Notre Dame Looking To Follow Up With Another Elite Linebacker Haul In 2023
Building an elite roster for Notre Dame requires landing classes loaded with top talent year after year. Notre Dame started its journey to build an elite linebacker haul in the last two cycles, beginning with Top 100 recruit Prince Kollie in the 2021 class and then following that up with the nation's best linebacker haul in the 2022 class.
After landing Joshua Burnham, Jaylen Sneed, Nolan Ziegler and Niuafe Tuihalamaka the Fighting Irish staff is in position to once again shoot for stars in 2023. Numbers won’t be an issue. The objective is two-fold for the staff; land the best talent they can and make sure the players they land fit the system and fit well together.
BIG TIME EARLY GRAB
The Irish again got off to a great start in 2023, landing a commitment from Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean linebacker Drayk Bowen, who ranks as the nation's No. 36 overall player on the 247Sports composite list.
Positionally, Bowen is an interesting player to peg. He has the frame and athleticism to potentially work from either the Will or Rover spots. Stylistically speaking, he is an ideal fit into the Will position. His ability to work in pursuit is eye popping, boasting plus speed with an incredibly energetic style.
Bowen also presents impressive coverage upside, showcasing an all around profile that is a huge bonus on the second level. With his intentions to play both football and baseball, playing weight could be an interesting conversation. With his movement and assumed lower playing weight, a Rover designation seems possible. However, Will just seems a whole lot more natural. For the sake of this exercise, we’re going to assume that intention.
Adding a partner inside that possesses even more length would be ideal.
LET’S GET LONG AND ATHLETIC
Perhaps the most talented player on the board is Denton (Texas) Ryan five-star Anthony Hill. On tape, Hill looks like he is about to head to the NFL instead of college. He is an explosive mover at 6-2 and 225 pounds, with absurd hit power. Full transparency, getting Hill out of the state of Texas seems very unlikely, but Notre Dame's staff is trying. With the class Notre Dame pulled in 2022 at linebacker, they have the luxury of shooting to the stars at the position.
Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout Samuel M’Pemba is another highly touted player who brings a ready-made next level frame at 6-4 and 230 pounds. Like Hill, M’Pemba is an explosive and rangy linebacker that can create a ton of power in some very tight windows. In my opinion he is an ideal Mike backer on the next level who is still growing into his frame. Notre Dame has also talked to M'Pemba about playing anywhere from Rover to Will to Vyper in spots as well.
Perhaps the most underrated linebacker on the board is Perkasie (Pa.) Pennridge star Phil Picciotti. His game resembles a more explosive Bo Bauer, bringing some big time explosiveness and hit power downhill. Picciotti has impressive range and has the ability to run, hit and play with the instincts needed to thrive at Mike. Penn State could be tough to beat, but head coach Marcus Freeman and staff is doing their due diligence to swing this one in their direction.
One of the more interesting players on the board, Pittsburgh (Pa.) Brashear standout Ta’Mere Robinson again brings a ton of length to the position at a listed 6-4 and 210 pounds. Robinson is still developing his power profile but brings an enticing blend of straight line speed and short area quickness. He was originally supposed to be in attendance for Notre Dame’s recent Junior Day - but weather did not allow him to make the trip. A junior season knee injury is something to keep an eye on for Robinson, who could fit into the Rover and Will positions.
BREAKING THE MOLD
Although Notre Dame covets length at linebacker, it also values players that can really, really run. That is why Notre Dame has been pushing so hard for so long to get in the mix with Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab star Jaiden Ausberry, the No. 33 player in the country according to Rivals.
Ausberry is listed at just 6-2 and 205 pounds, but he has excellent range and surprising power for a player his size. He projects at both the Rover and Will positions.
The Irish have added several 2023 linebacker offers over the last couple of weeks. In a different mold, Tampa Bay (Fla.) Jesuit linebacker Troy Bowles is a fast flow instinctive linebacker who doesn’t bring the same level of length as the others already listed.
The son of current Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, the 6-1, 205-pounder plays with the mental side that you would expect from a coach’s son. If Notre Dame does make a huge push for Bowles, and secures the talented linebacker, it could be a signal that the Irish may actually prefer Bowen at Rover early on.
DON’T FORGET ROVER
There are also a couple potential rovers that Notre Dame has a high opinion of. The most talented of the group, the ultra talented Nyckoles Harbor wears a variety of hats for Washington ( D.C.) Archbishop Carroll. A premier football and track and field athlete, Harbor is being recruited everywhere from wide receiver, tight end, defensive end and linebacker depending on what program you’re talking about.
Notre Dame does currently envision him at rover, potentially showcasing his rare length and movement skills working from depth. The possibilities would be endless for a player of Harbor’s caliber from the second level. This one will be a tough recruitment to pull out. Everyone is after Harbor, salivating over this high level of talent. Add in his intent to also star on the track in college and this one could get tricky for Notre Dame.
An absolute take for the Irish right now, Cambridge (Mass.) Buckingham Browne and Nichols School athlete Ronan Hanafin will have his choice as to what side of the ball he begins his career on. While he could very well be at wide receiver on the offensive side, Hanafin has the type of length and athleticism at 6-3 and 205 pounds to make an intriguing fit at rover.
It isn’t just about adding talent at linebacker for Notre Dame. It’s about adding talent that all fits together. After what the Irish added in 2022, they again have a chance to sign another notable class this cycle.
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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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