OL prospect Parker Boudreaux commits to Notre Dame

When Parker Boudreaux commits, it isn't an announcement.

It's a spectacle.

That was certainly the case on Thursday, as Boudreaux — a 6-foot-5, 291-pound offensive lineman — announced his college destination via a video published on BleacherReport.com.

In the two-minute, 15-second epic, Boudreaux works out in front of a camera — jumping rope, lifting weights and exploding into tackling sleds as bass drums pound and the logos of his five finalists (Notre Dame, Clemson, Florida, Oklahoma and Georgia Southern) linger in the background.

In the grand finale, the consensus four-star prospect from Orlando, Fla., chains himself to a 16,000-pound school bus and slowly churns his way forward, one determined step at a time, revealing the logo of his chosen school printed onto the road surface where the bus once stood.

“I’d fight for the Irish any day," Boudreaux says, his massive arms folded, standing over the Notre Dame logo. "South Bend, get ready for me.”

In reality, the video shoot took roughly five hours, and Boudreaux was forced to pull the school bus three different times as cameras recorded it from varying positions.

“I didn’t know if I could pull it. I didn’t know how heavy it was," Boudreaux said Thursday. "It was basically the hardest thing ever.”

But regardless of his announcement's challenges, the result is the same:

Boudreaux is Irish.

“The life after football, it’s the best of the best," said Boudreaux, a senior-to-be at Bishop Moore Catholic High School, explaining his decision. "They have a great tradition, a small campus, awesome people. My high school is like a mini Notre Dame — small, catholic, private, and with great people. You can’t go wrong with it.”

In Boudreaux, Notre Dame and offensive line coach Harry Hiestand landed their third offensive lineman in the 2016 signing class, a player whose gaudy showmanship is matched by considerable substance.

“I love him. He’s a big, muscular kid. This is a big catch for Notre Dame," CBS Sports Network recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. "Credit Harry Heistand again for bringing in another blue-chip athlete.

“There’s no doubt he’s the best offensive lineman in Florida. He’s a four-star-plus tackle, a powerhouse of a guy. He fits perfectly into what Harry Hiestand is looking for. He kind of blends in with the rest of the guys Notre Dame has — big, powerful guys that are versatile, can play tackle or guard."

Boudreaux joins highly touted tackles Tommy Kraemer and Liam Eichenberg in the 2016 class, adding to an impressive haul for Hiestand. He is ranked as a four-star prospect by both Rivals and 247Sports. Rivals also tabs Boudreaux as the No. 25 offensive tackle in the country, while 247Sports lists him as the No. 9 offensive guard and the No. 192 overall prospect in the 2016 cycle.

Notre Dame’s 11th verbal commit to date, Boudreaux chose the Irish over roughly 70 other scholarship offers, among the most of any player in the country in this rec recruiting cycle.

"About a week and a half ago, I was thinking about the (Notre Dame) alumni network after football," Boudreaux said. "A degree from there is like no other. It’s just awesome tradition, and it’s so unique over there. I just really loved it.”

Boudreaux becomes Notre Dame’s fourth verbal commit from the state of Florida in the 2016 class, joining Bradenton IMG Academy teammates Tony Jones Jr. and Spencer Perry, and Jacksonville area wide receiver Kevin Stepherson. The Irish had just two commits from the Sunshine State in the entire 2015 signing class.

"He’s a powerhouse run-blocker, and he plays in the Orlando area, so they always play good teams," Lemming said. "I’m just really impressed with him. He gets good extension. He’s technically very good already. That’s what people saw.”

In the video, and on the field.

“It was just a fun thing to do," Boudreaux said of the announcement video. "I thought it was really cool to do that and just represent my high school and Notre Dame.”

I'm officially committed to... http://t.co/PbCwfYm1ovpic.twitter.com/0Qgo9mWGmp

— P-Money (@ParkerBoudreaux) July 2, 2015//