2022 Offensive Lineman Calls Notre Dame ‘Iconic’
Notre Dame and offensive line coach Jeff Quinn continue to hand out offers in the 2022 class, and one of the latest went out to talented Edmond (Okla.) Deer Creek standout tackle Jacob Sexton.
Sexton, a 6-5, 285-pound offensive tackle, pick up his Notre Dame offer Tuesday after a conversation with Quinn. He represents the 11th offensive line offer Notre Dame has extended in the 2022 class, as the staff looks to gain ground early on 2022 talent after struggling to recruit the 2021 class.
The standout lineman visited Notre Dame back in November when the Irish hosted Boston College, as he was a part of a huge recruiting weekend for Notre Dame. While he didn’t get to talk to any coaches, Sexton took it all in and got a true feel for the campus.
“I think Notre Dame is so iconic,” Sexton said. “Everyone has seen the movie Rudy, and after seeing something in a movie, then in person, it makes it really cool.”
Sexton figured a Notre Dame offer would come after his visit in November, but he was not sure when. Since he could not talk to any coaches during his visit, Sexton knew he was interested in Notre Dame, but it was tough for him to gauge their interest in him, until this week.
“Coach Quinn and I talked on the phone for a while, then he finally gave me the offer,” explained Sexton. “He stuck around on the phone to talk to my parents and I as well, which was really awesome.”
The Oklahoman figures to be one of the most sought after offensive line recruits in the 2022 class. Just in the past week, Sexton has received offers from Alabama, Penn State, Michigan, TCU and Virginia Tech. Despite the stress that comes with all the attention he is receiving, Sexton is doing his best to take it all in stride.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Sexton said of his recruiting process. “I have really tried to enjoy it. I am looking forward to seeing how all of this ends up down the road.”
With COVID-19 making recruiting so difficult for both coaching staffs and recruits, Sexton and I spoke at length about why he thought his offer sheet has exploded over the past week with offers from big-time schools.
“I think that after one big school offers, it makes the other schools think that they need to offer as well,” Sexton explained.
Being from Oklahoma, it might seem natural that Sexton would want to play for the hometown team, but he explained that may not exactly be the case. Sexton grew up a Texas Longhorns fan, as his father went to the University of Texas. Both Texas and Oklahoma remain huge players in the coveted lineman’s recruitment, but Sexton has priorities beyond proximity to home.
“Academics are definitely a priority for me. I want to earn a good degree,” said Sexton. “Distance doesn’t affect me, as long as I can trust the coaches and I like the area.”
Notre Dame can be a major player here if it keeps the pressure on Sexton long-term. Oklahoma and Texas are the teams to beat, but things can change rapidly once Notre Dame gets Sexton on campus. Keep an eye on this one.
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