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Notre Dame Football Recruiting: 4-Star cornerback Christian Gray commits to the Irish

50 shades of memes coming your way

By Joshua Vowles
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As we all celebrate the 4th of July, there’s another reason to throw up another hearty fist pump. 4-Star cornerback Christian Gray has given his commitment to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The 6’0” 170 pounder from DeSmet High School in St. Louis, Missouri, chose the Irish over his three other finalists, the USC Trojans, LSU Tigers, and Ohio State Buckeyes. He’s a top 100 prospect that held other offers from all ove the country — and now he’ll be attending Notre Dame.

247 Evaluation:

Gray has the type of length and frame that you want in a cornerback. With the growth potential to add weight to his 6-foot-0, 170-pound frame only makes his long term development that much more encouraging. He already has a defined build with good lean muscle mass as well as possessing a 75.25 inch wingspan and 9-inch hand. By having good definition and development in his quads and hamstrings it allows him to generate power and explosion. He has a very good change of direction and ability to flip his hips to get in and out of his breaks.

Does a nice job in his back-pedal of gaining ground and depth in relation to the receiver. Gray is able to stay square and balanced on his opponent when he is in coverage. I like his ability to plant and drive along with redirecting when he has to. He shows that he is comfortable in both press and off coverage, where he keeps leverage on the receiver and patience when the ball is in the air. Flashes good football intelligence is displayed by his ability to read and react once the play is in motion as he is a constant factor in both the run or pass game. He is also a willing tackler and shows his instincts by constantly being around the ball making plays.

Gray is an active player that brings a lot to the table with his overall skills and traits. Whether it is in the return game as a kick or punt returner he shows his value. I like the overall value that he brings the field and his ability to showcase tools all over the field. With the growth and development that he has left physically and within his game being a power-5 starter is in his future. Long term he has what it takes to be a guy that has an NFL future.

Gray is the 19th commitment for Notre Dame in the 2023 class — a class that continues to be the nation’s #1 group at the moment — and will make a real run for that spot come signing day. He represents one of 14 different states in this class.

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

Gray is the second cornerback in less than a week to commit to Notre Dame (Micah Bell). Like wide receiver, cornerback recruiting has been a little bit of an issue, but this class is helping to improve its position room.

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 Tyler Buchner - Sam Hartman
Running Back Jeremiyah Love Jadarian Price, Gi'Bran Payne Audric Estime, Logan Diggs - -
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, Lorenzo Styles, Jayden Thomas Chris Tyree Matt Salerno, Kaleb Smith
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 Alexander Ehrensberger, Jordan Botelho NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Javontae Jean-Baptiste
Linebacker Drayk Bowen, Preston Zinter, Jaiden Ausberry Nolan Ziegler, Jaylen Sneed Prince Kollie - Jack Kiser, Marist Liufau, JD Bertrand
Safety Adon Shuler, Ben Minich - - Xavier Watts, Ramon Henderson D.J. Brown, Thomas Harper
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) 60/85 (17) 71/85 (11) 87/85 (16)
5th year eligibility moving forward is not represented on this chart due to COVID year. May be subject to change.

FIST PUMPS UP FOR CHRISTIAN!

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