National Signing Day: Meet the Notre Dame Football 2023 recruiting class
Justin FrommerThe following 26 senior football prospects were committed to sign National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, Dec. 21 with Notre Dame. Heading into the early signing period the Irish held the No. 6 recruiting class in 2023 per 247Sports. Of the 26, two defected to Oregon, leaving the class at 24 for the time being.
OT | Charles Jagusah ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-6, 308
Hometown/high school: Rock Island, Ill. (Alleman)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 6 offensive tackle
Rivals: Four stars, No. 9 offensive tackle
Notables: Rushed for 651 yards this season. Grew up playing soccer and basketball, turning to football in seventh grade. Went to state wrestling meet as a freshman heavyweight.
ATH/RB | Jeremiyah Love ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-0, 190
Hometown/high school: Saint Louis (Christian Brothers)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 3 athlete
Rivals: Four stars, No . 4 running back
Notables: Helped Christian Brothers to a 13-1 record this season and state championship. Also runs track, winning the Missouri Class 5 state title in the 100 with a time of 10.76.
CB | Christian Gray ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-0, 175
Hometown/high school: Saint Louis (DeSmet)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 9 cornerback
Rivals: Four stars, No. 10 cornerback
Notables: Key member of the De Smet football team in Saint Louis. Runs sprint events on high school's track team.
LB | Drayk Bowen ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-2, 225
Hometown/high school: Merrillville, Ind. (Andrean)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 8 linebacker
Rivals: Four stars, No. 1 linebacker
Notables: Ran for 1,784 yards and 26 touchdowns as a running back and added 144 tackles and five sacks on defense. Named Indiana Mr. Football.
WR | Braylon James ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-2, 186
Hometown/high school: Round Rock, Texas (Stony Point)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 18 wideout
Rivals: Four stars, No. 27 wideout
Notables: Caught 38 passes for five touchdowns and 727 receiving yards this season. Named first team All-District 25-6A.
WR | Jaden Greathouse ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-2, 220
Hometown/high school: Austin, Texas (Westlake)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 20 wideout
Rivals: Four stars, No. 13 wideout
Notables: Caught 51 passes for 915 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.
CB | Micah Bell ― Signed
Height/weight: 5-11, 170
Hometown/high school: Houston (Kinkaid School)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 16 cornerback
Rivals: Four stars, No. 3 athlete
Notables: Rushed for 1,395 yards and 15 touchdowns on 236 carries this season.
DL | Brenan Vernon ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-5, 275
Hometown/high school: Mentor, Ohio (Mentor)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 21 defensive end
Rivals: Four stars, No. 7 defensive end
Notables: Key member of Mentor defense, leading the Cardinals to 9-4 record this season. Also plays basketball.
LB | Jaiden Ausberry ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-0, 210
Hometown/high school: Baton Rouge, La. (University Lab)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 11 linebacker
Rivals: Four stars, No. 14 linebacker
Notables: Two way player leading the Cubs to 9-4 record this past season. Finished with three rushing touchdowns on offense.
DL | Boubacar Traore ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-5, 245
Hometown/high school: West Roxbury, Mass. (Catholic Memorial)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 22 defensive lineman
Rivals: Four stars, No. 26 defensive end
Notables: Key member of Catholic Memorial defense, which finished 12-0 this season and won an MIAA Division 2 state championship. Brother Badara is offensive tackle for Arizona Cardinals and a former LSU star. 2023 All-American Bowl selection.
QB | Kenny Minchey ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-2, 215
Hometown/high school: Hendersonville, Tenn. (Pope John Paul II)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 13 quarterback
Rivals: Four stars, No. 11 quarterback
Notables: Completed 73% of his passes this season, finishing 47-of-64 for 768 passing yards and 11 touchdowns. Also ran for 57 yards on 17 carries.
OT | Sullivan Absher ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-7, 290
Hometown/high school: Belmont, N.C. (South Point)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 17 offensive tackle
Rivals: Four stars, No. 22 offensive tackle
Notables: Key member of South Point football team which finished with 13-2 record, advancing to NCHSAA 3A semifinals. Also plays baseball and basketball.
WR | Rico Flores Jr. ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-1, 190
Hometown/high school: Folsom, Calif. (Folsom)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 28 wideout
Rivals: Four stars, No. 22 wideout
Notables: Caught 72 passes for 1,081 yards and eight touchdowns in senior season.
DL | Devan Houstan ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-5, 285
Hometown/high school: Sharpsburg, Md. (St. James School)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 35 defensive lineman
Rivals: Four stars, No. 20 defensive tackle
Notables: Finished with 39 tackles, 3.5 sacks and one fumble recovery to lead St. James' defense. Older brother, Caleb, plays for the Orlando Magic.
TE | Cooper Flanagan ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-5, 228
Hometown/high school: Concord, Calif. (De La Salle)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 15 tight end
Rivals: Four stars, No. 15 tight end
Notables: Caught 26 catches for 490 yards and three touchdowns this season.
S | Adon Shuler ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-0, 197
Hometown/high school: Irvington, N.J. (Irvington)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 27 safety
Rivals: Three stars, No. 38 safety
Notables: Key member of Irvington defense, which helped team finish 8-3 this season. Also a track athlete, running sprint events along with long jump and triple jump. Finished with 103 tackles and three interceptions and also ran for 567 yards and four touchdowns this season. Named to NJ.com All-State first team defense.
S | Ben Minich ― Signed
Height/weight: 5-11, 185
Hometown/high school: West Chester, Ohio (Lakota West)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 31 safety
Rivals: Four stars, No. 29 safety
Notables: Key member of Lakota West football team, leading Firebirds to 13-1 record and OHSAA Region 4 championship game appearance. Plays basketball and runs track, with multiple sub-11 second times in the 100.
OL | Joe Otting ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-4, 275
Hometown/high school: Topeka, Kan. (Hayden)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 20 interior offensive lineman
Rivals: Three stars, No. 2 interior offensive lineman
Notables: Key member of Hayden football team that finished 10-2 and KHSAA 3A semifinal appearance. Plays basketball and competes in track and field. Was a Kansas state qualifier in the shot put last spring.
ATH | Brandyn Hillman ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-1, 191
Hometown/high school: Portsmouth, Va. (Churchland)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 19 athlete
Rivals: Three stars, No. 31 athlete
Notables: Key member of Churchland football team, leading the Truckers to 8-4 record this past season. Passed for 1,312 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushed for 1,236 yards and 22 yards as a senior. As a junior, went over 1,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. Back-to-back Virginia Class 4 Region A Player of the Year.
OL | Sam Pendleton ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-4, 305
Hometown/high school: Pfafftown, N.C. (Reagan)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 23 interior offensive lineman
Rivals: Four stars, No. 17 offensive guard
Notables: Key member of Reagan football team that finished 8-3 this past season. Played in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, representing North Carolina.
LB | Preston Zinter ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-3, 215
Hometown/high school: Lawrence, Mass. (Central Catholic)
247Sports ranking: Three stars, No. 42 linebacker
Rivals: Three stars, No. 40 linebacker
Notables: Zinter was a key member of the Central Catholic football team, which finished 9-3 this past season. 2021 MIAA First Team All-State, Boston Globe Defensive Player of the Year. Older brother, Zak, is an offensive lineman at Michigan.
OL | Christopher Terek ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-5, 310
Hometown/high school: Glen Ellyn, Ill. (Glenbard West)
247Sports ranking: Three stars, No. 38 interior offensive lineman
Rivals: Four stars, No. 12 interior offensive lineman
Notables: Key member of Glenbard West football team which finished 11-2 this past season, advancing to semifinals of IHSA 8A playoffs.
WR | Kaleb Smith ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-0, 175
Hometown/high school: Frisco, Texas (Reedy)
247Sports ranking: Three stars, No. 76 wideout
Rivals: Three stars, No. 71 wideout
Notables: Finished with 649 receiving yards on 43 catches with five touchdowns this season.
DE | Armel Mukam ― Signed
Height/weight: 6-4, 255
Hometown/high school: Woodberry Forrest, Va. (Woodberry Forrest)
247Sports ranking: Three stars, No. 58 defensive end
Rivals: Three stars, Unranked defensive end
Notables: Key member of Woodberry Forrest football team, which finished 10-3 this past season. Finished with 50 tackles, three sacks and 14 quarterback hurries in senior season. Finished second in Virginia D1 state shot put finals as a junior and qualified for state in the discus. Also has a background in hockey.
S | Peyton Bowen ― Decommitted (Oregon)
Height/weight: 6-0, 185
Hometown/high school: Denton, Texas (Guyer)
247Sports ranking: Five stars, No. 2 safety
Rivals: Five stars, No. 2 safety
Notables: Led Geyer to a 14-1 record and trip to the state playoff semifinals. Also runs track, competing in triple jump, long jump, high jump, 100-meter and Denton Guyer's relay teams.
RB | Jayden Limar ― Decommitted (Oregon)
Height/weight: 5-11, 190
Hometown/high school: Lake Stevens, Wash. (Lake Stevens)
247Sports ranking: Four stars, No. 16 running back
Rivals: Four stars, No. 8 running back
Notables: Key player for Lake Stevens, which finished 12-2 this season, winning the Washington State 4A title. Also plays baseball and runs track.