Joe Rudolph Clearly Has A Type At Notre Dame
Notre Dame landed another massive commitment on Tuesday from 2025 Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School offensive tackle Matty Augustine, who chose the Irish over finalists Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin. On film, there is a lot to get excited about. Augustine’s combination of size, length, athleticism and upside brings a lot of possibilities to the table.
With the third offensive line commit in the class, and potentially the class solidified at the position, we are also getting a very clear picture for what Joe Rudolph might value in his offensive lineman. When evaluating each player, it’s easy to see some big similarities. Coach Rudolph clearly has a type.
2024 RECRUITING CLASS
When it comes to really breaking down the Notre Dame 2024 offensive line class, it wasn’t the best indicator for the type of recruits that Coach Rudolph would target. When he first took over, the staff already had a commitment from Peter Jones. They were also already in a good spot with both Guerby Lambert and Styles Prescod. Those were more examples of continuing and closing on a board, not building it.
The one player that Rudolph did gravitate towards was Anthonie Knapp, who wasn’t on the Irish radar before he came aboard. Knapp was a player he was recruiting heavily at Virginia Tech and still wanted to pursue when he made the transition. Knapp, who is right around 6-4 and 270 pounds, was a recruit that Rudolph had worked out while at Virginia Tech and was super excited about.
When you watch Knapp’s film, it’s easy to like him. Despite only being 6-4, he is rumored to have around 34 inch arms, which is a great number. He is also a super physical offensive lineman that plays to the echo or the whistle. Would this be Coach Rudolph’s prototype?
2025 RECRUITING CLASS
When you’re looking for what Coach Rudolph is looking for, the 2025 class is going to be a much better indicator. The three commits each bring some similar qualities to the table.
They landed their first commitment back in December from Wallingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall standout Will Black, who is a player that visited Notre Dame last offseason when he camped with the team. Due to his performance, Black received an offer from the staff. Black then became a player that Notre Dame would push for. The 6-7, 295-pound offensive tackle brings a smooth athletic profile to the table, while also possessing a good level of physicality.
Augustine has a similar background with the Irish. He was actually camping at Notre Dame the same weekend as Black, also ending the camp with an offer. At 6-7 and 290 pounds, Augustine is basically the same listed size as Black. His frame is long and has the upside to add a substantial amount of mass down the road. At the time, Augustine was built as a big of a gamble while betting on athletic gifts. In the end, the Irish staff trusted their evaluation.
Of the three offensive line commits, Waukesha (Wisc.) Catholic Memorial star Owen Strebig had been on the board the longest. He was offered last March and has been a player the staff has valued tremendously for a long time. Like the other two, Strebig is a massive offensive tackle at 6-8 and 290 pounds. He did not camp like Black and Augustine, but brings a similar size and length profile, and nasty streak to the table.
RUDOLPH’S TYPE
When evaluating the priority offensive line targets in Coach Rudolph’s brief time in South Bend, especially in the 2025 class, there are certain commonalities that we can come across. The biggest thing that jumps out is size. Rudolph clearly values offensive tackle body types, which is very similar to what Harry Hiestand tended to look for. Each player from 2025 has size, length and enough athleticism to stay on the outside.
The three commits also all have high level physicality. These aren’t just big athletes. Strebig, Black and Augustine each play with a mean streak and love to make their presence felt.
It’s also clear that Coach Rudolph likes to see his targets in person. If you extend it to the 2024 class, three of the four commitments he’s landed from players he has brought to the board all camped with him. They earned their offers and gave him a chance to see them firsthand.
If the 2025 class does conclude with those three commitments, Notre Dame has gotten bigger, stronger and better at offensive tackle moving into the future. Rudolph’s fingerprints are starting to settle into the room and there is a clear prototype he is looking for; large frame, long and physical offensive lineman with massive developmental upside.
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