It’s a good day for Notre Dame recruiting when they can land a Michigan legacy from the state of Ohio. And though that might be the thing that grabs people’s attention with 2028 edge rusher Asa Burch, it’s his potential as a pass rusher that should have Irish fans very excited.
Notre Dame has been rolling with elite additions to the defensive line since Charlie Partridge has joined the staff and Burch is another one on top of host of great prospects from the 2027 and 2028 recruiting cycles.
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 225
Projected Position: Edge
ISD Grade: 91 (4-star)
National Average Grade: 91.0 (4-star)
What he does best:
Burch has the physical and athletic traits to excel as an edge rusher. He’s a twitchy athlete with long arms. His ability to flip his hips and turn the corner is exceptional.
He’s a high effort player who is able to finish plays. Whether the ball is run at or away from him, his motor jumps out.
He can drop into coverage and has multiple interceptions over the past two years.
What he needs to improve:
Burch needs to get more violent with his punch. He wins with athleticism and get off when he sets the edge, but will need to get stronger at the point of attack.
He’s going to really take off once he starts to recognize blocks more quickly.
What’s his ceiling?
When I saw Burch in-person at Irish Invasion in the summer, I mentioned that some of what he did during drill work was eye-popping. I don’t even think a lot of his athleticism has necessarily translated to the field yet and he’s nowhere close to the player he is going to be during his college career.
He has to add weight to his frame and has to get fundamentally stronger, but he has exciting long term potential to be an every down impact player. I think he has the potential to grow into a player similar to Notre Dame edge Javonte Jean-Baptiste. JJB took some time to develop his full game, but he became a great player by the end of his college career.
Who he could be:
Former Notre Dame edge Javonte Jean-Baptiste
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