Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com JANUARY 2022 47 FOOTBALL RECRUITING to sign with the Irish from Wisconsin in 21 years. He's another highly ranked, big-time offensive lineman with a great offer sheet. The coaching staff 's hard work paid off, and it's a big win in the imme- diate perception of the signee, plus he's going to be a multi-year starter for this program. He's likely to play guard and will maul defenders for years to come, but he could potentially play tackle. We don't see much of Schrauth pass blocking at the high school level, so that aspect of his game will need work, but there's no doubt that he is a major ad- dition for Notre Dame. The On3 Con- sensus lists him as the No. 13 interior offensive lineman and No. 138 overall player in the country. 7. AAMIL WAGNER OL • 6-6, 260 Yellow Springs, Ohio • Wayne H.S. No matter what rankings website you look at, he is a top-200, four-star prospect — and for good reason. He will have to put on plenty of weight when he gets to Notre Dame next summer because he's only about 260 pounds, but his 6-6 frame will fill out nicely under strength coach Matt Balis. Wagner, who is the No. 8 offensive tackle and No. 139 overall player in America per the On3 Consensus, has superb athleticism and is a great catch for Notre Dame. It was certainly a big- time surprise when he picked the Fight- ing Irish over Kentucky, Ohio State and Penn State — and one that the staff wel- comed with open arms. 8. TY CHAN OL • 6-5, 300 Lowell, Mass. • Lawrence Academy H.S. I understand why some folks see Chan projecting best at guard in college, but the expec- tation is that he'll play tackle at Notre Dame. He can play either at a high level, though he will need some time to develop. He didn't play great competition in Massachusetts, but the upside with Chan is huge. He is a great athlete, which is evident on the basketball court with his thunderous dunks, and he loves blocking 10 yards downfield and finish- ing with a pancake. He is as nice as they come off the field, but as mean as can be on it. The On3 Consensus lists him as the No. 11 offensive tackle and No. 162 overall re- cruit in the land. 9. JADEN MICKEY CB • 5-11, 176 Eastvale, Calif. • Centennial H.S. Mickey is a true technician and cere- bral player at the corner- back position. His most n a t u ra l s p o t a t No t re Dame is field cornerback, but with his quick hips and tackling ability he can also play in the nickel. He is a defensive playmaker with phe- nomenal instincts when the ball is in the air. He may not have freakish athleti- cism, but his technique in man coverage makes him stand out. He notched 43 tackles (2.0 for loss), two interceptions, 10 passes broken up and one forced safety during his senior year. Mickey, the nation's No. 24 corner- back and No. 175 overall player accord- ing to the On3 Consensus, had offers from Georgia, Oregon, USC and others before committing to the Irish in March. 10. ELI RARIDON TE • 6-6, 225 Des Moines, Iowa • Valley H.S. The son of former Notre Dame of- fensive lineman Scott Raridon Jr. and grandson of former Irish strength coach Scott Raridon Sr., he has all of the makings of a future All-American. He had a breakout senior season, notching 53 receptions for 627 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games. Raridon was a big-play machine, catching jump balls, taking a screen to the house and doing damage over the middle of the field. He has an excellent frame at 6-6 and 225 pounds. He also is a terrific athlete, which is also evident on the basketball court. Raridon, who is the No. 7 tight end and No. 182 overall prospect per the On3 Consensus, will end up being one of the better players of this recruiting class. 11. NIUAFE TUIHALAMAKA LB • 6-2, 229 Granada Hills, Calif. • Bishop Alemany H.S. He is a true thumper on the inside and can move pretty well, too. There's a lot of talk about versa- tility with Notre Dame's l i n e ba c ke r re c r u i ts i n recent years, but he is a Mike linebacker all the way and there's nothing wrong with that. He plays hard downhill and can make plays out in space. He posted 124 tackles, 22.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and three forced fumbles in 12 games as a senior. Tuihalamaka, the No. 16 linebacker and No. 184 overall player nationally per the On3 Consensus, has multi-year starting upside for Notre Dame. 12. AIDEN GOBAIRA DE • 6-5, 224 Fairfax, Va. • Chantilly H.S. Gobaira had a productive senior year, posting 100 tackles and 6.0 sacks across 11 games to earn Concorde District Player of the Year honors for the second straight year. He is just scratching the sur- face of how good he can be at Notre Dame. Whether it's at vyper, strong-side end or as a defensive tackle, he has a high ceiling and a great position coach to develop him in Mike Elston. He bleeds blue and gold, and will be another asset to Elston's line. The On3 Consensus ranks Gobaira as the No. 18 Edge and No. 202 overall re- cruit in America. 13. JADARIAN PRICE RB • 5-10, 190 Denison, Texas • Denison H.S. He wasn't a splash land when he committed to the Irish because of the bigger names on the board at the time, but Notre Dame fans are going to be very pleased with this uber-talented