrand
Safety Adon Shuler, Peyton Bowen Jayden Bellamy Justin Walters Xavier Watts, Ramon Henderson -
Cornerback - Jayden Mickey, Benjamin Morrison Ryan Barnes, Philip Riley, Chance Tucker Clarence Lewis Cam Hart
Specialists - Bryce McFerson (P) Josh Bryan (K) Alex Peitsch (LS) -
Totals 15/85 (15) 37/85 (22) 60/85 (23) 74/85 (14) 84/85 (10)
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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