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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish remain as hot on the recruiting trail as the humid midwestern summer that we are currently living through. That hotness, however, is going to cool off quite a bit for the 2023 class over the next couple of months, so an update on the state of the 2023 class is appropriate. Where the Irish are and where they are headed as we eye the early signing day in December.
Open your hymnals.
THE CURRENT CLASS
The Irish presently have 20 commitments for the 2023 cycle. In a little bit of foreshadowing for the season-opener, Notre Dame and Ohio State have been doing a back-and-forth for the top spot in the team ranking over the last few weeks.
Notre Dame has commitments from three prospects that are listed as a 5-Star player on at least one recruiting service.
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 |
THE SAFE SITUATION
Outside of the Dante Moore situation, the most interesting recruiting storyline for the Irish might be what’s happening at the safety position — and in particular with newly minted 5-Star commitment, Peyton Bowen.
Here’s the situation...
Notre Dame has been recruiting 5-Star Caleb Downs as hard as anyone in the country and he’s about to make a decision.
BREAKING: Five-Star Safety Caleb Downs (@caleb_downs2) will announce his Commitment on July 27th.
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 21, 2022
The 6’0 195 Safety from Hoschton, GA is ranked as the No. 12 Player in the ‘23 Class (No. 1 S)
More Here (FREE): https://t.co/XoYUKg8Dou pic.twitter.com/KvC4m4W6B0
Brace yourself for the obvious... he ain’t coming to Notre Dame. That revelation may have had an impact on Notre Dame finally offering Ohio safety, Ben Minich.
Extremely BLESSED and THANKFUL to have received an offer from the University of Notre Dame ☘️☘️@Coach_OLeary @Marcus_Freeman1 @LakotaWestFB pic.twitter.com/RbPoERDyE8
— Ben Minich (@BenMinich) July 20, 2022
The elephant in the room still is the question of Peyton Bowen’s commitment. While I personally believe the Minich offer comes on the heels of Downs’ path elsewhere, there are some who think this could have to do with Bowen’s wandering eyes — and if you’re that person, I highly reccommend that you give this interview with Bowen’s mom a read:
Family Focus: Amee Bowen In-Depth on the Recruiting Process with Sons Eli, Peyton@Bowen_AmeeL @PeytonBowen10 @EliBowen12 https://t.co/SLd2Y4KJQP
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreemanISD) July 21, 2022
GOOD NEWS ON THE WAY?
As Notre Dame’s class continues to fill up, there will be less and less moments of jubilee and kegs of glory drunk due to the numbers game. Coming up in two weeks is the announcement of 4-Star LB Jaiden Ausberry. As of right now, the predictions are for Ausberry to join Notre Dame’s 2023 class.
Four-star linebacker Jaiden Ausberry will announce his commitment LIVE on @CBSSportsHQ on Aug. 4 at 7:30 pm ET.
— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) July 19, 2022
He discussed each of his finalists with @247Sports.
Story: https://t.co/xeeGfGl669@AusberryJaiden @247Sports / @247recruiting pic.twitter.com/vLcR2gmw9g
QUICK HITTERS ON THE TOP TARGETS
The amount of top targets has been dwindling down for Notre Dame as they fill out this class, but here are some quick bits for those players ND is still trying to land that we haven’t mentioned yet...
- 5-Star RB Richard Young. Light a few candles at the Grotto.
- 4-Star RB/ATH Jeremiyah Love. Things are looking good with Love, but there is still a lot of work to do to get him to commit with no known timeline.
- 4-Star WR Ronan Hanafin. It’s a Notre Dame VS Clemson Tigers battle for this Massachusetts athlete. It feels like Clemson has the edge at the moment.
- 4-Star QB Austin Novosad. He is committed to the Baylor Bears, but the Irish, Ohio State, and Texas A&M Aggies are all involved. We are expecting a decision before his senior year, and ND has a legit chance here.
- 5-Star EDGE Samuel M’Pemba. A wide open recruitment and one that probably won’t end anytime soon. Notre Dame is a player, but likely trails the Miami Hurricanes (with others).
If Notre Dame lands two of the five mentioned it would be a job well done. If they get three — well then they’re cooking with gas.
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