Notre Dame football: Grading the Irish's 2023 recruiting class

Notre Dame football: Grading the Irish’s 2023 recruiting class

Dec 30, 2022; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman reacts after a touchdown during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the 2022 Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports /

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Andrean Fighting 59ers Drayk Bowen (34) gets water during a timeout during the IHSAA Class 2A state championships Friday, Nov 25, 2022 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. /

Linebacker: A

Linebacker wasn’t exactly a position of need for the Irish in the 2023 class so that’s why they signed just two players there.

But those two players are very, very good.

The first is Drayk Bowen, the No. 105 prospect in the class and the eighth-best linebacker in the nation. The Indiana-native is the top prospect from the Hoosier State and he looks like your prototypical Notre Dame linebacker. He has a solid 6-2, 232-pound frame and is going to be really good in South Bend.

I really like Bowen for the Irish.

The second linebacker the Irish signed is four-star Jaiden Ausberry from Baton Rouge, La. This is kind of an ironic addition because Marcus Freeman plucked him right from Brian Kelly’s backyard. That should make Irish fans pretty happy, especially since Ausberry is incredibly talented.

While he’s not as big as Bowen, Ausberry (6-0, 210 pounds) is an athlete and can play at a high level. He may not play early, but the nation’s No. 170 recruit and 16th-best linebacker will be very good in a year or two.

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