Notre Dame Football Recruiting
Notre Dame and Ossai the Perfect Match?
February 23, 2017
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It was only a matter of time before Notre Dame offered 2018 Oak Ridge (Texas) defensive end Joseph Ossai. The 6-foot-4, 219-pounder is quickly becoming one of the nation’s most wanted prospects and on Thursday, the Irish made sure Ossai knew he was wanted in South Bend.
“They just offered him a little bit ago,” Oak Ridge recruiting coordinator Kevin Goodwin told Irish Sports Daily. “He was excited in his way. He’s a very calm young man. He understands the process and you have to really know him when excitement comes across him.”
Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Houston, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M and many more want the four-star prospect and they want him to get after the quarterback.
“Every program wants him to rush the passer,” Goodwin said. “He has an explosiveness that coaches love. Joseph has pure speed off the edge.”
“He’s at 219 pounds right now,” explained Goodwin. “He does a leg on the mile relay for our track team. Once he gets to a campus, he will be 240 pounds within months.”
There is good reason Ossai looks long and that’s because he is. Ossai has the height programs crave but he has the wingspan that could make him an elite college player.
“Coaches always laugh when I talk about him because the first thing I say is that Joseph can stand straight up and scratch his knees,” laughed Goodwin. “He has a 6-foot-11 wingspan. He has all the reach you could ever want but he has broad shoulders too.”
It’s still a little too early to get a good read on where the Irish stand with Ossai but there are many things working in Notre Dame’s favor, including some of his Nigerian background.
“He’s a devout Catholic and I think that’s going to mean a lot to him and his family,” said Goodwin. “He definitely is a kid that can leave the state and part of that is due to his culture. His family is totally about education. That’s why they came to America.
“Anything that can fit that education part, I honestly believe will be a big part of his decision. He has aspirations to be an engineer. Anything that can help him do that will be a great thing in his recruitment.”
Ossai recorded 46 tackles and 8.5 sacks in 2016.
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“They just offered him a little bit ago,” Oak Ridge recruiting coordinator Kevin Goodwin told Irish Sports Daily. “He was excited in his way. He’s a very calm young man. He understands the process and you have to really know him when excitement comes across him.”
Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Houston, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M and many more want the four-star prospect and they want him to get after the quarterback.
“Every program wants him to rush the passer,” Goodwin said. “He has an explosiveness that coaches love. Joseph has pure speed off the edge.”
Joseph can stand straight up and scratch his knees.
At first glance, Ossai looks a little wiry but Goodwin believes it’s only a matter of time before the Texas native looks much different. “He’s at 219 pounds right now,” explained Goodwin. “He does a leg on the mile relay for our track team. Once he gets to a campus, he will be 240 pounds within months.”
There is good reason Ossai looks long and that’s because he is. Ossai has the height programs crave but he has the wingspan that could make him an elite college player.
“Coaches always laugh when I talk about him because the first thing I say is that Joseph can stand straight up and scratch his knees,” laughed Goodwin. “He has a 6-foot-11 wingspan. He has all the reach you could ever want but he has broad shoulders too.”
It’s still a little too early to get a good read on where the Irish stand with Ossai but there are many things working in Notre Dame’s favor, including some of his Nigerian background.
“He’s a devout Catholic and I think that’s going to mean a lot to him and his family,” said Goodwin. “He definitely is a kid that can leave the state and part of that is due to his culture. His family is totally about education. That’s why they came to America.
“Anything that can fit that education part, I honestly believe will be a big part of his decision. He has aspirations to be an engineer. Anything that can help him do that will be a great thing in his recruitment.”
Ossai recorded 46 tackles and 8.5 sacks in 2016.
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