Notre Dame Signs Defensive Lineman Armel Mukam
Notre Dame has signed defensive lineman Armel Mukam, a native of Canada who spent the last two seasons at Woodberry Forest in Virginia. That is the same school that produced past Notre Dame standouts CJ Prosise and Greer Martini. Notre Dame flipped Mukam from Stanford.
Hometown/High School: Montreal, Quebec / Woodberry Forest (VA)
Height/Weight: 6-4, 250
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 250 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5
Recruited By: Chad Bowden, Al Washington
Offers: Notre Dame, Stanford, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Duke, California, Colorado, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Rutgers
2022 Stats: 50 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 14 QB hurries
2021 Stats: 40 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 6 sacks
Player Comp: Khalid Kareem, Notre Dame
RECRUITING RANKINGS
247Sports: 4-star - No. 191 overall - No. 30 DL
ESPN: 3-star - No. 80 DL
On3: 3-star - No. 82 DL
Rivals: 3-star
Composite: 3-star - No. 528 overall - No. 58 DL
NOTRE DAME FIT
Mukam is still learning the game but he has all the tools you want in a big end in the Irish defense. He's long, he's powerful, he's athletic and he has a lot of playmaking potential. As he learns the game there's a chance he could end up being one of the best defensive players in this class, although there's a long way to go before he gets there. There's a chance he could outgrow the position, but his combination of athleticism and power projects quite well to the edge of the Irish defense in base downs, and then he could slide inside in passing situations and be highly disruptive there.
BREAKING DOWN HOUSTAN
Bryan Driskell, Publisher: "Mukam is an incredibly intriguing player. A big end target in the Irish defense, Mukam has a thick frame that should allow him to get to at least 270 pounds in relatively short order. He has exceptional length, checking in with a confirmed 80+ inch wingspan. The Montreal native has strong hands and impressive natural power. Despite being new to the sport he shows an impressive feel for the game. When he uses his hands he is hard to block thanks to his power/length combination. He flashes really impressive first step quickness and finishing ability. When he keeps pads low he shows a nasty burst off the edge. Where I was blown away with his agility was from some summer workout film, where Mukam showed strong foot quickness and the kind of change of direction you want from a top-level athlete at his size."
Ryan Roberts, Director of Recruiting: "Still new to the game, Mukam is an impressive athlete with almost a limitless ceiling. Blessed with length, explosiveness and power, he could be a potentially elite player if he hits his ceiling. The ceiling is the roof in this case, especially with such limited in game experience.”
John Garcia Jr: "Well-built exterior line prospect with enough length to both maximize game and growth potential in college. Already experienced working outside in with strong ability out of the gates and a relentlessness towards the ball carrier despite a lack of technical polish. Strong instinct lead to big plays, including blocked kicks, as well as backside pursuit wins when action works away from his alignment. Long stride and leverage ability in tighter windows could evolve into edge-setting prowess down the line. More functional lower-body strength and polish will accelerate impact, even if it’s inside at the next stage."
Woodberry Forest Head Coach Jackson Matteo: "I have had the pleasure of getting to know and coach Armel over the last year and a half - it does not take a year and a half to realize how special Armel is as a person and a football player. I knew upon meeting Armel that he was especially talented on the football field, but also gifted in the classroom and as a young man. Armel has an intrinsic motivation to pursue the best version of himself everyday, and consistently makes sacrifices to put himself in the best position to be successful in his future. As a student athlete, Armel has an elite knack for wanting to do hard things, he is always pushing himself. Armel served our team as a captain this fall, and anchored our defense. Practically, he is violent at the point of attack and fanatically pursues the ball. Additionally, he gives relentless effort on each play, a trait that is tough to be taught - you either have this trait or you don't - and as a captain, ND commit, it would be easy to take your foot off the gas pedal and just send it in - not Armel, he has pushed himself into a new tier of football players in our country and I anticipate that he will continue to do so under the guidance and coaching of Coach Freeman and his staff at Notre Dame.” - Jackson Matteo
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Irish Breakdown Content
Notre Dame 2022 Roster
Notre Dame 2022 Schedule
Notre Dame 2023 Scholarship Offers
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense
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