Notre Dame Looking To Strike Gold In Nebraska ... Again

Notre Dame is going back to Nebraska to push for one of the top defenders in the 2022 class.

Notre Dame dipped into the state of Nebraska last year when it landed standout wide receiver Xavier Watts out of Omaha Burke. The Fighting Irish staff is looking to go back to the state in 2022. In fact, the Irish are going back to Burke by throwing an offer out to Burke linebacker Devon Jackson.

Jackson, a four-star recruit and the No. 51 recruit in the country on ESPN, is a talented edge defender who could also transition to off-ball linebacker at the collegiate level. Jackson had been on Notre Dame’s radar for a long time, and on Friday he received the good news from Defensive Coordinator Clark Lea.

“It started with Xavier Watts,” Jackson told Irish Breakdown. “He went to my high school, and him and my coaches vouched for me and Notre Dame wanted to see me play. That is kind of where it started. They came and talked to me in January, and then two days ago Coach Lea called my coach. Then I was able on the phone with Coach Lea today (Friday), and he offered me.”

In college, Jackson is looking for a coaching staff that can help him grow on and off the field. If he is having a bad day, he wants to know how it can be corrected. If he is doing everything the coaches want him to do, he wants to learn something new that he can master. Trust in his coaches will be the biggest key in his recruitment. This is one of the many reasons he is attracted to Coach Lea and Notre Dame.

“I am just looking for a coaching staff that will be completely honest with me and to not sugarcoat anything,” he stated. “Just tell me everything straight up. That’s at the top of the list.”

I want coaches that will help me grow, and not just as a football player but as a man,” he continued. “Someone that can help me on and off the field. And when I am on the field, can they really help me become a better player versus telling me a bunch of stuff I already know. The coaching aspect will be very important.”

Listed at 6-2, 200-pounds with still two years of prep football left, the Irish coaching staff likes Jackson at the vyper position in their defense. A player that can drop back in coverage and cover tight ends and slot receivers, but also rush the passer on third down. One of Jackson’s biggest strengths is his first step and speed off the edge, something that will help him in both roles.

“They like me at linebacker, outside linebacker to be specific,” stated the talented rising junior. “They have a position in their defense where I’ll be guarding slot receivers, and then I’ll rush on third down. Many of the programs I talk to call it the vyper spot, and I think Notre Dame does too.”

Notre Dame’s contact with Jackson has picked up in recent weeks, and he mentioned to Irish Breakdown that he now has a scheduled call with Coach Lea every week. For a sophomore, Jackson’s offer list is already very good. On top of his offers from Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Iowa State, Illinois, Kansas State, Arizona State and now Notre Dame, he is in contact with some other programs regularly and his list of suitors should continue to grow and soon.

“A few weeks ago, I talked to the linebackers coach at LSU,” he stated. “I talk to Michigan and Missouri a lot as well, and then Nebraska out of the schools that have offered. That is really it right now if I am being honest. I am going to start talking with Notre Dame every week now though.”

Living in Nebraska, some fans might pause and assume Jackson is a Cornhusker lean. While the Nebraska program has been down for a few years, it is still extremely difficult to poach the top athletes and get them to play out of state. However, Jackson confirmed with Irish Breakdown this isn’t the case for him.

“I wasn’t born in Nebraska,” he mentioned. “I’ve only lived here for six years, so I am not born and bred a Husker fan. It’s never been like that for me.

“I was actually born in Illinois, and then moved right outside of Indianapolis when I was two,” he continued. “ I moved to Omaha when I was about ten years old. When people ask me about Nebraska, I am not leaning toward Nebraska. They don’t get any special treatment from me.”

While Notre Dame just entered the race for the consensus four-star recruit, look for them to be a major player in his recruitment. The familiarity with the program because of Watts certainly helps, but Jackson is already developing a solid bond with Coach Lea.

He is a versatile athlete. While he is an edge defender at Burke, and is being recruited as such by the programs he is in contact with, he is an athlete that should also thrive if moved inside later on. On film, he is often showcasing his speed in the open field and he rarely lets an opposing player get outside on him when setting the edge. Jackson is a very intriguing athlete that Notre Dame fans will want to keep an eye on in the Class of 2022.

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