Notre Dame Was A "Dream Offer" For 2024 DE Anelu Lafaele

Notre Dame football hasn’t frequented Hawaii a ton from a recruiting perspective, but when they have, they have had tremendous success doing so. Of course the first name that comes to mind for Irish fans will be former standout linebacker Manti Te’o, who left the program as one of the most decorated players in its storied history.

The program has also had several other wins in the state, including current Notre Dame linebacker Marist Liufau, defensive end Jordan Botelho and linebacker Kahanu Kia, who is currently serving on a LDS mission. Former Irish wide receiver Robby Toma, as well as defensive lineman Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa and Kona Schwenke also came from the islands.

On Monday, the Irish staff extended an offer to 2024 Honolulu (Hawaii) St. Louis standout defensive end Anelu Lafaele, who is a former teammate of Botelho. Hearing from Al Washington was a massive moment for Lafaele, who is beginning to gain incredible traction on the recruiting trail.

"It was such an amazing moment,” Lafaele said. "I was just super happy that Coach Washington was willing to take a shot on me. It truly felt like a dream.”

The Hawaii standout has been garnering the attention of several standout programs, including several recent offers. Things are beginning to heat up so Notre Dame getting in relatively early is a very positive sign.

"My recruitment has been going good so far,” he said. "There are a handful of schools doing good so far. Some of them are Arizona, Hawaii, Cal Berkeley, Oregon State, and Wisconsin. I’m excited now to get to really know the Notre Dame coaches.”

From a criteria perspective, Notre Dame seems to offer an attractive option for Lafaele. For him, it’ll be about which program checks off the most boxes.

“The things that are important to me in selecting a school are the opportunities on the field and off of it,” said Lafaele. “I want to be able to play early and get a good education. Another thing that is one of the most important things to me is relationships with the coaches.”

With his relationship with Botelho, as well as the program’s successes with Hawaiian born players, it is sure to intrigue Lafaele tremendously. Look for the Irish staff to really begin to build that relationship up from here.

Lafaele is considered a four-star recruit by 247Sports. He ranks as the No. 17 edge in the class on their ranking, as well as the No. 2 player in the state of Hawaii.

The 6-3, 220-pound standout defender has an offer list that continues to expand. Some of his notable offers include the Irish, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Utah, Washington State, Oregon State, Colorado, Arizona State, Cal, and Arizona among others.

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