Edge Elijah Rushing Has A Strong Early Interest In Notre Dame
Notre Dame's first two commits in the 2023 class were a pair of standout defensive ends, and the Irish are once again looking to add another top-level edge class.
Notre Dame started the 2023 class off with five-star end Keon Keeley and standout end Brenan Vernon, who was a five-star when he committed to the Irish back in June.
A top early target in the 2024 class is Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic defensive end Elijah Rushing, who is one of the best edge rushers in the country. The 6-5, 225-pound pass rusher just received his offer on St. Patrick's Day, but he's been a top player on the Irish 2024 board for some time.
“I talk to Coach (Al) Washington once every two weeks through my coach,” Rushing said. “I am super excited to receive this offer. I am currently at a Catholic school and Notre Dame is like THE place to go. Shoutout to Father John!”
That comes after a busy couple months, getting visited at school before the dead period, visiting schools and receiving new offers. The hustle and bustle can be exhausting to most.
“It has been like a whirlwind,” Rushing stated. “I am just trying to take it all in. I say this all the time but it’s all so surreal.”
Rushing currently boasts 13 reported offers, including the likes of Notre Dame, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, USC and Oregon, among others.
The Salpointe Catholic pass rusher is well regarded from the recruiting services, coming in as the nation's No. 21 overall player according to 247Sports, including sitting as the No. 1 edge in the 2024 class and the best player in the state of Arizona. Rivals also ranks Rushing as a Top 100 recruit (No. 96).
He is coming off of a dominant sophomore campaign, recording 75 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks for the 11-3 Lancers. He also added another six quarterback hurries to his stat line. On top of his impact on the field, Rushing is also a 4.0 student in the classroom.
Managing through all the chaos, Rushing has developed a three step system in order to find the perfect school fit. It makes for a great way to make sound decisions.
“First, is it the right fit for me? Second, is it a family environment? Third, will I get an honest chance to compete?”
It’s hard to ignore Rushing’s obvious fondness of the Notre Dame program. Still, he’s trying to stay in the moment and prioritize what’s in front of him.
“Notre Dame of course but my focus right now is getting better, getting my weight and strength up and working on my technique for the upcoming season,” Rushing explained.
With no visits finalized for the spring and summer, schools will be urging him heavily to make the trip to their respective university. The talented pass rusher is going to be a busy man over the next several months.
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Irish Breakdown Content
Notre Dame 2022 Roster
Notre Dame 2022 Schedule
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense
Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board
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