Notre Dame In Hot Pursuit Of Talented Rhode Island Defensive End

Notre Dame has made talented Rhode Island defensive end Jason Onye a top priority in the 2021 class.

It's been nine months since Notre Dame landed 2021 St. Peters (Mo.) Lutheran of St. Charles County defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio.

Since then, defensive line Coach Mike Elston has prioritized edge rushers, especially with high upside. Elston has offered twenty-four edge prospects to be exact.

One of those prospects is Warwick (R.I.) Bishop Hendricken defensive end Jason Onye, who has emerged as a top target for the Irish. The 6-5 245 pound Onye is extremely athletic, playing basketball as well at a high level.

Onye received an offer from Elston last December, which meant a lot to him and his family.

“It was a big, pivotal movement in my recruitment,” Onye said. “My family was ecstatic that I could have a chance to compete at that level both athletically and academically.”

This March, Onye planned to visit South Bend, however the visit was canceled due to a dead period being put in place because of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. That cancellation will delay his visit to campus, but Onye still plans to head to South Bend as soon as possible.

“I am trying to get up there very soon,” Onye told Irish Breakdown. “Also, this time I hope to plan my visit, so I can accompany other commits and recruits. Blake Fisher will let me know when that visit will be.”

That would be Avon (Ind.) star offensive tackle, and Notre Dame commit, Blake Fisher. The Irish commit has made it clear that he wants to bring in the best players with him this recruiting cycle. Fisher has developed a relationship with Onye and will answer any questions Onye offers.

“He tells me how prestigious and how much of an honor it is to play for Notre Dame,” continued the Bishop Hendricken star. “He speaks on the amount of history and the religious aspect that comes along with Notre Dame. We’re pretty close, so whenever I have questions or anything, then I’m always able to reach out.”

Fisher has become a strong recruiter for the Irish, however he’s not alone on the recruiting front. Elston hopes to add the talented defensive end to the class and has done a great job creating a strong relationship between the two.

“Our relationship is really good,” he said of Elston. “We talk whenever we get the chance.”

Honesty is a valued trait that comes up often from recruits when describing Elston. This is no different coming from the Rhode Island defensive end.

“He’s very upfront and honest,” Onye explained. “He tells me that he sees a lot of upside in me and how he can develop me into a beast pass rusher. Also, he tells me how he has developed many Nigerians.”

Onye is referring to Julian Okwara, Adetokunbo Ogundeji, Jayson Ademilola and Justin Ademilola.

Onye is ready to get things wrapped up in his recruitment, regarding when he wants to commit to the school of his choice.

“I was hoping to commit before the summer, and hopefully it’s the same, depending on when I’m able to visit schools after the dead period,” he stated.

That Notre Dame visit will be an important one for the key Irish target, which has him excited for the trip.

“I hope to see all the good things I hear about Notre Dame and everything in full effect.”

Onye is as hungry and humble as they get and fits exactly what kind of players the Irish coaching staff covets.

“I see myself as a dynamic player, who is always ready to work, trying to get better and improve,” said the talented edge player. “My main goal is not only to improve individually, but to help the people around me as well. I’m always ready to compete, and I can’t wait to do that at the next level.”

Onye is listed as a consensus three star recruit, and the 247Sports Composite rankings list him as the 470th overall prospect in the nation, but the staff values him as much more than that. Irish Breakdown publisher Bryan Driskell graded Onye as a four-star recruit.

“I understand why some rank him as a three-star recruit. He’s a raw player in many ways,” Driskell explained. “But when you talk about raw tools and start looking at ceilings it is easy to see why Elston has made Onye a priority.

“Elston values length and upside, and Onye possesses a tremendous frame,” continued Driskell. “He has some Isaiah Foskey and Ade Ogundeji in his game. I’d be willing to bet strength coach Matt Balis is going to fall in love with Onye once he gets on campus for a visit. This is the kind of young man Balis tends to covet.”

Onye has earned offers from schools such as Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Boston College, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, Duke, Virginia Tech, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Connecticut.

There are certain young men that fit the Notre Dame culture, but finding players that fit on and off the field is harder to find. Jason Onye is one of those players. Onye is ready to get his recruitment over with, and the Irish are one of, if not the leader in the battle. Elston has put the Irish in a great spot to eventual land a commitment, and the visit will be key to making that happen.