ISD Intel | Behind The Scenes Of Notre Dame Recruiting | NJ Edition

If I haven’t told you about my affinity for New Jersey High School Football, we probably haven’t talked much, at least not about high school football or recruiting. 

The level of football in the fall isn’t just a step up from many other parts of the Northeast, it’s an escalator or elevator ride up, especially the Non-Public A schools.

Drones are launched pregame to record every on-field alignment and movement of the opponent, not for postgame review on Saturday morning, but to be examined on big screen TVs positioned on the sidelines as soon as the offense or defense comes off the field.

The pageantry feels closer to a college game with the atmosphere of fans, bands and even “recruits,” middle-schoolers with sideline passes to get an upfront look at what it would be like to play for Bergen Catholic or Don Bosco Prep or St. Peter’s Prep one day. 

The on-field talent jumps out immediately. More often than not, you’ll find Power-4 prospects at every position on offense and defense. 

But what I’ve always loved about New Jersey High School Football is the diversity of the cultures within each school and program. 

Head to Don Bosco and find a campus so pristine you’ll feel compelled to lower your voice out of respect, almost like you’re in a chapel. Yes, it’s similar to Notre Dame to the point where they even have their own Grotto. 

It’s the kind of campus that requires you to go outside to get from the main office to other buildings, including the athletic facilities. The weight room for the perennial high school power would rival most good Division-II programs. 

Go to Bergen Catholic and the school itself may make you feel like you’ve been transported to a parochial school a few decades back.

The all-boys school founded in the 1950s feels like it belongs in another era, but it’s kept up to the point where it doesn’t feel old if that makes any sense. The gym is old, but the floor is fresh. There’s nothing old-fashioned about the way the football program is run though. Vito Campanile and his staff have all of the bells and whistles any high school program could ask for when it comes to technology and they certainly put it to use. 

St. Peter’s Prep mesmerizes me because the Jesuit college prep school is nestled in the heart of Jersey City, seemingly right across the street (or the river) from the chaos of Lower Manhattan. Keenan Field is positioned in the last place you’d expect to find a football field, yet, there it is on Grand Street between Marin and Van Vorst. 

Head West to Irvington and you’ll find an entirely different atmosphere. At Irvington High School, home of Adon Shuler, the locker room doubles as the weight room and triples as the meeting room. There may be more hustle and bustle within it than there is across the river from St. Peter’s, but somehow it’s more organized than chaos. 

Different atmospheres, different cultures and different people, but all in pursuit of the same goals; winning football games and developing young men - and not in that order.

There have always been few places better suited for Notre Dame to go find football players than New Jersey and that may be more true now than ever. 

VAUGHN ANNOUNCEMENT A TRUE CEREMONY: The Jackson Vaughn‍ announcement felt more like a cocktail hour before a wedding reception than the lead-up to a college commitment. 

I was surprised I was able to bump into Nate Vaughn, serving as father of the groom in a sense, so quickly, but not surprised at all by how long it took us to duck away for an interview in private. Mr. Vaughn agreed immediately, but exiting the foyer would prove challenging as more and more guests poured in. Everybody wanted to congratulate him and he seemed even more excited to greet them and thank them for coming. 

Not once was there an “Ugh, I gotta say hello to this guy real quick.” Instead, every new attendee evoked the kind of “Oh man!!! I’m so glad you made it!!!” reaction typically reserved for old college buddies who haven’t seen each other in years. 

The quantity and quality of those interactions were the first and most glaring signs that this announcement ceremony was different and it was different because of the family and prospect involved.

Scores of family, friends, coaches, teammates and opponents alike packed the lounge area. Their genuine excitement for the elite 2027 New Jersey pass rusher and his family highlighted the respect and admiration they’ve clearly earned over the years. 

Prior to the official ceremony, Bergen Catholic head coach Vito Campanile requested the mic to address the attendees and although he didn’t have to, he showered praise on the family and Vaughn particularly, not for the prospect he is, but for the person he is and the relationship they’ve built over the past couple of years. 

Put a large group of talented high school football players in a room and the trash talk is inevitable. Put a large group of talented high school football players from opposing teams in that same room, forget about it. There was definitely a little bit of that, but was entirely toned down almost in deference to the moment. 

Put simply, Vaughn’s announcement ceremony was a bit of a microcosm of everything that is right about New Jersey High School Football and him choosing Notre Dame helped put the Irish front and center. 

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE: Latish Kinsler, President of Football for LifeStyle Sports Agency, was sitting in a Power 4 head coach’s office in a different part of the country listening to the coach’s pitch to him and one of his clients. The narrative was a good one, good enough in fact to eventually get Kinsler’s client to choose the school.

But as the head coach went on about how he approached his own recruiting process when he was in high school, Kinsler’s mind was thousands of miles away. The coach explained the conclusion he came to, ultimately that his decision wasn’t just about him. It was about finding the perfect fit for his family as well as himself.

That provided Kinsler with as much clarity for a client back in New Jersey as it did for the one sitting beside him.

Marcus Freeman wasn’t in the room or even the state. Neither was Joe Rudolph and neither was Mike Martin. Neither, for that matter, was Oluwasemilore Olubobola‍. 

Still, that was a pivotal moment in Notre Dame’s recruitment of the five-star 2027 New Jersey offensive lineman. 

“Thinking of a perfect fit, that's where I felt that it pertained to Olu,” Kinsler told ISD. “Thinking of that decision as more of a decision that's not just for him personally, but a family decision.

“I thought that there was a certain connection that seemed to happen as the process played out as the Zooms and the meetings were going on between Notre Dame and his parents. I felt that there was definitely a connection there that really brought it home for me in the sense of that might be the perfect fit.”

That shift in perspective helped clarify things for Kinsler and by extension Olubobla and his family in the days leading up to his final decision. 

“It was something that definitely created more of, ‘OK, we need to really take this seriously,’” Kinsler said. “What he was saying was just resonating with that particular player that he was telling the story for, but it really resonated with Olu’s process and clarified it because at that time, things were even school-wise.

“It gave me clarity to present that when I came back to New Jersey about how the conversation went, and how the family felt about Notre Dame.”

Kinsler encourages his clients to check three boxes before choosing a school; the head coach, the position coach and the strength and conditioning program.

But he recognized that for Olubobola and his family, there were additional boxes, most importantly academics. And that’s what kept Notre Dame in the race during the final stretch and ultimately allowed the Irish to prevail.  

PRO’S PROS: The process of college sports becoming increasingly indistinguishable from professional sports has been a jarring one for many people around the game. That’s understandable.

There’s no going back now, though.

At the dawn of this era, Notre Dame wasn’t just hesitant to fully embrace it. In some ways, the University was downright resistant to where college athletics was obviously headed.

Not anymore.

While the professionalization of college football initially felt like something that ran counter to many of Notre Dame’s values, the Irish have found their lane and they’re operating aggressively within it.

Sources throughout New Jersey have been thoroughly impressed with the way Notre Dame handles its business. The Irish have maintained they won’t engage in bidding wars and they’ll avoid prospects solely motivated by NIL. By all accounts, they’ve stayed true to those principles.

At the same time, nobody within the recruiting world would describe Notre Dame as operating cheaply either. Far from it.

Still, the strongest feedback I received this week wasn’t about NIL offers or deals. It was about the people inside the building and the way Notre Dame’s staff operates.

Ironically, some of the criticism I heard about other major college programs centered around schools trying too hard to act like NFL franchises while failing to understand the differences between the two levels.

That’s where Notre Dame seems to have separated itself.

The Irish aren’t just operating seriously. They’re operating professionally while still maintaining the relationship-driven approach that matters so much in high school recruiting, especially in places like New Jersey.

Notre Dame assistants have been making strong impressions in the state for decades, but it feels different right now. 

I don’t remember the last time I heard a single assistant coach receive as much praise in such a short period of time as Charlie Partridge did this week. And, for all the boxes Notre Dame checked for Olubobola, the Irish don’t land him if Joe Rudolph doesn’t check his own.

Beyond the coaching staff, Director of Recruiting Carter Auman’s name consistently comes up in conversations with recruits and coaches throughout the region. Director of Scouting DJ Bryant carries deep relationships in the state from his time at Penn State as does assistant general manager Kenny Sanders, both of whom are respected greatly.

And when people in New Jersey talk about general manager Mike Martin, there’s an obvious level of respect attached to his name.

Of course, it all starts with Marcus Freeman.

I have yet to hear a negative word about Freeman from anybody who has dealt with him in a recruiting setting. Mention him to a high school coach in New Jersey and the level of admiration becomes obvious immediately.

Quite simply, New Jersey is serious about football and the people running Notre Dame Football right now have proven they are as well.

That makes for a good fit.

UNEASINESS IN NJ AROUND RECLASSES: Every source I spoke with regarding Vaughn’s decision to reclassify from 2028 to 2027 either understood the move or outright agreed with it. But every single one of those conversations also came with the same caveat: Vaughn’s situation is a unique one.

That’s why there remains some skepticism about the idea of reclassifying upward suddenly becoming a widespread trend in recruiting, whether nationally or specifically within New Jersey.

The Irish have recently landed three players who made the move up; now-2026 quarterback signee Teddy Jarrard‍, 2027 quarterback Wonderful Monds IV‍, who was initially a 2028 target, and now Vaughn.

And it’s being discussed now as a possibility for many others moving forward. But there’s still uncertainty surrounding how quickly it could realistically catch on, if it truly catches on at all.

2028 IMG Academy cornerback Phoenix Evans‍ has flirted with the possibility and as ISD has reported previously, Notre Dame would be receptive to that idea. As of now, however, that appears unlikely, although the Irish remain firmly among Evans’ top schools.

There have also been whispers surrounding 2028 New Jersey linebacker Tahj Gray‍ potentially following his good buddy Vaughn into the 2027 class. Those conversations continue floating around in the background, but Gray certainly didn’t sound like somebody eager to accelerate his own timeline when we spoke with him Tuesday and people involved with his recruitment said they’re unaware of any reclass talk.

More traditional voices throughout New Jersey football remain hesitant about the overall concept. Some still see far greater value in reclassing backward rather than forward, particularly given the physical and mental demands attached to playing major college football at a younger age.

Even people who fully understand the realities and opportunities created by NIL also recognize the value of an additional year of development.

That doesn’t mean Vaughn’s decision was viewed negatively. Quite the opposite. Most people around New Jersey football circles believe Vaughn is uniquely wired for the move both physically and mentally.

The bigger question is how many others truly are.

TOP NJ STARS COULD BE NEXT ND STARS: 2028 St. Joseph Regional linebacker Tahj Gray‍ will be one of the Irish’s very top targets next cycle regardless of position and Notre Dame figures to be one of his very top options.

Gray and Vaughn are extremely close. Gray’s name was the first Vaughn said when asked who he’d like to have follow him to South Bend while Gray made it clear Vaughn’s decision improves the Irish’s standing with him even more.  

With schools like Ohio State, Texas A&M and Penn State among many others in pursuit, it won't be easy, but the Irish will be legitimate threats.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame doesn’t appear to be anywhere close to being done mining Bergen Catholic for elite talent.

The Irish already landed arguably the top prospect in the state in Vaughn, but people around the Bergen program believe at least three more underclassmen could eventually emerge as major Notre Dame priorities in the 2028 cycle.

The most intriguing name may actually be the one Notre Dame hasn’t offered yet, quarterback Trey Tagliaferri‍.

Despite already offering quarterbacks Neimann Lawrence‍, Kingston Preyear‍ and Lukas Prock‍ in the 2028 class, sources indicate Notre Dame remains extremely high on the Bergen Catholic signal-caller and the Irish’s quarterback board still appears fluid…at least for now.

At one point not too long ago, it seemed the Irish had their guy and then it seemed like they hadn’t. One source familiar with the situation explained this week, “You never know.”

What Notre Dame does know is Tagliaferri has rapidly emerged as one of the hottest quarterback prospects in the country.

In the last few weeks alone, 2028 signal-caller has added offers from Ohio State, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and Indiana among many others.

Tagliaferri is also repped by Kinsler, who said Notre Dame would command serious attention if the Irish ultimately decide to pull the trigger.

“It would be an honor to be considered by Notre Dame,” said Kinsler. “But his trajectory is through the roof. Wherever he ends up, it’s going to be a great program and he’s going to have a fantastic career.”

Kinsler also made it clear Tagliaferri is not waiting around for Notre Dame to offer, instead focusing on the schools that have.

“He’s just going to keep his head down, grinding,” he said. 

Still, the mutual interest between the two sides appears genuine.

Timing could become important here because Tagliaferri’s recruitment is expected to move quickly.

“He’s going through this process,” said Kinsler. “He’s going to commit sooner than later. His process, like all the elite 2028 quarterbacks’ processes, has sped up. That’s just the nature of where we are in this landscape.”

Beyond Tagliaferri, Notre Dame already sits in a strong position with 2028 Bergen Catholic twin defensive backs Adrian Woodward‍ and Amiir Woodward‍, both of whom were offered by the Irish a week ago.

The twins will be a package deal moving forward and both possess national-level ceilings athletically.

“They are elite athletes, national track guys who have bright futures ahead of them,” said Kinsler, who also reps the Woodwards. “Their length separates them from a lot of DBs. They’re just special.”

Kinsler pointed toward the twins’ maturity and character as much as their football ability.

“They’re even more impressive as far as being respectful to their parents, just how they are as teammates and things of that nature,” he explained. “They’re equally as respectful as young men and teammates as they are as talented players.”

At 6-foot, 170 pounds and 6-foot-1, 175 pounds respectively, Amiir and Adrian already carry prototypical size and athletic traits for the position and they’re nowhere close to finished products yet.

“We haven’t even scratched the surface of where they’re going to end up,” said Kinsler. 

Considering the way Notre Dame has recruited New Jersey recently and the relationships currently being built inside Bergen Catholic, it would hardly be surprising if Vaughn eventually becomes only the first member of this current wave of Crusaders to land in South Bend.

PLENTY OF OTHER NJ STARS TO PURSUE AS WELL: Another one of my favorite things about New Jersey Football is that because the state has produced so many elite players over the years, the people there are difficult to impress.

A young player in another state might receive nonstop hype before ever playing a varsity snap, but in New Jersey, that same player would barely merit a mention before he’s an upperclassman.

Coaches, players, reporters and fans throughout the state have seen too many stars come through over the years to get carried away too early. More importantly, they’ve also seen enough middle school phenoms fizzle out before reaching their full potential to understand how dangerous premature hype can be.

That doesn’t mean people inside New Jersey football circles can’t identify talent early. In fact, there are plenty of underclassmen across the state right now who will eventually become national prospects and most of the coaches already know exactly who many of them are. They’re just hesitant to publicly crown them before they’ve fully earned it.

That being said, there are a few youngsters already generating unusually strong praise behind the scenes.

One source not prone to hyperbole told me they wouldn’t be surprised if 2029 Bergen Catholic tight end Nate Wortley eventually developed into a Michael Mayer clone. That’s not the kind of comparison casually thrown around in New Jersey.

Kinsler is being equally careful about overhyping some of the younger players he is representing, but did feel comfortable pointing toward 2028 St. Peter’s Prep defensive end Aaren Cirino as somebody likely to pop nationally sooner rather than later. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound pass rusher already holds offers from Penn State and Syracuse, but that list is expected to swell in the coming months.

Another name worth filing away for the future is 2030 - yes, 2030! - St. Peter’s Prep athlete Kingston Hill.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound receiver is expected to make an immediate impact as a freshman this fall both on the football field and basketball court before eventually adding track into the mix as well, according to Kinsler.

It’s early for all three. 

But when people in New Jersey quietly start mentioning young prospects before they’ve even reached varsity stardom, it’s usually worth paying attention.

And that frame of reference becomes especially important when a prospect does reach that level.

A year ago, it was Vaughn who was being pegged as the next no-brainer and potentially the best player in the entire state as a then-sophomore.

With almost all of the top 2027 prospects in New Jersey now committed, including three of the top four headed to Notre Dame, it’s obvious the attention is about to head elsewhere...and toward a familiar name.

Walking out of Prudential Center on Tuesday night, a couple close observers were overheard looking ahead.

“Tahj Gray‍ though, that kid is nasty!”