Notre Dame Football: What does Keon Keeley bring to the Irish?

The Notre Dame football program has been loading up for their 2022 recruiting class, and just landed their first 2023 commit in Keon Keeley.

And so it begins. The Notre Dame football program has landed it’s first 2023 commitment with defensive end out of Tampa, Florida, Keon Keeley committing to the Irish on Monday afternoon. Keeley was on campus just a few weeks ago for the first time and absolutely loved it.

The relationships with the coaching staff was huge to get this recruitment to lock up as quickly as it did. What pushed it over the edge outside of the obvious academic and athletic combination, was how well Defensive end coach Mike Elston was doing in terms of producing defensive lineman in the NFL.

That defensive lineman group has done a complete 180 over the past several years, and is year-in and year-out one of Notre Dame’s best, and well-rounded position groups on the roster. It’s been impressive to see, and it appears Keon Keeley jumped as soon as possible to join the depth.

At the moment Keeley has 12 offers from the likes of Florida, North Carolina, Florida State and others.

What does Keon Keeley bring to the Notre Dame Football program?

The 6’6 230 pound defensive end is bringing size, length and an outstanding football motor. The sophomore is relentless getting after it in the backfield, and will bring an incredible amount of energy to the program.

With his arm length, he wipes his defenders out of the way with ease, and won’t stop until he tackles the ball carrier. He has very quick feet for his age, and wherever the ball lands, you better bet Keeley will be the first to react and stand out.

He has all the tools to become elite at the next level, and with him being a outstanding fit for Notre Dame, you can’t ask for anything better at this age for Keeley and the Irish. Once he continues adding strength, and working on lateral quickness, and change out direction more consistently, all bets are off for this kid at Notre Dame.

If there’s someone I could put some similarities to when coming into to Notre Dame it would be Isaiah Foskey, but as much as Foskey is, and will be an outstanding player for Notre Dame, and even eventually in the NFL, I think Keeley has a slightly higher ceiling, which is crazy to say for the soon to be junior football player in high school. I can’t wait to continue watching him develop the next couple years.

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At the end of the day, this is such a huge get for Marcus Freeman and Mike Elston to start off this class, and it could be the start of top-5 recruiting class for 2023 if all the chips fall right for Notre Dame football and the staff. Stay tuned.