Here are the latest nuggets on the 2022 Notre Dame defensive board...
DEFENSIVE LINE: This is an extremely intriguing situation, as Notre Dame could be close to finishing its DL class with one more piece or could add as many as three more players. I do think it’s more likely at this point that Notre Dame ends up signing five defensive linemen, but as always, this is fluid.
Let’s start with the committed guys. Darren Agu is a vyper – no questions about that. Aiden Gobaira and Tyson Ford are defensive ends, but some folks I’ve spoken with feel that they could end up as interior guys – more likely Ford than Gobaira. Both have that kind of frame to grow, so time will tell.
Defensive tackle Donovan Hinish is a heavy, heavy Notre Dame lean. I’ve said this since Notre Dame offered last November and I’ll say it again – if the Irish want him in the class, then that’s where he’ll end up. And he is a player who the staff really likes and wants in this class.
Vyper Cyrus Moss and big end/defensive tackle Anthony Lucas are HUGE targets for the staff. Both players plan to take their time with the process and don’t plan to announce until later this year. I’ve gathered that the staff tremendously values Lucas and Moss and would basically take them no matter what. Both have locked in Notre Dame official visit dates as well – Moss will visit June 18, and Lucas will be the week prior, I can confirm.
Where things get really interesting is when you look at a guy like Ernest “RJ” Cooper. The Irish staff loves him, but if he wanted to commit after his official visit – which I’m told is the final weekend of June – would they take him, and still have room for Moss and/or Lucas? Good problem to have for Notre Dame.
Defensive ends such as Teva Tafiti and DJ Wesolak have been considered Notre Dame leans, but I just don’t see the Irish having room for either. The Irish pushed hard for Wesolak, and maybe he still would’ve ended up in the class, but Notre Dame felt strongly about Agu for that spot, while Wesolak is taking a good look at other schools.
LINEBACKERS: This unit is a little more cut and dry, sort of. Notre Dame has two linebacker commits already in four-star Michigan natives Nolan Ziegler and Joshua Burnham. Ziegler projects more as a rover/will, while Burnham is a will/mike.
For a while, I was under the impression that Notre Dame wanted to take four linebackers but would have a hard time turning down one of these studs and would reach five total. That is still possible, but from what I’m told, it’s not likely.
Again, subject to change, but it seems that there are two linebacker spots left with three players who look like Notre Dame leans – Niuafe Tuihalamaka, Sebastian Cheeks and Jaylen Sneed. I have FutureCast picks in for all three to land at Notre Dame, but there’s one in that group that I’m considering changing but am in no rush to right now, as I don’t see any of these guys announcing commitments before June.
Tuihalamaka is locked in to see Notre Dame for the June 11 weekend. I should have details on Sneed’s official visit dates later today. And Cheeks is likely to officially visit Notre Dame as well; he has already set up a trip for North Carolina, and trips to Oregon and Texas are in the works too.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: With just one commit (cornerback Jaden Mickey) and three or four remaining spots, this is pretty wide open. I do expect Notre Dame to take one “true” safety in this cycle, whether that be Xavier Nwankpa, Jake Pope, KJ Winston or Jaden Mangham. Of that group, Winston seems the most likely, but the Irish are swinging for the fences with Nwankpa. Pope really likes Notre Dame as well and will likely officially visit in June. Mangham seems more like a plan B option right now.
The top cornerback names to know right now are Jyaire Brown (Ohio State commit), Khamauri Rogers, Nikai Martinez and Benjamin Morrison. Notre Dame is in good position with all four players. I have a FutureCast pick in for Martinez, but it’s not one I’m super confident in. Morrison I feel is a Notre Dame lean.
I also expect Notre Dame to take what I’d call a combo defensive back – someone who would likely start out at cornerback but potentially move to safety. Terrance Brooks, Jayden Bellamy, Jarred Kerr and Devin Moore fit in that group.
I like Bellamy to land at Notre Dame if the staff pushes for him. He will visit for the June 18 weekend.
All of these prospects mentioned so far are guys who the staff is targeting and feel that they’re in good position with, per sources. This might end up being an elite defensive back class, or it might end up with less star power. It will probably be somewhere in between.
DEFENSIVE LINE: This is an extremely intriguing situation, as Notre Dame could be close to finishing its DL class with one more piece or could add as many as three more players. I do think it’s more likely at this point that Notre Dame ends up signing five defensive linemen, but as always, this is fluid.
Let’s start with the committed guys. Darren Agu is a vyper – no questions about that. Aiden Gobaira and Tyson Ford are defensive ends, but some folks I’ve spoken with feel that they could end up as interior guys – more likely Ford than Gobaira. Both have that kind of frame to grow, so time will tell.
Defensive tackle Donovan Hinish is a heavy, heavy Notre Dame lean. I’ve said this since Notre Dame offered last November and I’ll say it again – if the Irish want him in the class, then that’s where he’ll end up. And he is a player who the staff really likes and wants in this class.
Vyper Cyrus Moss and big end/defensive tackle Anthony Lucas are HUGE targets for the staff. Both players plan to take their time with the process and don’t plan to announce until later this year. I’ve gathered that the staff tremendously values Lucas and Moss and would basically take them no matter what. Both have locked in Notre Dame official visit dates as well – Moss will visit June 18, and Lucas will be the week prior, I can confirm.
Where things get really interesting is when you look at a guy like Ernest “RJ” Cooper. The Irish staff loves him, but if he wanted to commit after his official visit – which I’m told is the final weekend of June – would they take him, and still have room for Moss and/or Lucas? Good problem to have for Notre Dame.
Defensive ends such as Teva Tafiti and DJ Wesolak have been considered Notre Dame leans, but I just don’t see the Irish having room for either. The Irish pushed hard for Wesolak, and maybe he still would’ve ended up in the class, but Notre Dame felt strongly about Agu for that spot, while Wesolak is taking a good look at other schools.
LINEBACKERS: This unit is a little more cut and dry, sort of. Notre Dame has two linebacker commits already in four-star Michigan natives Nolan Ziegler and Joshua Burnham. Ziegler projects more as a rover/will, while Burnham is a will/mike.
For a while, I was under the impression that Notre Dame wanted to take four linebackers but would have a hard time turning down one of these studs and would reach five total. That is still possible, but from what I’m told, it’s not likely.
Again, subject to change, but it seems that there are two linebacker spots left with three players who look like Notre Dame leans – Niuafe Tuihalamaka, Sebastian Cheeks and Jaylen Sneed. I have FutureCast picks in for all three to land at Notre Dame, but there’s one in that group that I’m considering changing but am in no rush to right now, as I don’t see any of these guys announcing commitments before June.
Tuihalamaka is locked in to see Notre Dame for the June 11 weekend. I should have details on Sneed’s official visit dates later today. And Cheeks is likely to officially visit Notre Dame as well; he has already set up a trip for North Carolina, and trips to Oregon and Texas are in the works too.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: With just one commit (cornerback Jaden Mickey) and three or four remaining spots, this is pretty wide open. I do expect Notre Dame to take one “true” safety in this cycle, whether that be Xavier Nwankpa, Jake Pope, KJ Winston or Jaden Mangham. Of that group, Winston seems the most likely, but the Irish are swinging for the fences with Nwankpa. Pope really likes Notre Dame as well and will likely officially visit in June. Mangham seems more like a plan B option right now.
The top cornerback names to know right now are Jyaire Brown (Ohio State commit), Khamauri Rogers, Nikai Martinez and Benjamin Morrison. Notre Dame is in good position with all four players. I have a FutureCast pick in for Martinez, but it’s not one I’m super confident in. Morrison I feel is a Notre Dame lean.
I also expect Notre Dame to take what I’d call a combo defensive back – someone who would likely start out at cornerback but potentially move to safety. Terrance Brooks, Jayden Bellamy, Jarred Kerr and Devin Moore fit in that group.
I like Bellamy to land at Notre Dame if the staff pushes for him. He will visit for the June 18 weekend.
All of these prospects mentioned so far are guys who the staff is targeting and feel that they’re in good position with, per sources. This might end up being an elite defensive back class, or it might end up with less star power. It will probably be somewhere in between.
