What's Next: Jason Moore Becomes The Sole Focus For Notre Dame DL Recruiting
Notre Dame added a fourth defensive lineman to its elite 2023 haul yesterday when Hagerstown (Md.) Saint James School defensive tackle Devan Houstan joined the class.
Landing Houstan gives Notre Dame a truly outstanding defensive line haul that includes five-star edge Keon Keeley, standout defensive end Brenan Vernon and fellow Top 100 standout Boubacar Traore.
It's a truly impressive haul, but the Notre Dame coaching staff isn't done yet. There is a want and need for one more defensive lineman in this class, and there is no question who the Fighting Irish staff wants to finish off the class.
That would be Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic star end Jason Moore.
WHY MOORE IS IMPORTANT
If Notre Dame ends the class as is its an outstanding haul, of that there is no doubt, and it could easily go down as the nation's best defensive line class in the 2023 class. At the very least it will be one of the three to four best line hauls in the land.
What the Irish staff wants, however, is an elite class. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame defensive staff knows that being dominant up front is a must if the Irish are going to have a championship defense. The staff wants a program changing defensive line class, and to make that happen they need to add Moore.
There are two ways to look at Moore's importance to the class. The first is superficial and more about perception, and that is from a recruiting rankings standpoint. Landing Moore would give Notre Dame five defensive linemen that are ranked among the Top 200 players in the country, the third that ranks as a Top 100 recruit and the second Top 50 recruit on the 247Sports composite rankings.
Keeley ranks as the nation's No. 9 overall player on the composite list, and Vernon ranks as the nation's No. 85 overall player. Traore checks in at No. 150 and Houstan ranks No. 192. Traore is ranked as a Top 100 recruit by two services, which makes three of the current commits that are ranked as Top 100 recruits by at least one service.
Moore - who ranks No. 50 overall - would make that four. The DeMatha star ranks as the nation's No. 39 consensus player according to On3.
Not since it signed Stephon Tuitt, Aaron Lynch and Ishaq Williams back in 2011 has Notre Dame signed more than one Top 50 defensive linemen or three Top 100 defensive linemen in the same class.
While rankings do not impact what happens on the field, that kind of recruiting success does have an impact on how other top recruits perceive the Irish class. It helps the staff sell the direction of the program to players like five-star safety Caleb Downs, five-star athlete Samuel M'Pemba, standout linebacker Jaiden Ausberry and the cornerbacks on the board.
Even more important is the potential on-field impact that Moore would provide. At 6-6 and 260 pounds, Moore brings elite size to the line. Whether it's as a big end or a three-technique, he has the talent to develop into a difference maker up front.
If Moore plays big end, having a 6-6 elite athlete like Keeley on one side and a powerful 6-6 athlete like Moore on the other side would be dangerous. If Moore plays inside it means he would often be side-by-side with Keeley.
Keeley had 16.5 sacks as a junior for Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep.
Moore had 13 sacks as a junior for DeMatha Catholic.
Keeley and Moore both earned Top 50 grades on the Irish Breakdown board, and Keeley, Moore, Vernon and Traore all earned five-star upside grades on the IB board.
HOW MOORE WOULD FIT
Landing five outstanding defensive linemen is great, but the key to maximizing its potential is landing a group that can effectively get as many players on the field as possible. Part of what I love about the current group of commits is how well they fit together, due mainly to the positional flexibility of each commit.
Moore would bring that same kind of value to the class.
The DeMatha standout is mostly an edge player for the Stags, and he absolutely has the skills to play the Big End position in the Notre Dame defense. Despite his size (265 pounds) and massive frame, Moore's length, burst off the ball and range allow him to fit into the position much like former standout Khalid Kareem did. Kareem was an outstanding run defender on the edge and Moore projects to be a dominant edge run defender as well.
Moore has a somewhat raw pass rushing repertoire at the moment, and as that part of his game is enhanced it will project his edge pass rushing potential to an even greater degree.
I could also see Moore sliding inside as a three-technique, both in the base package and especially in third-down looks. Moore's elite length and impressive natural strength project quite well inside, and he does a good job keeping his pads low off the ball, which is key for a 6-6 inside defender.
As Moore's hand play improves his ability to beat blocks will take off, and that will make him a dominant run defender no matter where he lines up.
Where Moore's interior projection is especially elite is as a pass rusher. He could be a quality edge rusher in college, but as an interior player his pass rushing potential could be elite.
Keeley is the pure Vyper of the group, but he could play Big End in some situations.
Moore projects as a Big End and a three-technique.
Traore projects as a Big End and a three-technique.
Vernon projects as a Big End, three-technique and possibly even a nose guard.
Houstan projects as a nose guard and a three-technique.
The combinations that defensive line coach Al Washington and defensive coordinator Al Golden could utilize with this group has to excite the staff. Combine that with the impact talent that Moore would add and it makes it very easy to understand why the Irish staff wants to add the DeMatha standout to the class.
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Notre Dame 2023 Commits Board - Defense
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Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense
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