Class Impact: Linebacker Preston Zinter Commits To Notre Dame

Notre Dame has picked up another important commitment in the 2023 class by landing Lawrence (Mass.) Central Catholic athlete Preston Zinter. A two-way standout in high school, Zinter is being recruited as a linebacker by Notre Dame.

Let's take a look at how this commitment impacts the Notre Dame 2023 class and the linebacker depth chart.

NOTRE DAME CLASS IMPACT

Zinter is the ninth player to commit to Notre Dame in the 2023 class and the seventh defensive player. He joins Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean star Drayk Bowen as linebackers in the class.

All seven of the defensive commits are ranked as Top 250 players by at least one service and all are composite four-star recruits.

Despite landing four outstanding linebackers in the 2022 class Notre Dame still needed impact talent and at least two linebackers in the 2023 haul, with three being the ideal. Notre Dame has just one linebacker on the roster from the 2021 class (Prince Kollie) and just one from the 2020 class (Jordan Botelho).

Notre Dame also needed a linebacker in the 2023 class that projected as a Mike linebacker, which Zinter clearly does. Landing the Massachusetts native checks all the boxes for Notre Dame.

High ceiling - check

Athletic - check

Long - check

Numbers need - check

Position projection - check

NOTRE DAME FIT

Based on junior film there are some questions about Zinter's size and length, but a growth spurt seems to have happened with him. He showed up to Notre Dame taller and longer than he looked on film, which clearly changed the projection for him.

What Zinter did show on film was impressive athleticism. He plays wide receiver, tight end and outside linebacker/edge for Central Catholic. On offense there are a number of plays where Zinter is allowed to turn loose and really run, and you can see his impressive long speed.

He shows good short-area quickness, top-notch balance and the lateral movement skills needed to play off-ball linebacker. His body control as a tight end should translate quite well to being an inside linebacker. We actually don't see much of him playing off ball linebacker, so there is a lot of projection with his game, but the talent and tools are clearly there.

Playing on the edge puts Zinter in a lot of situations where he has to use his hands, and his block destruction is impressive. He shows the length and hand strength needed to keep blockers off his body and then shed them when he wants to get to the football.

He'll need work when it comes to the finer points of playing inside linebacker due to the fact he doesn't currently play that position. Notre Dame clearly sees that he possesses all the physical traits needed to make that transition, which is why the push was made to add Zinter to the class.

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Irish Breakdown Content

Notre Dame 2021 Roster
Notre Dame 2021 Schedule

Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense

Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board

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