Class Impact: Brandyn Hillman Commits To Notre Dame

Breaking down how the commitment of Brandyn Hillman impacts the Notre Dame 2023 class and the Irish depth chart

Notre Dame's vaunted 2023 class continues to get better, with Notre Dame landing a commitment from Portsmouth (Va.) Churchland standout Brandyn Hillman. The 6-2, 190-pound athlete earned postseason honors as a quarterback, defensive back and punter. Notre Dame is landing one of the most versatile athletes in the entire country.

Let's look at what landing Hillman means for the Notre Dame class and the Irish depth chart. 

NOTRE DAME CLASS IMPACT

Hillman is the 27th player to commit to Notre Dame in the 2023 class. Notre Dame currently has commitments from 14 offensive players, 12 defensive players and now Hillman, who projects on both sides of the ball.

Hillman could play offense or defense at the next level, and he projects as a starting caliber player at running back, wide receiver, safety and rover. A case could be made, and I plan to make it, that Hillman projects best at rover and wide receiver, with rover being where I personally like him best. It's hard not to see the similarities between Hillman and former Notre Dame star Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Notre Dame views Hillman truly as an athlete, and they'll figure out where to play him down the road.

As a rover, Hillman projects as the kind of athlete you want at the position in a true 4-2-5 defense. His potential in coverage and ability to make plays in space would allow him to be more of a true rover, one that can run and hit, run and cover and provide much needed length and range to the position. Notre Dame has been using linebackers at the position, but Hillman would bring a more natural defensive back skillset to the position. 

As a wide receiver, Hillman has the unique combination of length and after-the-catch ability. He's dynamic with the ball in his hands, which is partly why some schools - including Notre Dame - flirted with making him a running back. That changed for the Irish when they landed star running back Jeremiyah Love to pair with Jayden Limar, but it didn't diminish their desire to land, and find a home for, Hillman.

Hillman could also be a downhill, alley safety that would complement players like Peyton Bowen and Ben Minich nicely, but I really like his game closer to the football. Some schools even recruited him as a quarterback. That kind of versatility is rare, and coveted. Notre Dame will be able to find a home for Hillman somewhere, and it will be partly dictated by what the rest of the depth chart looks like.

NOTRE DAME FIT

Where to begin with Hillman. From a fit standpoint he fits best on defense as either a safety or rover thanks to his playmaking ability. He gets downhill in a hurry and arrives at the ball with force. On offense his combination of length, athleticism and playmaking ability projects quite well to wide receiver, but he's so dynamic with the ball that he could also make plays in the backfield.

Hillman has good speed, but his athletic talent is more about suddenness, elusiveness and burst than it is raw speed. He's an exceptionally quick and elusive athlete that can cover a lot of ground. When he has the ball he shows impressive lower body strength, which makes him hard to bring down in space, and combines with his agility to make him a legit weapon with the ball.

That is also why he arrives at the football with so much authority as a tackler. As he fills out his ability to deliver punishment will be enhanced. All of this is why he reminds me so much of Owusu-Koramoah. More explosive and quick than fast, thin in high school but top-notch strength and a good frame, plays all over the field in high school and a very high football IQ.

On defense, Hillman is more about instincts and athleticism. If he ends up on defense he'll need to improve his footwork and the nuances on that side of the ball, but the natural tools are impressive. He will also need to continue getting stronger and fill out, but his athleticism talent and football instincts are top notch.

The key for Notre Dame will be figuring out where to play Hillman. Right now he's being recruited as an athlete and he projects on both sides of the ball, but at some point he'll need to get put in a position and get a chance to push there, knowing he could easily move around where needs are greatest, and where he can get on the field the fastest.

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Irish Breakdown Content

Notre Dame 2022 Roster
Notre Dame 2022 Schedule

Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board
Notre Dame 2023 Commits Board - Offense
Notre Dame 2023 Commits Board - Defense

Notre Dame 2023 Scholarship Offers
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense

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