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Notre Dame Football: 4-star LB joins Irish class of 2018

By Greg Hadley

Apr 16, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view of Notre Dame Stadium during the first quarter of the Blue-Gold Game. The Blue team defeated the Gold team 17-7. Notre Dame Stadium is in the middle of a two year project to build classroom and student center space as well as media families and premium seating. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view of Notre Dame Stadium during the first quarter of the Blue-Gold Game. The Blue team defeated the Gold team 17-7. Notre Dame Stadium is in the middle of a two year project to build classroom and student center space as well as media families and premium seating. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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With a stellar class of 2017 already secure, Notre Dame football is working on the 2018 recruiting cycle and nabbed its fifth commit, four-star linebacker Ovie Oghoufo on Friday.

Oghoufo announced his decision via Twitter on Friday after spending the past week on campus. He chose the Irish over Michigan, Michigan State, Boston College, Kentucky and several other schools, according to 247Sports.

The fact that Notre Dame has five commitments for a class two years out is nothing short of extraordinary, and the program already ranks third in 247’s 2018 rankings. However, Oghoufo’s decision is hardly surprising.

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The Farmington, Michigan, native went to the same high school as Irish freshman Khalid Kareem, and the two enjoy a close relationship that gave Notre Dame an extra edge. Kareem’s last two tweets are retweets of Oghoufo announcing Notre Dame had offered him and his commitment. When Oghoufo was on campus for a camp not long ago, Kareem sold him on the program.

“He’s practically my brother,” Oghoufo told 247Sports’s Tom Loy of Kareem. “I spent basically the whole day with him when I went up there for camp. We reunited. It was a great time with him. When we talked, he told me that if I go to Notre Dame, it’s a 40-year decision, not just a four-year decision. He says the coaches are the best and the opportunities are great.”

Nationally, Oghoufo ranks in the top 30 of his position according to both Scout and 247Sports. Though he has yet to begin his junior season, he has already been effective on the prep level, collecting 66 tackles, eight sacks and three forced fumbles as a sophomore.

Because he is so young, it’s not clear yet where Oghoufo will fit in the Irish defense. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, he was recruited by most schools as an outside linebacker, but if he puts on size in the next two years, he could very easily switch to defensive end. Conversely, he could also stay slim and train as a strong safety.

According to 247Sports, Oghoufo was recruited primarily by Irish defensive line coach Keith Gilmore, with help from linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Mike Elston, so maybe Brian Kelly and staff see him as more of an end in the future. The Irish already have three linebackers in the class of 2017 and another in 2018, but only one defensive end combined between the two.

Next: 3-star WR joins huge class of 2017

Regardless, Notre Dame is on a recruiting roll this month, and its 2018 class is already shaping up to be a top one, with four four-star recruits and one five-star. To be that far along this early in the process bodes well for the future.

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