Notre Dame 2024 Class Rankings - Defense Edition

Breaking down and grading Notre Dame's 2024 defensive recruiting class

Notre Dame has made its 2024 recruiting class official, with all 23 commits signing during the early signing period. There is a lot of raw talent in the defensive class, and the Irish landed potential impact players at each level of the defense.

The class was finalized in December, but in honor of today's National Signing Day let's take another look at the grades, rankings and analysis of the Irish 2024 class.

CLASS RANKINGS - DEFENSE

1. LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa
2. DE Bryce Young
3. S Brauntae Johnson
4. CB Leonard Moore
5. DE Cole Mullins
6. DE Loghan Thomas
7. LB Bodie Kahoun
8. S Kennedy Urlacher
9. CB Karson Hobbs
10. S Taebron Bennie Powell
11. DT Sean Sevillano Jr.
12. LB Teddy Rezac

Let's look at the individual player breakdowns and grades.

PLAYER RANKINGS - ANALYSIS

1. KYNGSTONN VILIAMU-ASA, LINEBACKER

Height/Weight: 6-3, 230
Hometown/High School: Inland Empire, Calif./St. John Bosco 

IB Grade: 4.5 (Top 50 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 5.0

Analysis: Viliamu-Asa has the complete package for what you want in an inside linebacker. He is powerful and instinctive, showing the ability to beat blocks to the edge or to stack-and-shed on his way to the ball carrier. His range as a senior improved as he gets further removed from the knee injury he suffered as a sophomore. Viliamu-Asa explodes downhill and arrives at the football with some nastiness. He made quick reads, takes good angles to the ball and makes a ton of plays in space. Viliamu-Asa also gets into his drops quickly, picks up routes with ease and does a good job getting into throwing lanes. He wasn't use as much as a blitzer as a senior, but his timing and closing speed allow him to thrive there as well.

Notre Dame Fit: Viliamu-Asa projects as an inside linebacker for Notre Dame, but one of the best parts of his game is that he fits just as well at Mike linebacker as he does the Will linebacker spot. Viliamu-Asa also helps continue upgrading the size/speed/power combination at inside linebacker. Notre Dame is at the point where it needs to continue adding impact talent, and Viliamu-Asa is one of the best backers in the country in the last two classes.

2. BRYCE YOUNG, DEFENSIVE END

Height/Weight: 6-5½, 245
Hometown/High School: Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Christian

IB Grade: 4.5 (Top 50 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 5.0

Analysis: Young blew up faster than expected, both physically and his game. He was always a toolsy player you hoped would fill out and pan out, but as a senior he became a legit big time player. Young has everything you want in a big time edge player. He's exceptionally long, there is still plenty of room to grow into his frame, he is explosive out of his stance, his closing speed stands out and he was highly, highly productive as a senior. Young was absolutely dominant as a senior, and he looked nothing like the player he was the previous season. His hand play also took a big jump, and when you combine that with his explosive burst and length it made him unblockable at the prep level in both the run game and pass game.

Notre Dame Fit: The combination of length, power and athleticism are traits that make his projection to the field end position easy to make. Young filled out nicely as a senior, which made the fit even easier. As his pass rush repertoire improves he should develop a strong all-around skillset for the position. It's not completely out of the question that Young even outgrows the edge and ends up inside, but right now I really like the field end projection, and it was a big need for the Notre Dame 2024 class.

3. BRAUNTAE JOHNSON, SAFETY

Height/Weight: 6-1 1/2, 185
Hometown/High School: Fort Wayne, Ind./North Side

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 100 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 5.0

Analysis: Notre Dame needed an impact safety in this class and Johnson has all the tools to become that player. He's a long athlete with outstanding long speed and range. Johnson is a smooth defender that shows easy change of direction and transition skills. Notre Dame needs safeties that can play the post/deep middle, and Johnson has the potential to be outstanding playing over the top. But he's not just skinny and fast, Johnson is a willing hitter that can come downhill and strike. He'll need to add a lot of strength and fill out his frame, but Johnson has everything else you want and need at safety. He oozes potential and playmaking ability, something Notre Dame clearly needs a lot more of at safety.

Notre Dame Fit: Johnson is an outstanding two-way player for North Side, and he's a more productive wide receiver than he is a safety. He could easily play wideout at the next level, but safety is where his game is ideally suited from an upside and potential standpoint. Johnson has the kind of range and coverage potential that Notre Dame has largely lacked with its safety signees since signing Kyle Hamilton back in 2019.

4. LEONARD MOORE, CORNERBACK

Height/Weight: 6-2, 175
Hometown/High School: Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5

Analysis: Notre Dame corners coach Mike Mickens likes long cornerbacks with high ceilings, and Moore fits that mold perfectly. He's listed at 6-2 and he has long arms. Moore has the frame to add good weight, but he's already a willing tackler. Moore has excellent long speed, but he transitions quite well, something you don't see as much with such a long cornerback. Moore has pure man skills thanks to his length/speed combination, but he also makes a lot of plays on both sides of the ball. He's instinctive and smart, and with time working with Mickens he has a chance to be an outstanding prospect. Once his footwork gets cleaned up you'll really see his game take off.

Notre Dame Fit: Moore plays mostly off-man in high school, but he possesses all the traits needed to thrive in Notre Dame's man coverage defense. His range and tackling ability are great fits for the field cornerback position. His strength, instincts, ball skills and speed potential also fit very well into the boundary position. That ability to play both positions only adds to Moore''s fit at Notre Dame, and his importance in the class.

5. COLE MULLINS, DEFENSIVE END

Height/Weight: 6-4, 240
Hometown/High School: Hoschton, Ga./Mill Creek

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5

Analysis: I had Mullins graded as a Top 100 recruit after his junior season, but his season-ending knee injury drops him down a bit. If he can get back to full speed Mullins could be one of the biggest steals of the class. Mullins has a quality frame with good length, and I love his pop when he takes on blockers. His ability to set the edge with force stands out on film, and his explosiveness off the line is something the defense wants and needs more of. The fact he doesn't play on the edge full-time has limited his pass rush repertoire, so that will need to be improved, but his combination of burst, length, power and closing speed should allow him to develop a strong pass rush game. Mullins also plays the game with a great motor and fire.

Notre Dame Fit: Mullins played both Mike linebacker and on the edge during his prep career, and he brings some versatility to the Notre Dame class. There are parts of his game that fit very nicely at the Vyper position, and others that fit quite nicely into the defensive end position. Mullins could start his career at either spot, but his ultimate position will be determined partly due to need, and partly due to how he fills out. But adding his versatility to the class was important.

6. LOGHAN THOMAS, DEFENSIVE END

Height/Weight: 6-4, 210
Hometown/High School: Katy, Texas/St. Edward (Ohio)

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 5.0

Analysis: There are very few players in this class that have the upside that Thomas brings to the table. Thomas is an extremely long and explosive athlete that possesses very rare speed for an edge player. His speed alone gives him a chance to be an impact pass rusher at the next level, but he also shows the tools to drop into coverage when needed. Thomas is quite raw from a technical standpoint, and his pass rush repertoire needs a lot of work, but you just can't teach his natural tools. He was much more productive as a senior, and playing at St. Edwards was very good for Thomas. He will need some time in the weight room, and he'll need a lot of coaching, which is why his grade is lower, but his upside is enormous.

Notre Dame Fit: Notre Dame wanted and needed a more "true" Vyper in this class. That means an edge player that can do a little bit of everything and can move around the defense a bit. It means a player that can be a pass game disruptor off the edge, a defender that can be stout against boundary side runs, a guy that can drop into coverage, and a player that can play off the ball a bit or rush the passer from different spots. That's exactly what Thomas adds to the class.

7. BODIE KAHOUN, LINEBACKER

Height/Weight: 6-3, 215
Hometown/High School: Roanoke, Va./Patrick Henry

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 250 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5

Analysis: Kahoun is still just scratching the surface of the player he could be. The 2023 season was his first full season as a linebacker, and he put up some outstanding numbers. Kahoun is a long athlete with an impressive frame, which is why I could see him being an easy 240 pounds in college. The Virginia native has good foot quickness, and as his footwork improves you'll see his change of direction improve as well. Kahoun shows very good open field speed, and he arrives at the football with a lot of force. He's still learning the game of football, but he shows a good feel inside and his block destruction improved as a senior.

Notre Dame Fit: Kahoun projects as an inside linebacker for Notre Dame. The Irish staff has mostly talked to him about playing the Will position, but I could see him being an active Mike as well, especially as he adds more size and power as he physically matures. As Kahoun improves his technique and his speed starts to shine more, I could see him being an even better fit at Will, and that is something I'll be looking for in the fall.

8. KENNEDY URLACHER, SAFETY

Height/Weight: 5-11, 180
Hometown/High School: Chandler, Ariz./Chandler

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 250 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.0

Analysis: As you would expect from an Urlacher, the first thing you see on film is a defender that not only delivers punishment on ball carriers, but he really enjoys it. Urlacher isn't the biggest guy, but he's a highly impactful tackler. I love his attitude and demeanor in the run game. The Arizona native has very good range downhill, he's a quick starter and wide receivers struggle to handle him. He's a strong form tackler as well. Urlacher is a quality athlete that shows good suddenness, change of direction and closing speed. I don't see much of him in coverage, so that's still a question mark, but the tools are there.

Notre Dame Fit: Urlacher gives Notre Dame an alley safety that can be a major weapon in the run game, but he also has talent that should allow him to match up against opposing tight ends. Notre Dame likes to use its safeties in an interchangeable manner, and Urlacher has the range to play off the hash as well. The safety position has been a major problem from a tackling standpoint in recent seasons, and Urlacher upgrades that area.

9. KARSON HOBBS, CORNERBACK

Height/Weight: 6-1, 180
Hometown/High School: Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 250 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5

Analysis: Hobbs is another member of the defensive class that made a big jump as a senior. The Cincinnati native plays a ton of press man coverage, so his transition into the Notre Dame defense should be easy. The biggest jump we saw from Hobbs in 2023 was his playing speed. His long speed is outstanding, and he plays the ball extremely well down the field. Being able to find and impact the football is one of his best assets. Hobbs is very physical at the line and in coverage, as as he cleans up his footwork and hand technique he'll be even cleaner in transitions. Hobbs is a smart football player, bt he's willing to be physical and he plays the game with a ton of swagger.

Notre Dame Fit: It's easy to see why the Notre Dame staff likes Hobbs. He's long, he's physical, he's smart and he has a lot of swagger. With his body type, there is a chance that as he matures and gets older, and gets into the Notre Dame strength program, his explosiveness and speed will take a jump forward. If that happens there's no doubt that Hobbs will tap into his potential and become a key player in the Irish secondary. Hobbs has the physicality to be a boundary corner, and he could even transition to safety down the road.

10. TAEBRON BENNIE-POWELL, SAFETY

Height/Weight: 6-1, 185
Hometown/High School: Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota West

IB Grade: 3.5 (Top 350 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.0

Analysis: Bennie-Powell was always a physical player, but he showed as a senior he can be that kind of punishing tackler in space and on the backend as well. I questioned Notre Dame landing Bennie-Powell, but he made a really nice jump as a senior. In fact, even though he fell short of earning a four-star grade, his overall jump was one of the highest in the class. The two biggest reasons for his jump is that Bennie-Powell showed he can play in space, and his athletic skills looked better. I felt Bennie-Powell had tight hips and his lateral quickness as a junior was not what you want to see. I was impressed with how easily he changed directed as a senior.

Notre Dame Fit: Notre Dame needed safeties in a bad way in the 2024 class, so landing Bennie-Powell as part of a three-man safety class was key for the Irish. Bennie-Powell transitioned to deep safety as a senior after playing closer to the line of scrimmage in previous seasons. He looked comfortable on the back end, which showed he is capable of playing deeper, something Notre Dame needed.

11. SEAN SEVILLANO JR., DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Height/Weight: 6-1½, 325
Hometown/High School: Clearwater, Fla./Clearwater Academy

IB Grade: 3.5 (Top 350 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.0

Analysis: Sevillano is on the shorter side and he doesn't seem to have great length, but he makes up for it in any others. The first is that he's incredibly strong, both in the upper body and lower body. Sevillano anchors extremely well at the point of attack, but his power allows him to blow blockers off the ball, which combines with a nice first step and quality motor to allow Sevillano to be highly productive up the middle. He looks like a space eater, there's no doubt about that, but he has more to his game than that. His technique and hand play need work, but he has the raw power and girth to eventually be a stout player up the middle of a college defense.

Notre Dame Fit: Notre Dame desperately wanted to add some beef to the interior of its defensive line, and Sevillano certainly adds that. His skillset also fits well into the Irish defense. Interior players for the Irish have to be able to do a little bit of everything, meaning playing over the center and over the guards, but the nose in the Irish defense is primarily an over the center player. Sevillano can do both, but his best fit is playing over the center. That position ideally has a player that can not only two-gap, but can also penetrate. Sevillano showed that the last two years.

12. TEDDY REZAC, LINEBACKER

Height/Weight: 6-3½, 185
Hometown/High School: Omaha, Neb./Westside

IB Grade: 3.5 (Top 350 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5

Analysis: Rezac has a career trajectory that is similar to current Rover Jack Kiser in that he is a high school safety that will move down to the second level. Notre Dame took a big chance on Rezac, but they love his potential. He's long and skinny, but he still arrives at the football with some pop. Rezac is instinctive and makes a lot of plays at the ball, but it's his speed and athleticism that really stands out and is why he got a scholarship from Notre Dame. Rezac can absolutely fly, and he's also a smooth and sudden athlete that moves with ease. He'll need to fill out and get a lot stronger, but his ability to play with range and fly around the field is top notch.

Notre Dame Fit: Notre Dame is recruiting Rezac as a Rover, although there is the possibility he could grow into more of an inside backer. Rezac plays all over the field for Westside, lining up anywhere from free safety to slot defender to edge rusher to off ball linebacker. That versatility fits into the Rover position quite well, and his skill set fits into the position as well.

UPSIDE GRADE RANKING

1. DE Bryce Young - 5.0
2. LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa - 5.0
3. DE Loghan Thomas - 5.0
4. S Brauntae Johnson - 5.0
5. LB Bodie Kahoun - 4.5
6. CB Leonard Moore - 4.5
7. DE Cole Mullins - 4.5
8. CB Karson Hobbs - 4.5
9. LB Teddy Rezac - 4.5
10. S Kennedy Urlacher - 4.0
11. DT Sean Sevillano Jr. - 4.0
12. S Taebron Bennie-Powell - 4.0

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Irish Breakdown Content

2024 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule

Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

2024 Commit Rankings - Offense
2024 Commit Rankings - Defense

2024 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2024 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

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