/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71039920/0.0.jpeg)
The good news commitment blitz continues for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. On Friday, 4-Star cornerback, Micah Bell, announced his commitment to Notre Dame.
COMMITTED!!! pic.twitter.com/ydPjd7Thjw
— Micah Bell (@Bell11M) July 1, 2022
The 5’11 170 pound speedster from Houston, Texas, chose the Irish over the Texas Longhorns, Houston Cougars, Ole Miss Rebels, Tennessee Volunteers, Arkansas Razorbacks, and many others.
Adequate height with lean, slight frame, but possesses space to add mass. Natural football player with diverse on-field experience that should help instincts and awareness.
Primarily a running back through junior year, but also owns snaps at cornerback, his projected long-term positional home. Flashes outstanding top-end field speed and produced good numbers at running back as a junior (1,100+ yards, 8.3 ypc). Garnered almost 150 touches in Fall 2021, which should help with ball skills and impact production once comfortable as a full-time cornerback.
Possesses a good football pedigree (older brother a 2022 Georgia receiver signee) and elite track and field profile among the very best in the 2023 football class. Owns multiple sub-10.5 100-meter times and excellent data points in the 200, long jump, and triple jump. Athleticism translates to the gridiron and provides immense developmental potential.
Will arrive in college very raw from a position-specific technical perspective. May need time to adjust to the corner spot vs. high-major competition. Size / build could present a liability vs. bigger, stronger wideouts.
Could potentially provide an early option on special teams, whether returning kicks or covering them. Athleticism and playmaking knack could make him a special teams demon.
Despite relative lack of corner-specific experience, overall profile reflective of NFL Draft success in recent years in regards to extensive offensive touches and elite track and field profile. Projects as a high-major prospect with a long-term NFL Draft ceiling.
Bell is the 17th commitment for the Irish in this 2023 class and the third one from the state of Texas. Notre Dame has obviously made the Lone Star State a bigger focus in this cycle — and they aren’t done yet. With Bell’s commitment, the Irish climbed back into the #1 spot in the 247 Composite Team Rankings.
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 |
While Notre Dame’s class is excellent — and it’s been a lot of fun to see come together — two of the biggest needs for Notre Dame are on the edge with cornerbacks and receivers. Bell helps to greatly address that need, and his speed is incredible. Kind of a fun fact... both of those positions are solely owned by Texans in this class with another Texan in WR Jaden Greathouse projected to pick the Irish at some point.
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) |
Bell has kind of had a low-key recruitment, but he’s the caliber of player Notre Dame really needs more of on the edge. I guarantee you this is WAY more exciting than you’re showing — get excited!
Loading comments...