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Notre Dame football: 10 Key targets in the 2023 class

By Daniel Morrison

Sep 18, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman leaves the field after Notre Dame defeated the Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 18, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman leaves the field after Notre Dame defeated the Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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GLENDALE, ARIZONA – JANUARY 01: Jack Coan #17 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish prepares for a game against the Oklahoma State University Cowboys prior to the Play Station Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – JANUARY 01: Jack Coan #17 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish prepares for a game against the Oklahoma State University Cowboys prior to the Play Station Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame football: 10 Key targets in the 2023 class

Keon Keeley and Drayk Bowen

As of right now, Notre Dame football already has eight players committed to their Class of 2023. That’s an incredibly fast start, and it’s making the class appear very strong. Among those eight players who have already committed, two of them are five-star prospects. Their names are Keon Keeley and Drayk Bowen.

Keeley is a 6ft 5in edge rusher from Tampa who holds 22 offers from schools like Alabama, Florida, and Ohio State. Make no mistake, he’s going to get more offers. In particular, Florida and Miami are going to make hard pushes for Keeley. They both have new coaches who are known for their recruiting ability. That’s something neither school has had in recent years, and that added stability could easily make local schools more appealing.

At 230lbs, Keeley is undersized for a hand down edge rusher. That means you can expect Keeley to start as a hand up edge rusher, more like an outside linebacker. However, given his frame, he could easily add the muscle to make him a more effective hand down defensive end. The last four teams to offer Keeley are Alabama, Georgia, USC, and Ohio State, so it’s critical the Irish hold onto his commitment.

Bowen, on the other hand, is a traditional linebacker. An Indiana native, which should help Notre Dame hold onto him throughout the rest of the process, Bowen is the second-ranked linebacker in the entire class. He holds 28 offers, including from just about every team in the B1G 10 and the SEC. The 6ft 2in linebacker is already drawing comparisons to linebacker Sean Lee.

The other six current commitments of the Class of 2023 are all four-star recruits. They are Peyton Bowen (safety), Brenan Vernon (defensive line), Justyn Rhett (corner), Adon Shuler (safety), Cooper Flanagan (tight end), Sedrick Irvin Jr. (running back).

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