Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1491978
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM MARCH 2023 53 2023 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY TODD D. BURLAGE Coming from a preparatory school that felt more like a military school, Notre Dame early enrollee defensive lineman Devan Houstan feels plenty confident that he can handle anything that college life throws at him. A native of Mississauga, Ontario, and a product of Saint James School — a prestigious boarding academy in Hager- stown, Md. — Houstan became a stand- out defensive lineman for the Saints, and a mature and great recruiting get for Notre Dame. When asked about his intimidation level starting the next chapter of his football career and his academic life in new surroundings, Houstan insists he's well prepared. "There was such a strict schedule at Saint James," said Houstan, explain- ing that a day-in-the-life there started about 7 a.m. and ended late with lights out at 11 p.m., seven days a week. "Obvi- ously, it will be a strict schedule at Notre Dame. But having all the resources — academic counselors, football trainers, a strength staff — to help me grow as both a person and a player, that's what I'm most looking forward to." I n t h e sa m e way to p U. S. h i g h school hockey players flock to Canada, Houstan as a Canadian footballer came to the U.S. to play against better compe- tition, gain more notoriety and expand his college opportunities. Wide receiver John Metchie — an All-SEC performer at Alabama and a second-round draft pick of the Hous- ton Texans in 2022 — is another no- table Ontario native who attended Saint James School. As for Houstan, he was already famil- iar with Saint James because his older brother Caleb considered playing high school basketball there. Caleb ended up at Montverde Academy in Florida where he earned a scholarship to Michigan and parlayed his one season in Ann Arbor into being selected in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. Saint James head football coach John Root, said that Devan and his family reached out to his program with an in- quiry and a workout video. "Wow, you could tell just by his film that this kid was special," Root recalled. "He's big, but he moves like a very small player, very fluid but with strength and power." In an interesting visual, Devan — all 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds of him — explained that his nimbleness comes in part from childhood ballet lessons. The only one of four freshman defen- sive linemen to enroll early in January, Houstan admitted to some anxiousness as the lone newbie in his position room this spring. "But I'll push through any adversity that comes my way," he said. So, what can Notre Dame expect from Houstan? Coach Root said the whole package. "They're getting a kid that when practice stops, Devan is not going to stop," Root said. "He's going to make Notre Dame a better program." ✦ Devan Houstan Is Confident He Is Ready For Notre Dame Houstan, a native of Canada, played his high school football at St. James School in Hagerstown, Md. PHOTO COURTESY DEVAN HOUSTAN DEVAN HOUSTAN DEFENSIVE LINEMAN 6-4 · 275 SAINT JAMES SCHOOL (MD.) MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 44 7 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 164 12 4 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 22 5 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 247 33 6 STATISTICS • Posted 39 stops, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery during his senior year. • Recorded 50 tackles, 8 stops for loss, 7.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery as a junior. NOTABLE • 2022 and 2021 All-Mid-Atlantic Conference team. • 2022 Washington County Athletics Association first-team offense and defense. • 2021 Washington County Athletics Association first-team defense. • 2022 and 2021 Yellott Award winner, which goes to the county's top defensive lineman. • His older brother, Caleb, currently plays for the NBA's Orlando Magic. • Attended St. Marcellinus Secondary School in Canada as a freshman and sophomore before mov- ing to the United States to pursue college football possibilities. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on May 7, 2022. • Enrolled at Notre Dame in January. • Picked the Irish over Michigan, Penn State, South Carolina and others. • Recruited by defensive line coach Al Wash- ington. • Visited Notre Dame three times, including his official visit on June 10, 2022. 2023 PROJECTION • Houstan will probably redshirt as a freshman, but he could break his way into the interior defen- sive line rotation. THEY SAID IT On3 director of scouting and rankings Charles Power: "Houstan is a fluid, active defensive line- man who looks to be ascending as a player. He's a big, loose athlete pairing good size at around 6-foot-5, 270 pounds with functional movement skills. He made the transition to American high school football relatively seamlessly after coming down from Canada and had a productive junior season while playing on both sides of the ball. "Houstan shows very good bend and flexibility — he plays low and fires off the snap. We also see him show quick hands and some burgeoning pass rush moves. The natural movement skills also show up with his closing speed behind the line of scrimmage. I'm looking forward to tracking Houstan as a senior given how much he's pro- gressed over the past year. He has the look of a prospect who will continue to progress with more experience." National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming: "I think he'll be an inside guy. He has the skill to play end, but he could end up at 300 pounds. He has really good hands and movement skills. "I don't know about the competition up there, but he's athletic. He can play low and does a really good job. He's a solid four-star guy."