Notre Dame Recruiting | The Week That Was
Jaylen McClain released his Top 10 last week and it was no surprise that Notre Dame was included.
The 2024 New Jersey safety (pictured above) included the Irish along with USC, Penn State, Oregon, Michigan, Michigan State, Rutgers, Stanford, Tennessee and Georgia.
McClain’s head coach at Seton Hall Prep, Bill Fitzgerald, was the offensive coordinator for St. Peter’s Prep when former Irish quarterback Brandon Wimbush was leading the squad, so he’s plenty familiar with Notre Dame.
Fitzgerald thinks Notre Dame would be “a great fit” for McClain, who sports Ivy League grades along with Power-5 talent.
“They definitely provide the things academically, athletically, and then after college too with the alumni base and how that can help him and how he can be a part of it,” said Fitzgerald.
“I think that that's a great fit and he's definitely got lots thinking to do and I know Notre Dame is a big part of those thoughts.”
Look for McClain to get to South Bend at some point in the coming months to get a closer look.
Irish defensive coordinator and New Jersey native is doing a great job keeping Notre Dame front and center with the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder.
WILLIAMS WILL KNOW PLENTY ABOUT ND: Jack Muldoon can’t even try to hide it. The head coach at Monsignor Bonner High School is a huge Notre Dame fan.
His coaches know it and his players know it, including 2024 edge rusher Mylachi Williams.
As Williams learned he was being offered a scholarship by Notre Dame last week, he shot his head coach a knowing look.
Muldoon is absolutely not going to steer Williams toward the Irish by any means, but should the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder have any questions about Notre Dame, he knows who to ask.
Regardless of his coach’s appreciation for the Irish, the offer was a huge deal for Williams, who also has offers from schools like Penn State, Pitt, Boston College, Duke, West Virginia and Texas A&M among others.
The “tentative plan” is for Williams to get out to South Bend in April around the Blue-Gold Game.
Muldoon and his staff used the versatile Williams similarly to how the Irish use their Vyper, allowing him to lead his league in sacks, finish second in tackles for a loss and pull down a pair of interceptions.
“He wears left tackles out, man,” Muldoon laughs. “He just wears them out. He's relentless.”
A young junior with an extreme wingspan and an equally extreme work ethic, Muldoon and college coaches see a prospect with an extremely high ceiling.
Penn State and Texas A&M are likely to receive visits in the coming months and could be among the stiffest competition for the Irish.
COULD KAHOUN HAVE A HOMECOMING?: Bodie Kahoun may live in Virginia now, but the 2024 linebacker grew up in Zionsville, Ind.
So, last week’s offer from Notre Dame meant that much more to the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder.
Kahoun has gone on a scholarship run in early 2023, collecting offers from Virginia Tech, Tennessee and NC State in addition to Notre Dame in recent weeks.
Kahoun’s coach at Patrick Henry High School, Alan Fiddler, explained how that explosion was linked to a position change for Kahoun, who was a 6-foot-1, 185-pound safety before moving to linebacker this past season.
Kahoun already has plans to return to Indiana to check out a spring practice at Notre Dame on March 22nd. He’s looking forward to getting a better feel for the culture of the program the campus and the linebacker position at Notre Dame.
Kahoun will also be looking to speak with the Irish lacrosse staff.
Currently committed to Ohio State for lacrosse, Kahoun is hoping to play both in college, but knows that could be challenging.
He’s got a few other visits in mind for next month, including Tennessee and Penn State, but this isn’t expected to be a long, drawn-out process.
Kahoun is expected to have a final decision sometime in April.