Notre Dame Film Room: 2024 Defensive Tackle Target Justin Scott

With quarterback CJ Carr and Cam Williams already committed to Notre Dame in the 2024 recruiting class, there is no more important target on the board than Chicago (Ill.) St. Ignatius defensive tackle Justin Scott. He is the type of impact size on the interior that the Irish program needs.

On film, there are a ton of things to like about Scott. Being a five-star recruit from a prestigious Catholic school in Chicago, Scott is without question a must get for Notre Dame in the class.

Here’s the Irish Breakdown film analysis of Scott.

PROSPECT PROFILE

Hometown/High School: Chicago, IL/St. Ignatius

Height/Weight: 6-4/310

IB Grade: 5.0 (Top 10 overall prospect)

Upside Grade: 5.0

Offers: Notre Dame, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, USC, Miami, Michigan, Florida, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Washington, Wisconsin, Auburn, Nebraska, Michigan State, Arkansas, Iowa, Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa State, Illinois, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Syracuse and Rutgers

FILM ROOM

Here is what Scott brings to the table on film.

Size/Frame/Power - Scott brings an impressive blend of height, length and bulk. He possesses a well proportioned frame with excellent lower and upper body strength. He also has a very clean frame with very little bad weight on it. There should be little issue for Scott to add even more mass and power in the future. The raw power that Scott already possesses is outrageous. He has the ability to be an absolutely overwhelming player at the point of attack. Scott plays on the offensive and defensive lines for St. Ignatius, showing the toughness to produce in so many areas. On either side of the ball, Scott is a relentless player who routinely finishes plays. He plays with a great motor and consistently makes plays in pursuit.

Athletic Skills - Scott’s initial quickness is impressive, but he can be inconsistent getting off the football on a snap to snap basis. When he gets rolling, Scott is an incredibly explosive football player. This allows him to easily create penetration and make an impact as a one gap player. When Scott plays with good pad level, he is able to change direction effectively and make plays in pursuit. Scott is also a really flexible football player, showing the ability to bend the track against opposing interior players. He is so athletic that St. Ignatius even asks him to play on the edge from time to time,

Technique/Instincts - Pad level is probably the most inconsistent part of Scott’s game. When he does come out low he is almost unstoppable. He easily gains leverage and quickly creates an absurd amount of power in small spaces. Scott’s game took a big jump from his sophomore to junior year. He used his hands much better, showcasing incredible pop in his mitts. His feet explode consistently on contact, creating consistent push on both sides of the football. The counter move portion of Scott’s game is something that is just not needed right now. He always wins early in reps, rarely ever having to counter off of his initial plan. His block destruction is impressive for his age, showing the understanding of striking and getting off of blocks. Scott’s tackle radius is impressive, showing the talent to play outside of his frame and finish plays.

Run Game - From a power perspective, you aren’t going to find many more impressive players than Scott. When he keeps low pads, he is virtually unmovable. Scott’s combination of power profile and explosiveness together can become overwhelming for opposing offensive lineman. He gets incredible push both in the run and passing game. As a penetration style player, Scott has the ability to consistently create havoc in the backfield with his impressive combination of size, flexibility and explosiveness. His leg drive explodes on contact to reset the line of scrimmage. As a pursuit player, Scott brings a rare amount of acceleration for a man his size. That’s really what sets him a part.

Pass Game - Scott’s burst off the line of scrimmage is special when he comes off low and on time. His pass rush moves are still a major work in progress. Right now, Scott mostly wins off of being bigger and more athletic than most of the offensive lineman he plays against. His go to move is the long arm and bull rush, really honing in on his power profile. As he adds counter moves to his profile, he has the chance to be unstoppable on the next level. His short area explosiveness allows him to finish plays with his rare amount of closing speed.

AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

For a player who can just physically dominate the opposition, it should be no surprise that Scott doesn’t have a ton of counter moves to profile right now. Simply put, he doesn’t need them right now, but he will in college. He wins consistently off of his initial move, having the ability to make an array of plays off of his initial plan. Adding those moves will take him from an elite football talent to an elite football player.

Scott does play with inconsistent pad level, which is something that can and must be corrected. When he does, he’s a hard player to handle. As he moves to the next level, an attention to detail in that department will allow him to be able to create even more consistent push and create chaos.

NOTRE DAME FIT

In Notre Dame’s defense, Scott brings the versatility to play both interior positions (three-technique, nose). His penetration ability should align better at three technique but his combination of size and athleticism should allow him to do a little bit of everything. Whether the system asks him to create havoc or play more at the point of attack, Scott has the profile to get the job done. When Notre Dame goes to three-man looks Scott also shows the combination of size, power and athleticism to be a disruptive player as a 5-tech (or 4i) on the edge.

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Irish Breakdown Content

2023 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule

Notre Dame 2023 Scholarship Offers
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

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