Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1515937
66 MARCH 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2024 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY TODD D. BURLAGE W ise beyond his teenage years, Bryce Young brings a unique perspective to life that stretches well beyond the game of football. Cooking classes, piano practice and academic achievement are just a few of the diverse interests that the Charlotte, N.C., native pours himself into. "It's definitely important to have hobbies outside of sports," said Young, who loves his R&B music and recently made homemade sushi for the first time. "It just helps you take a break from the football world and refresh, reset." Young's mature approach to life and making good decisions also spilled into his recruitment when about every school in the country wanted the ser- vices of this star defensive lineman from Charlotte Christian High School. Instead of making a hurried and rash college choice in this era of quick play- ing-time promises and big NIL dollars, Young dutifully gathered all of his data and settled on Notre Dame. Not surprisingly, Bryce said his father Bryant Young — a Hall of Fame defen- sive lineman for the Irish — was an im- portant resource during recruitment, but not an overbearing one. Instead of discussing each college visit immediately afterward, the father and son would wait a couple days, let the experience settle in, then dissect it. "We'd check in after each visit, see how we felt, write down the pros and cons, weigh out every option," Bryce ex- plained of the collaborative effort with his father. And what Bryce appreciates most about the process was how his dad lis- tened more than he advised. "It was 100 percent my decision," Bryce said of choosing Notre Dame "… I saw this place, I saw the people that were in the program. I saw the play- ers that they had. I saw my class I was coming into. I was like, 'I want to be a part of that.'" Bryce shies away from comparisons with his father, while realizing they'll be forever inevitable. Like his father, Bryce didn't play foot- ball until high school. Also like dad, the younger Young grew about 4 inches and put on 50 pounds his last two years of high school. He also skyrocketed in the recruiting rankings after a monster senior season. And now, as an early enrollee freshman, Bryce Young is ready to put his faith in the Irish coaches who put so much faith in him. No t re Da m e wa s t h e f i rs t school to offer Young a scholar- ship, and he's been forever grate- ful since. "They saw something in me I didn't see in myself yet," Bryce said. "They threw the offer out, and I was like, 'If they believe in me, I have to believe in my- self more.' I think that definitely helped, them seeing something in me I didn't see sparked something for sure." ✦ Young, whom On3 ranks as the No. 42 overall prospect and No. 7 edge nationally, counts cooking classes and playing the piano among his many interests. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER BRYCE YOUNG DEFENSIVE LINEMAN 6-7 ∙ 241 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN H.S. CHARLOTTE, N.C. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 42 7 1 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 93 14 4 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 220 11 7 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 24 6 1 STATISTICS • Had a tremendous senior season, recording 97 stops (55 solo), 18 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, 3 passes broken up, 3 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 blocked field goal and 1 blocked punt. • Posted 92 tackles, 6 stops for loss, 3 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, 1 pass broken up and 2 forced fumbles during his junior campaign. NOTABLE • Invited to and participated in the 2024 All- American Bowl in January. • Named North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association first-team all-state in 2023. • Competed in wrestling for two seasons in high school. • Has a personal-best time of 11.45 in the 100-meter dash. • His father, Bryant, played football at Notre Dame before being selected in the first round of the 1994 draft by San Francisco, playing 14 years in the NFL en route to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. • His mother, Kristin, competed with Notre Dame track and field. • Played with Irish receiver Micah Gilbert at Charlotte Christian. RECRUITMENT • Committed to the Fighting Irish on April 29, 2023. • Enrolled at Notre Dame in January. • Picked the Irish over offers from Michigan, Ten- nessee, USC and others. • Recruited by defensive line coach Al Wash- ington. • Visited Notre Dame seven times, including his official visit on June 16, 2023. 2024 PROJECTION • Could provide depth as a pass rusher as a true freshman. He very well could contribute this fall. THEY SAID IT Head coach Marcus Freeman: "He has the tools. He's got everything that I'm sure his father had when he came here. He's going to be a great player for us." On3 director of scouting and rankings Charles Power: "He looks to be a very good athlete on the edge. I think he's still putting things together rela- tive to having a pass-rush plan and developing the technique, but the physical ability is there. "He's a guy who is showing continued improve- ment, and that's what we look for during the se- nior season. We want to see guys who are getting better. You bet on ascending prospects — guys who are showing growth in their high school ca- reer and aren't finished products. And Bryce Young is showing that to a T." Bryce Young Has A Well-Rounded Approach To Life