Notre Dame Ready To Host A Very Important Group Of Recruits

After arguably the biggest recruiting weekend of the year, Notre Dame is preparing for another notable group of visitors this weekend. From committed and uncommitted recruits alike, South Bend will be littered with some of the most talented 2023 recruits in the nation. The Irish program is riding a lot of momentum in recent weeks and they will need to continue that with these upcoming visits.

With another home run weekend, the Notre Dame program has the opportunity to continue their charge towards the top overall recruiting class in 2023. Let’s look at who will be on campus this weekend and where things stand with the Irish currently.

NOTRE DAME COMMITS

Despite a smaller list of visitors in comparison to the previous one, the Irish will still have at least four 2023 commits on campus this weekend. Tight end Cooper Flanagan, offensive lineman Joe Otting and defensive linemen Brenan Vernon and Boubacar Traore are all headed to campus this weekend.

This visit, first and foremost, is important for each recruit’s own comfort in the program. They are there for themselves and their families to enjoy everything that South Bend has to offer. The added bonus is having each of the talented commits there to help sell the program, and to convince the uncommitted players to join them in the class.

POTENTIAL ANSWERS TO CORNER RECRUITING

Notre Dame is hosting two truly important cornerback recruits over the next couple of days, and the Irish have a chance to close on at least one of those two, while keeping close tabs on the other. It’s important that the Irish leave this weekend as big winners with these two talented defensive backs.

Micah Bell, Cornerback - The 5-11, 165-pound speedster is arguably the most important uncommitted recruit on campus this weekend. With no current cornerback commits in the 2023 cycle, Bell is the massive upside that the Irish need in the program long term. Having only been offered in the middle of March, he hasn’t been on the board for very long. Notre Dame has quickly made a tremendous impact despite him not making it on campus yet. They were featured in his top ten schools that he dropped in earlier this month. With so many high academic institutions included in that list (Vanderbilt, Harvard, Stanford and Duke), it was a very good sign for the Irish standing with Bell. Add in the fact that Notre Dame is Bell’s lone visit scheduled leading up to his July 1st decision and it’s tough not to feel great about the program’s chances. They’ll have the opportunity to close with the nation’s No. 55 overall player (247Sports) this weekend. Bell has become an especially important piece to the overall 2023 picture, and a must get for the Notre Dame program.

Jasiah Wagoner, Cornerback - Wagoner is another talented defender who hasn’t been on the board for Notre Dame very long. The Irish offered the 5-11, 170-pound defensive back back in the beginning of May. Strong intrigue quickly followed from Wagoner, who is set to make his first visit to campus this weekend. He brings a steady brand of football, exhibiting some of the best eye discipline and football IQ of any 2023 defensive back in the nation. In many ways his game is reminiscent of former Washington Husky star Byron Murphy. With cornerback board numbers thin and the Irish still needing two corners, the staff must make a strong impression on the nation's No. 120 overall player in the country (247Sports).

OFFENSIVE WEAPONS

Notre Dame is also hosting two of the more important skill position players left on its board. The Irish seemed to be in a solid position to close on one before he opted to extend his decision making timeline. Either way, this presents a huge opportunity to keep the momentum moving forward for each playmaker.

Jeremiyah Love, Running Back - Arguably the most unique recruit in the 2023 cycle, Love profiles most favorably as a running back for Notre Dame but he also believes that he could potentially play wide receiver or defensive back at the next level. The 6-1, 195-pound athlete presents dynamic straight line speed and overall athleticism to assume a variety of roles on the next level. Love ranks as the No. 49 overall player in the country according to Rivals. Often looked as a “luxury piece” in the class from an outside perspective, Love is someone that Notre Dame very much wants in this class. Things have been trending in the right direction here, especially with the Irish making a firm push for him in recent months. The staff has the opportunity to close on Love this weekend despite hard charges from Michigan, Alabama and Texas A&M.

Jaden Greathouse, Wide Receiver - The 6-2, 210-pound pass catcher is an incredibly important prospect for Notre Dame in the 2023 class. The Westlake star is one of the more productive pass catchers in all of high school football, combining his route running prowess, physicality and hand strength to profile as a ready made playmaker who can affect a game in multiple ways. Ranked as the No. 69 player in the nation (Rivals), Greathouse floor as an early contributor is something that Notre Dame desperately needs in the class. The Irish have been trending well with Greathouse since his visit to campus for the Blue-Gold game. It was once thought that this could be the final piece in the puzzle to close until Greathouse recently announced that he will be pushing his commitment back into his senior season. Trying to convince him otherwise may be the big objective for this weekend.

ELITE LINEMAN READY TO GET BACK ON CAMPUS

Notre Dame's offensive line board is down to two players, and they are two of the nation's best tackles. One (Monroe Freeling) visited last weekend and the other is coming back to campus this weekend.

Charles Jagusah, Offensive Tackle - Jagusah wraps up his summer official visits this weekend in South Bend. He's been to Michigan, Missouri and Arkansas already, and now he is visiting Notre Dame before he enters decision-making mode. Jagusah is returning with his mother, and as IB has reported for weeks, that was a final key ingredient to him being able to make a decision. Jagusah is an elite prospect that ranks as the nation's No. 7 overall player according to On3. Notre Dame has made him a priority from the moment Harry Hiestand arrived back as the line coach. Notre Dame will have its chance to close this one out, but it will need to convince Jagusah of his fit and convince this mother that Notre Dame is the best place for her son.

IT’S CLOSING TIME

With 15 commits already in the 2023 class, Notre Dame is set to make a run at the top overall class in the cycle nationally. They have a big opportunity this weekend to continue that momentum, with multiple talented recruits seeming to be on the cusp of decisions.

The Irish 2023 class currently ranks as the No. 1 class by both Rivals and 247Sports. The momentum looks to continue with this next big recruiting weekend.

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Irish Breakdown Content

Notre Dame 2022 Roster
Notre Dame 2022 Schedule

Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board
Notre Dame 2023 Commits Board - Offense
Notre Dame 2023 Commits Board - Defense

Notre Dame 2023 Scholarship Offers
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense

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