National Signing Day | Notre Dame Defense
Notre Dame is set to sign 12 defensive prospects in the Class of 2023 on Wednesday.
Capsules will be added as National Letters of Intent are signed.
DT Sean Sevillano Jr.
VITALS
6’2, 300
Clearwater Academy International (Clearwater, Fla.)
OFFERS
Arkansas State, Auburn, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, Duke, Eastern Kentucky, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas, Liberty, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, South Florida, Stanford, Toledo, Troy, UAB, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Western Michigan and Wisconsin
RANKING
ISD: 89 (three-star)
247: 88 (three-star)
Rivals: 5.8 (four-star)
ESPN: 78 (three-star)
Composite: 88.11 (three-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“I really think he has the chance to develop into a disruptive nose tackle with plus pass rush ability for the position. The tools are there for him to be that one day, but I see it as a longer process for him to get there. I think it’s going to take some time, but he has the potential to become a starter and an above average one because of his unique movement skills at the position. Being able to learn from Howard Cross for a year could be huge for him. ”
FAVORITE ISD QUOTE
“It starts with all the coaches. All of them, I think, are great people starting with Coach Freeman. Getting to know him, I can really see his vision for Notre Dame. I believe Coach Washington and Coach (Sebastian) are guys who can develop me to get to the next level. I think they can do that. They've shown that they can do that.
“And Coach Golden, just coming from the NFL, it's a very pro-like system, which I think will get me ready for the NFL.”
SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS
DE Bryce Young
VITALS
6’5, 242
Charlotte Christian High School (Charlotte, N.C.)
OFFERS
BYU, Cal, Charlotte, UConn, Duke, Elon, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Miami, Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford, Tennessee, UAB, USC, Virginia, Wisconsin
RANKING
ISD: 92 (four-star)
247: 94 (four-star)
Rivals: 5.8 (four-star)
ESPN: 82 (four-star)
Composite: 94.88 (four-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“Young was 6-3 208 when he was first offered and had not played defensive line full-time. He’s now 6’5” and closer to 250…and growing. That’s a heck of an evaluation from Al Washington, but it helped that he knew Young’s father wasn’t exactly a small guy. While he’s still relatively raw in certain areas, his traits are special. The twitch, the frame, and the motor are elite. I think he is this year’s version of Joe Alt. There isn’t a player with a higher ceiling in Notre Dame’s class.”
FAVORITE ISD QUOTE
“He brings the energy every time I’m with him. Coach Washington really makes you work for it, which I love.”
SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS
DE Cole Mullins
VITALS
6’4, 240
Mill Creek High School (Hoschton, Ga.)
OFFERS
Cincinnati, Duke, East Carolina, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Miami, North Carolina, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Pitt, South Florida, Stanford, Troy, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Wake Forest and West Virginia
RANKING
ISD: 90 (four-star)
247: 87 (three-star)
Rivals: 5.7 (three-star)
ESPN: 78 (three-star)
Composite: 87.86 (three-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“I think Mullins has a high ceiling. He flashes so much potential with his twitch and pass rush instincts and he hasn’t even specialized at his future position yet. I know some might question why he’s a Vyper if he’s already 240, but it’s more a matter of athleticism than fluidity than it is weight. Isaiah Foskey was a Vyper at 265 and Daelin Hayes was 258. I envision Mullins ending up around that range. I see a lot of the same traits that Hayes had in Mullin’s game. I thought he could have had a monster senior year, but he injured his knee and missed the entire season. That is going to push back Mullin’s timeline at Notre Dame a bit and we’ll see where he’s at after he spends a year in the program.”
JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS
DE Loghan Thomas
VITALS
6’4, 210
St. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio)
OFFERS
Arizona, Cal, Colorado, Duke, Georgia, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisiana, LSU, Marshall, Memphis, Nebraska, North Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Sam Houston, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, UAB, UNLV and USC
RANKING
ISD: 90 (four-star)
247: 91 (four-star)
Rivals: 5.8 (four-star)
ESPN: 81 (four-star)
Composite: 92.52 (four-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“His athletic profile is perfect for the Vyper position with a great first step and explosive lateral twitch. The key for him will be his physical development and learning how to be a consistent every down player. He probably will see the field quicker as a sub-package pass rusher, but he should have the time he needs to fully develop his entire game before competing to start for the Irish.”
FAVORITE ISD QUOTE
“It just felt like family and home at Notre Dame. Since day one, it has all felt genuine. I told Coach Washington first and then I told Coach Freeman later in a meeting. They both asked me if I was being serious. Coach Washington gave me a big hug and picked me up. Coach Freeman was sitting there in shock.”
JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS
LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa
VITALS
6’3, 230
St. John Bosco High School (Bellflower, Calif.)
OFFERS
Abilene Christian, Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Boston College, Charlotte, Florida A&M, Georgia, Kansas, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, UNLV, USC, Washington and Washington State
RANKING
ISD: 94 (four-star)
247: 94 (four-star)
Rivals: 6.1 (five-star)
ESPN: 84 (four-star)
Composite: 96.92 (four-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“Viliamu-Asa has the potential to be one of the best linebackers in college football. His physicality, technical skills, and football intelligence have helped him be incredibly productive at one of the top high school programs in the country. When watching St. John Bosco, he stands out as the best defender on the field on a team filled with FBS prospects. He could be an instant impact player for the Irish and should be a multi-year starter at inside linebacker with the ability to rush the passer in subpackages as well. Havoc plays are like gold for a defense and he has the ability to be a major havoc producer and leader on a championship-level defense.”
FAVORITE ISD QUOTE
“I don't have to compromise (at Notre Dame). They have a great staff, great people, a great opportunity on and off the field. I don't have to compromise the educational part or the football part. I get the best of both worlds.”
SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS
LB Bodie Kahoun
VITALS
6’3, 220
Patrick Henry High School (Roanoke, Va.)
OFFERS
Duke, Indiana, James Madison, Liberty, Marshall, Maryland, NC State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Old Dominion, Stanford, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Virginia Tech and West Virginia
RANKING
ISD: 90 (four-star)
247: 88 (three-star)
Rivals: 5.8 (four-star)
ESPN: 78 (three-star)
Composite: 88.92 (three-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“Physically, Kahoun has an ideal profile to be a Mike or Will linebacker at Notre Dame and he reminds me a lot of Jack Kiser. He took a nice jump as a senior and put up video game tackle numbers with his speed and his ability to make plays on the perimeter standing out. I see him contributing on special teams fairly early for Notre Dame before getting into the mix to play in the base defense.”
FAVORITE ISD QUOTE
“Just the opportunity that it's going to put me in in the real world after college and how much it's going to set me up for life and the relationships with the coaches. Really, it's Notre Dame. It's pretty hard to beat. I personally thought it was just a no-brainer for me.
“It's known globally. Football's going to end one day. A degree from there will set me up for life for the jobs I want to pursue.”
SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS
LB Teddy Rezac
VITALS
6’4, 200
Westside High School (Omaha, Neb.)
OFFERS
Air Force, Army, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Colorado State, Dartmouth, Fordham, Missouri, Navy, Nebraska, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Notre Dame and South Dakota State
RANKING
ISD: 89 (three-star)
247: 88 (three-star)
Rivals: 5.7 (three-star)
ESPN: 77 (three-star)
Composite: 87.69 (three-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“This type of athlete fits the mold of what is required for the position against modern day offenses. That and Rezac’s speed are why he’s an intriguing prospect. He’s still skinny and he’ll have to learn how to play linebacker, but he’s long, instinctive, and a playmaker with great ball skills. This is a prospect who has a chance to hit big two years from now, but patience is going to matter because I don’t see him being a big factor before then.”
FAVORITE ISD QUOTE
“Obviously, I want to go play in the NFL, everyone does, but the average career is basically three years. If I can get set up for the rest of my life with a Notre Dame degree, that's just really ideal for me.
SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS
CB Leonard Moore
VITALS
6’0, 180
Round Rock High School (Round Rock, Texas)
OFFERS
Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Colorado, Duke, Houston, Kansas State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oregon, TCU, Tulsa, UTSA, Vanderbilt and Washington State
RANKING
ISD: 96 (four-star)
247: 96 (four-star)
Rivals: 6.0 (four-star)
ESPN: 86 (four-star)
Composite: 97.13 (four-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“A lot of ceiling depends on how fast he is, which might be the reason why his ranking doesn’t match up with the film. Speed matters at corner and his long speed is one area I’m not quite certain of. However, I’m a big fan of his game and the production speaks for itself. He’s super long and fits the mold as the type of man coverage corner who has thrived while learning from Mike Mickens.”
FAVORITE ISD QUOTE
“It was just different from the time we got up there to the time we left, honestly. It can set you up for life, really; the education, everything and of course they've got good coaches.”
SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS
CB Karson Hobbs
VITALS
6’0, 180
Archbishop Moeller High School (Cincinnati, Ohio)
OFFERS
Akron, Kentucky, Marshall, South Carolina, West Virginia
RANKING
ISD: 90 (four-star)
247: 88 (three-star)
Rivals: 5.7 (three-star)
ESPN: 78 (three-star)
Composite: 88.11 (three-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“I’m a big believer in corners needing specific traits in order to succeed at the college level and I see those traits with Hobbs. He knows how to get physical with receivers and does a great job of making plays on the football in-phase. He mirrors well in man coverage and I think this is another great eval by Mike Mickens. I view him as one of the most underrated prospects in this class.”
FAVORITE ISD QUOTE
“(When ND offered), I had to act I like I've been there before. But really, I haven't been there with Notre Dame, so I was really excited. That's been my dream school forever.”
SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS
S Taebron Bennie-Powell
VITALS
6’1, 170
Lakota West High School (West Chester, Ohio)
OFFERS
Austin Peay, Bowling Green, Charlotte, Duke, Eastern Kentucky, Kentucky, UMass, Miami-Ohio, Pittsburgh, Toledo, West Virginia, Western Michigan
RANKING
ISD: 86 (three-star)
247: 88 (three-star)
Rivals: 5.7 (three-star)
ESPN: 77 (three-star)
Composite: 88.19 (three-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“I liked what I saw from TBP as a senior in his move to safety from linebacker. It was obvious he was well-coached and he played under control in a way that was unexpected for someone who hasn’t had as many reps at the position. I love his physical profile and he knows how to find the football. Long speed is my biggest question about him, but I think this could end up being a very good eval by the Notre Dame staff when it’s all said and done. He has the potential to develop into a starter for the Irish.”
FAVORITE ISD QUOTE
“It's just the culture, the family atmosphere and the coaches, how they coach. It felt like a family when I was there with the coaches being around there. It just felt like a family. It felt like home.”
SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS
S Brauntae Johnson
VITALS
6’3, 170
North Side High School (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
OFFERS
Auburn, Ball State, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kent State, Louisville, Miami, Michigan State, Missouri, Notre Dame, Penn State, Purdue, South Florida, Tennessee, Toledo, Washington, Western Michigan and Wisconsin
RANKING
ISD: 91 (four-star)
247: 92 (four-star)
Rivals: 5.9 (four-star)
ESPN: 81 (four-star)
Composite: 92.81 (four-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“Johnson is one of those prospects that is perfect for the “athlete” category in recruiting. He’s a more experienced and slightly better receiver right now, but I believe Notre Dame has it right projecting him to the other side of the ball because his ceiling is higher as a defensive back. Johnson has the raw tools that could translate to become a multi-year starter at the position, but his impact isn’t likely to be immediate. He just moves differently than most and it’s going to be exciting to see the player he is a couple of years from now once he focuses on playing defense.”
FAVORITE ISD QUOTE
“I want to be coached by the best. (Chris O’Leary) is involved and invested in what he does. He’s a coach people should want to be around.”
JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS
S Kennedy Urlacher
VITALS
6’0, 185
Chandler High School (Chandler, Ariz.)
OFFERS
Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado State, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Miami, Nebraska, New Mexico, Northern Arizona, Penn, Stanford, TCU, UNLV, Washington
RANKING
ISD: 86 (three-star)
247: 87 (three-star)
Rivals: 5.8 (four-star)
ESPN: 76 (three-star)
Composite: 88.08 (three-star)
ISD EXPERT JAMIE UYEYAMA
“What his ceiling is and how he projects is probably going to be determined by how Notre Dame chooses to use him and what his position is going to be. If he’s strictly a box safety, that’s not a great fit against a lot of teams on the schedule. I’m still uncertain about his ability to be a deep safety and I don’t know if he’ll ever grow into a linebacker. For those reasons, he’s the biggest enigma of Notre Dame’s class in my eyes, but he’s a genuinely intriguing player because he does look the part and makes splash plays as a perimeter defender.”
FAVORITE ISD QUOTE
“My dad has always told me that education should be the biggest thing for me. Playing big-time football was going to happen with most of my offers, but not everywhere allowed me to play big-time football and get a great education. It was really a no-brainer.”
JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS