Notre Dame has already put together an outstanding recruiting class, but they need to put the finishing touches on it. They needed to address the linebacker position in order to do that and took a great first step by adding a commitment from Roman Igwebuike.
Igwebuike had 111 tackles last season for Mount Carmel (Chicago) in helping lead them to a state championship. He’s a long and versatile player who is capable of developing into a three-down player in Notre Dame’s defense.
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 220
Projected Position: Linebacker
ISD Grade: 90 (4-star)
National Average Grade: 90.7 (4-star)
What he does best:
Igwebuike is a very good pass rusher. His lateral agility (4.27 short shuttle) and explosiveness (31.2 inch vertical, 9-2.5 broad jump) stand out in this aspect.
He has the versatility to play off the edge on 3rd downs. His length shows up here and in coverage. This is a nasty hump move.
He makes up a ton of ground with his long strides and can make plays in space.
No linebacker makes triple digit tackles at any level of football if they don’t play the inside run well. He knows how to work through the trash and find the football.
What he needs to improve:
He has 33-inch arms and I mentioned how that length shows up in certain ways, but he can be a lot better at using it when it comes to block destruction. He makes more plays being able to slip blocks rather than striking and it will help him tremendously when he gets better in that area of his game.
He’s a good athlete, but he often takes false steps that can make him look slower in diagnosing plays. It will help him to clean up his footwork.
What’s his ceiling?
Igwebuike is a great prospect who fits perfectly with the style of defense Notre Dame has played. His size and ability to rush the passer is a huge asset that could really thrive in their system.
It’s going to be interesting to see how big he gets because he looks like he can carry a lot more weight on his frame. I think he has very similar physical and athletic traits to a linebacker who played for Marcus Freeman at Cincinnati. Darrian Beavers was a long, hybrid linebacker who was part of those great Bearcat defenses. His versatility and ability to rush the passer was a huge reason why he racked up 16.5 havoc plays and was named first team All-AAC as a senior.
Who he could be:
Former Cincinnati LB Darrian Beavers
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