Film Room: 2021 DT Commit Gabriel Rubio
Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston has recruited his position at a high level in recent seasons, and he’s off to another strong start in the 2021 class. This summer, Elston secured a commitment from one of the top big men in the entire country when St. Peter’s (Mo.) Lutheran defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio committed to Notre Dame.
The 6-5, 290-pound Rubio had been tied to Notre Dame for some time, and he was never shy about his affinity for the Irish. When he committed to Notre Dame in June it gave the Irish a much-needed boost in size and power.
Here’s my analysis of what kind of player Notre Dame is getting in Rubio.
RECRUITING PROFILE
Rivals: 4-star - No. 86 national - No. 7 DT
247 Sports: 4-star - No. 105 national - No. 8 DT
ESPN: 4-star - No. 146 national - No. 9 DT
Offers: Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, LSU, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Michigan State, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Vanderbilt, Cal, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Louisville, Minnesota
Irish Maven Grade: 4-star
Upside Grade: 4.5-star
SIZE - STRENGTH - ATHLETICISM
Notre Dame has thrived in recent seasons at landing quick, penetrating and disruptive defensive tackles, but landing the thick, stout, powerful nose tackle types has been harder. There are players that fit that mold (Ja’Mion Franklin, Hunter Spears), and the Irish did land a talented nose tackle in the 2020 class when it hauled in Aidan Keanaaina, but more depth was needed to get the roster where it needs to be.
That’s what Rubio brings to the table.
He’s listed at 6-5 and 290 pounds, but when you meet him in person you quickly realize there is a lot of room for Rubio to add really good weight to his frame. He’s a well put together young man that is in good shape, and he has room to add the kind of mass you want in a nose tackle when you go against the premier offenses in the country.
Rubio is a powerful player for his age, showing a strong punch and powerful lower body, but he’s far from reaching his max in this department. He has above-average arm length, but his combination of height, length and leverage make this a strong part of his game.
The Lutheran standout brings good vertical athleticism to the game. He shows a good vertical burst off the line, and plays with good pad level for such a long and thick athlete. Rubio has good short-area quickness and closing speed, traits that allow him to dominate up the middle of the defense.
Rubio doesn’t have ideal lateral speed, which I think makes him a better fit for the nose tackle position, but the nose is more of a vertical position, and that’s where his athletic talents are at their best.
TECHNIQUE
Rubio’s father played in the NFL and his head coach - Arlen Harris - also played in the NFL. That tutelage has helped Rubio develop quickly from a technical standpoint. His technical game has made significant strides in the last year, and there is still room for growth.
One of the first things that stands out about Rubio - who has been measured anywhere from 6-5 to 6-5 1/2 - is that he plays the game with impressive leverage. That can be difficult for tall players, especially when they are young, but Rubio thrives in that department. He plays against smaller competition, and in some ways that might be a concern, but it helps him from a technical standpoint because he has to focus so much on staying low.
You can see an example in the above clip. Rubio comes off the ball quickly, keeps his pads low and gains ground into the backfield. You can also see his motor on this play, as he helped clean up the play on the sideline despite lining up at nose tackle on this particular snap.
Rubio tends to lose his leverage when he plays end for Lutheran, but when he plays inside he thrives at keeping his pads low. He won’t be spending any time at end for Notre Dame, so this is an area where he grades out quite high.
The Lutheran standout is also an efficient player, showing a good vertical burst, strong hand play and solid footwork for a junior. His footwork is the one area where I would most like to see his game improve, especially when he has to change direction. Rubio is a strong tackler thanks to his power, but coming to balance a bit better when he arrives at the ball will help him improve even more in this department.
RUN DEFENSE
Defending the run is where Rubio’s game has the most upside, especially as he transitions to playing consistently up the middle. He plays all over for Lutheran, lining up at nose tackle, three-technique and he’ll also play on the end quite a bit. For Notre Dame, he’ll be a pure interior player, and his potential to stop the run will be an asset.
Rubio’s size and power should allow him to be a space eater at the next level. Those traits also give him the potential to be a plugger inside, which means not only eating up blocks, but getting a push with power. Having a nose tackle that can get a push up the middle is a tremendous asset for a run defense.
Rubio also has powerful hands, and he’s been schooled well on how to use them.
There are many snaps on film just like this, but I used this clip because Rubio is going against a blocker that weighs 280 pounds. Rubio dispenses with his opponent with use, executing a veteran push-pull move. He quickly pushes the blocker back, which keeps his opponent off his body. The moment he gets extension, Rubio then throws the blocker aside, which is impressive considering the size of the man he is beating.
His ability to use his hands and power to get off blocks is as good as you’ll find for his age.
The vertical quickness I mentioned above and will show below is also an asset for Rubio in the run game. He’s able to quickly get into gaps and can be disruptive, making him potentially much more than a space eater. That is ultimately what will separate a good nose tackle from an elite one.
PASS RUSH
Rubio is a dominant pass rusher at the high school level, and in five games he’s already racked up 11 sacks and 19 quarterback hurries. Part of that speaks to the quality of the competition he faces, but it also speaks to his ability to penetrate and get into the backfield for such a massive player.
You can see the kind of initial burst I’m talking about here:
This clip shows several attributes, including his quick hands and technique, but also his ability to quickly get vertical. This is an example of the efficiency I mentioned earlier, but also shows a good burst for a young 290-pounder.
You can see as Rubio closes in on the quarterback and sees the signal-caller getting ready to throw, he throws his hands up and breaks up the pass, which shows off his instincts and feel for the game.
I don’t expect Rubio to be a huge sack player in college, but his combination of skills will make him a threat that opponents must account for as a pocket destructor and penetrator.
SUMMARY
There is so much to like about Rubio’s game, and despite the fact he’s well schooled in how to play, he’s far from a finished product. He’s a young player whose game has plenty of room for growth from a size, strength and technique standpoint. But when you have a player that puts as much into getting better as Rubio, the floor is much higher than it is with both big men.
You can see it on film, but it was screaming at me this summer when I saw Rubio at the Notre Dame Lineman Camp. This is a young man who loves playing the game, and plays it with an exceptional motor. He had already earned a scholarship offer from Notre Dame and had already silently committed, so he had nothing to prove at the camp, but it didn’t stop Rubio from playing like some unknown prospect trying to earn a scholarship.
Finding big me with that kind of motor is hard to do, and it has to be one of the many things that attracted Notre Dame to Rubio as a prospect.
RUBIO GRADES
Size/Frame: 87
Strength/Toughness: 87
Athletic Skills: 79
Run Game: 85
Pass Rush: 77
Technique/Hands: 84
Intangibles: 93
Overall Grade: 4.0-star (Top 250 caliber player)
Upside Grade: 4.5-star (Top 50 caliber player)
GRADE KEY
90-100 – Elite
80-89 – Very Good to Outstanding
70-79 – Solid to Above Average
60-69 – Below Average to Average
50-59 – Poor
OVERALL/UPSIDE GRADE KEY
5.0 – Elite (Top 25 Caliber Player)
4.5 – Outstanding (Top 50 Caliber Player)
4.0 – Very Good (Top 250 Caliber Player)
3.5 – Above Average (Top 350 Caliber Player)
3.0 – Solid (Top 500 Caliber Player or Lower)
Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178
Visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/IrishMaven/