Notre Dame Signs Linebacker Nolan Ziegler
Notre Dame has signed 2022 Michigan linebacker Nolan Ziegler.
NOLAN ZIEGLER PROFILE
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Mich.
High School: Catholic Central
Height: 6-4
Weight: 205
2021 Stats - Defense: 105 tackles, 7 sacks
2021 Stats - Offense: 67 catches, 1,343 yards (20.0) 25 touchdowns
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5
Offers: Notre Dame, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Cincinnati, Virginia tech
Recruited By: Clark Lea, Marcus Freeman
Player Comp: Pete Werner, Ohio State
RECRUITING RANKINGS
247Sports: 4-star - No. 231 overall - No. 17 linebacker
Rivals: 4-star - No. 24 outside linebacker
On3: 4-star - No. 30 linebacker
ESPN: 4-star - No. 33 outside linebacker
Composite: 4-star - No. 308 overall - No. 31 linebacker
FILM ANALYSIS
The first thing that stands out about Ziegler is his combination of length and athleticism. He's listed between 6-3 to 6-4, and he has very long arms, plus the kind of frame that should allow him to add plenty of weight. He's a tough young defender that shows impressive natural pop, but as one would expect of a prep player that weighs 205 pounds, there is still plenty of work needed from a strength and size standpoint.
Ziegler is an impressive athlete. He's fluid and shows easy change of direction skills, but he can also explode downhill when he needs to do so. His balance is impressive, and his short-area quickness combines well with his long speed to make him an incredibly rangy defender on the second level. His defensive production shows his explosiveness, and he's also very instinctive, a great combination. You could really see his athleticism this season as a wide receiver. His numbers on offense this season were outstanding, but you got to see him really turn it loose on offense.
Ziegler is physical and more than willing to mix it up as a defender and a blocker on offense. His length and strong hands allow him to keep blockers off his body, and he showed off impressive run game instincts. He needs technique work in coverage and he must show better route recognition, but he has the length and athleticism to become a dominant pass defender as a linebacker.
NOTRE DAME FIT
Ziegler has played both safety and sort of a rover in high school, and he was a dominant wideout as a senior. For Notre Dame he projects as a rover that is very much in the Drue Tranquill mold. He's extremely long, he has exceptional range and he closes on the ball extremely well. As his coverage instincts improve you'll really see his game take off. Notre Dame is going to have a hard time keeping him off the field as a freshman, either as a rover or on special teams.
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Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board
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