Notre Dame Looking To Finish Off 2023 Linebacker Class With An Elite Rover

With Al Golden taking over as defensive coordinator for Notre Dame, there are bound to be some new wrinkles Golden installs, but fundamentally speaking the defense will remain structurally very similar to what head coach Marcus Freeman has implemented as a part of the program. That’s a layer that was understood when making the hire.

As a part of that defensive structure, the Rover position is a playmaking spot that brings a variety of possibilities from a play style perspective, and it will remain an important position in the Irish defense. The position is somewhere between a safety and linebacker. There are responsibilities to work in space, but also must be physical enough to play in the box in a traditional stacked linebacker role against various formations/position groups.

With Drayk Bowen and Preston Zinter already committed, Notre Dame's focus appears to be on linebacker prospects with the tools to being their careers at Rover. That strong start, coupled with an elite linebacker haul in the 2022 class, has also allowed Notre Dame to focus on top-of-the-line talent.

The staff is in on several big named 2023 linebacker recruits who project favorably to Rover and the versatility to develop into varying other positions depending on physical development.

Samuel M’Pemba

Perhaps the biggest name on the list, Notre Dame is in a very sound position for Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy star Samuel M’Pemba. The 6-4 230 pound athlete is one of the more fascinating players stylistically in the entire 2023 class.

From a physical perspective, M’Pemba looks like a true MIKE linebacker, boasting a long frame with a lot of projection to work in the middle of the defense. That could very well end up his long term outlook.

Rare for a player his size, however, M’Pemba is adept playing in space, bringing a rare combination of range and change of direction. That offers a lot of upside at Rover, bringing a lot of possibilities playing from depth, at a traditional stacked alignment or even blitzing off of the slot.

His speed also offers substantial upside working in pursuit and coverage, bringing interesting possibilities at WILL linebacker.

Perhaps the most intriguing long term outlook for M’Pemba could be at Vyper, where he boasts the type of frame that can bring high upside working off of the edge. There are some teams who even like M’Pemba potentially on offense at tight end.

Rivals ranks M'Pemba as a five-star recruit and the No. 7 overall player in the country, and he ranks No. 13 overall on the 247Sports composite ranking.

There is no limit to this caliber of athlete. M'Pemba has already been to Notre Dame once, and he's expected back on campus March 19.

Derion Gullette

While he doesn’t bring the same recruiting hype as M’Pemba from a ranking standpoint, Marlin (Texas) High School three sport star Derion Gullette is one of the more accomplished athletes in all of high school football.

A notable track and field athlete and potential all-state basketball player for the school, Gullette is also a difference maker at wide receiver on top of his impact on the defensive side of the football. The 6-3, 225 pound athlete has been on a recruiting rise this off-season.

For the longest time, he was considered as a bonafide three-star across the majority of recruiting platforms. Gullette is now up to four-star status according to 247Sports but On3 especially is bullish on the Lonestar product, seeing a recent bump up to the No. 56 overall player nationally, and the No. 8 player in Texas.

His rise is especially impressive when you consider that Gullette has only been playing linebacker for a single season after spending a lot of time at quarterback early in his career. Gullette boasts a huge frame with room to grow - with an absurd level of closing speed and short area explosiveness.

The upside is immense here. Gullette is set to visit Notre Dame this spring. Getting on campus will be a huge step in his recruitment.

Ta’Mere Robinson

The huge wildcard in the group, Notre Dame has been in on Pittsburgh (Penn.) Brashear standout Ta’Mere Robinson for some time. There was a slight setback when Robinson suffered a knee injury late during his junior season. By all indications, the 6-4 210 pounder is ahead of schedule on recovery and is expected to be back sometime during the summer.

On the field, Robinson is a gifted athlete who is well adept working in space, starting at safety during his sophomore year. There is a reality where Robinson could grow into a WIlL backer or even Vyper down the line. He brings an impressive frame that could hold a substantial amount of weight down the line.

Like M’Pemba and Gullette, Robinson also has plans to visit Notre Dame over the next couple months, especially since he wasn’t able to attend Notre Dame during their Junior Day back in January.

Robinson is currently viewed as a consensus Top 200 recruit across all major recruiting platforms. He peaks as the No. 146 player nationally according to Rivals. Robinson’s ranking is very consistent, sitting at No. 152 on On3, No. 158 according to 247Sports and No. 165 by ESPN.

Despite some uncertainty while working back from the knee injury, Notre Dame is still very much in on Robinson. The next few months will be telling for this recruitment.

Jaiden Ausberry

One similarity between M’Pemba, Gullette and Robinson is a high level of length. That provides so many developmental possibilities and a huge bonus working in space. Notre Dame has shown the willingness to stray outside of the prototype at positions in order to find the right fit.

That brings in Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab star Jaiden Ausberry, who makes up for a lack of size with dynamic movement skills and instincts. At 6-0 and 205 pounds, Ausberry definitely does not fit into the ideal thresholds for a linebacker.

There is, however, no more instinctive linebacker on the list. Ausberry has a knack for always seeming to be a step ahead and he is always around the football. He is also a very explosive athlete who has the speed to make a bevy of plays working in pursuit. Ausberry has the style who fits well into the Rover or WILL linebacker role.

While he may not be quite as versatile as the rest of the list, Ausberry is a really intriguing player potentially working from the Rover spot early on in his career. He is going to be a tough land for the Irish but getting him on campus in the near future is going to be a huge bump.

Ausberry is a potentially elite recruit, coming in as the No. 40 player on the 247Sports composite ranking.

The possibilities are endless for Notre Dame at Rover in the 2023 class. Versatility is the name of the game - and Notre Dame is in the hunt for several diverse athletes with a large range of possible projections.

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

Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board

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