2021 DT Gabriel Rubio Excited For Notre Dame Camp

Notre Dame got off to a hot start to 2020 defensive line recruiting and while there is one more piece to the puzzle out there…(cough, Braiden McGregor‍…cough)…the focus can now shift to the 2021 recruiting class. 

Mike Elston and the Irish have offered four interior defensive line prospects, but 2021 Lutheran (Mo.) defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio‍ is a name to watch. 

The 6-foot-5, 275-pounder holds offers from Ball State, Cal, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt. 

While the early attention is excellent, it comes with a lot of responsibility for a sophomore. Rubio has embraced it and is giving each team time, which has proved to be a challenge as the offer keep rolling in. 

“I’m not trying to “collect” offers and I mean it,” Rubio explained. “Every offer is important to me because it’s basically a school saying that they want me to represent them on and off the field. 

“My plan was to visit every school that has offered me so that we could form a relationship to build on. But that’s getting harder and harder as more and more teams are offering me. I think I’ve been doing a good job staying humble and focused.”

Notre Dame hasn’t offered just yet, but Rubio will be at camp in June and is working on finishing the school year on a strong note. In fact, Rubio was doing homework when I first reached out to him. 

“I’ve been told that if I perform highly this school year, then I have an offer,” Rubio told Irish Sports Daily. “I’ve worked my tail off to earn it. I love everything that Notre Dame is and Notre Dame is a special place.” 

Rubio has been in communication with other top prospects to coordinate getting to South Bend and Notre Dame won’t be the only camp he’s at this summer. 

“I’ll be camping at Iowa, Ohio State, Kentucky, Notre Dame and possibly Texas,” explained Rubio. “I’ll also be in Louisiana to work with Pete Jenkins and will visit LSU after.” 

The St. Louis native was in South Bend during the fall for a game and has developed a strong relationship with Elston, which is why Rubio is excited to get back to campus to get some work. 

“Coach Elston is excellent,” said Rubio. “He’s a coach that not only makes you better but makes you want to work hard for. I’d run through walls for him. That takes trust. I trust him a lot.” 
Rubio is not only balancing school and recruiting this spring, but also track as he competes in the shot put. 

“I’m not gonna lie, it’s been a challenge balancing recruiting visits, track practice, competitions and maintaining high grades,” stated Rubio. “This semester was a game changer for me. Everything came into focus and I became highly motivated to succeed.”

Rubio is taking his recruitment day by day as his father, Angel, went through the recruiting process. His father ended up at Southeast Missouri State before playing in the NFL for Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and San Francisco. 

“I haven’t been surprised by the recruiting process yet,” said Rubio. “My dad has done a great job preparing me. Both of my parents went through the process in their sports and both played professionally. There really taught me a lot about what to look for and how to compare schools.”

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