Class Impact: LB Dominik Hulak Commits To Notre Dame

Breaking down how the commitment of Dominik Hulak impacts the Notre Dame recruiting class and depth chart

Notre Dame added to its already loaded 2025 recruiting class by picking up Elmhurst (Ill.) Immaculate Conception linebacker Dominik Hulak. Notre Dame beat out Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and others to land the commitment from the 6-3, 225-pound defender.

Let's look at how landing Hulak impacts the Notre Dame 2025 recruiting class and the Irish depth chart.

NOTRE DAME CLASS IMPACT

Hulak is the eighth players to commit to Notre Dame in the 2025 class. He is the fourth defensive player in the class, and all four defensive commits project as defensive lineman. Hulak joins talented Florida defensive tackle Davion Dixon, Alabama edge CJ May and fellow Illinois big man Joseph Reiff.

Notre Dame failed to land a pure Vyper in the 2023 class and while the 2024 class has potential Vypers in Loghan Thomas and Cole Mullins, there is a chance Mullins ends up as more of a pure end. That combination makes the Vyper/Money position very important in the 2025 class. 

Landing Hulak helps alleviate some of the need at the position. Notre Dame has looked for more of a long, twitchy, rangy type of athlete for the Vyper position. That fits Thomas perfectly. He's more of a pure edge player, which is more of the Vyper role. It would appear the "Money" position, which is somewhat new, is more of a hybrid player, and that's where Hulak comes into play.

He's a high school middle linebacker and tight end, but his game and body better projects to play as a front player at the collegiate level. That's where Notre Dame sold him, and Hulak is on board with that fit.

NOTRE DAME FIT - FILM ANALYSIS

Notre Dame doesn't see Hulak as a linebacker, and it doesn't seem to view him as a pure defensive end either, at least not yet. His combination of athleticism, power and experience in coverage and playing in space makes him a bit for the hybrid "Money" position in the Irish defense. That will require him to rush the passer and play the run from the edge, but also to drop into coverage and play in space at times.

Hulak is built similarly to current Irish sophomore end Junior Tuihalamaka, who was also a physical inside linebacker that ultimately converted to end with the Irish. He's built thick, possessing a strong lower body and a stout overall frame. Hulak is currently listed at 6-3 and 225 pounds, but he should easily carry at least 250 pounds at the next level. 

The Immaculate standout is powerful at the point of attack, possessing the lower body power to explode through contact and the upper body strength to develop into a strong edge setter and block destructor. Hulak also seems to possess the overall length needed to play on the edge in the Irish defense.

When breaking down film the biggest difference between Hulak as a sophomore and a junior is his athleticism. He'll never be an elite athlete by any means, but his overall athletic profile improved quite a bit in 2023. Hulak shows good short-area quickness and change of direction on film. His ability to change direction and explode downhill impressed as a junior, and it projects very well to playing on the edge, where he can fly off the edge with power and also drop and play laterally when needed. 

Hulak's ability to play with range is probably the area where he showed the biggest jump this season, and it is an area where he needed growth in order to fit into this role for Notre Dame. We saw him play some on the edge as a junior, and he showed a good burst and the ability to close on the ball. I don't see him being a big time pass rusher, but a strong all-around player on the edge.

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Irish Breakdown Content

2023 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule

Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

2024 Commit Rankings - Offense
2024 Commit Rankings - Defense

2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

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