Recruiting: Explosive WR/OLB Richard Jibunor Offered By Notre Dame

Notre Dame continues to recruit the peach state.

https://twitter.com/JibunorRichard/status/846771164869480451

Richard Jibunor spoke to me today and informed me that he has been offered by the University of Notre Dame after having a conversation with defensive line coach Mike Elston today.

Jibunor is a very intriguing prospect at 6’5 and 206-pounds and plays on both sides of the ball for Athens Christian. His versatility is truly impressive and was on display at the Atlanta Opening Regional on the weekend, (as you can see in the tweet below).

The impressive Georgia talent now has 14 offers on his list which includes Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina, Tennessee, and others. He was on campus for Auburn’s Junior Day on March 4.

His statistics per his Hudl profile are hard to miss. It shows a 4.47 40-yard dash, 38″ vertical, 325-pound bench max and a 10.8 100 meter. These numbers are unbelievable and suggest that he’s a truly elite athlete.

Per an article by Benjamin Wolk, Auburn Recruiting Reporter for seccountry.com, Jibunor has built a strong relationship with the staff at Auburn. Given he has been in contact with Alabama as well, he may be a very tough pull from the south for Notre Dame.

In the article, it also stated that Jibunor hadn’t played football until after he came to the U.S. from Nigeria through a foreign exchange program. Although he hasn’t seen his family since he left home, he speaks with them daily and is thriving athletically and academically.

Richard Jibunor’s film shows an incredibly naturally gifted athlete with an ideal frame for college coaches to mold into something special. He truly outmatches his opponents at the high school level and I’m left with the belief that Jibunor will be a big time name at the college ranks.

On the offensive side of the ball, Jibunor is an intriguing receiver given his blend of size, strength and speed. His coaching staff like him around the field to take advantage of mismatches.

Having only played football for a few years, his technique is raw at this point but not to the level where he isn’t effective. Jibunor shows soft hands and can leave his feet and catch the ball away from his body.

His route running could use some fine-tuning with more attention spent on getting in and out of his breaks crisply, but he seems to understand route concepts and works his way open with his considerably large frame and massive wingspan.

After the catch and on jet sweeps is where Jibunor is dangerous. His size and strength in terms of breaking tackles, as well as his impressive speed, are overwhelming for opposing defenses which make him a threat to score on every attempt.

Defense is where Jibunor is expected to thrive. Again, his technique and fundamentals are raw but his skill set and physical traits put him in position to be a dominate defensive end-outside linebacker hybrid.

Jibunor shows an effective pass rush given his speed and physical nature. His first step and overall burst is impressive, but again, raw. That’s what you would expect from a recruit who is relatively new to the game. Once he gains more experience at the position, he will be dynamic.

Richard arrives at the ball carrier with outstanding force which leads to some explosive collisions. He also puts this trait on display during special teams. He proves to be a lethal downfield blocker and seems to enjoy contact.

Richard Jibunor is a true “freak” athlete that you don’t come across every day. It will be very interesting to see how he progresses on the football field as well as in his recruitment with Notre Dame.

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Stay tuned for my interview article with Richard Jubinor which will be posted later today.