Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM MARCH 2026 51 2026 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY KYLE KELLY O n Dec. 21, 2025, Notre Dame edge signee Ebenezer Ewetade from Raleigh (N.C.) South Garner participated in the Military Ap- preciation Bowl at the Ford Cen- ter, the Dallas Cowboys practice facility in Frisco, Texas. Stats from the game were not made available, but according to longtime national recruiting ana- lyst and color commentator Tom Lemming, Ewetade was one of the "two or three" best defensive players in the high school all-star game. L e m m i n g 's e va l u a t i o n o f Ewetade's performance rein- forces the belief that Notre Dame is adding a high-upside edge rusher who is developing rapidly. Rivals agrees, ranking Ewetade as the No. 9 edge and No. 38 over- all player nationally in the 2026 class. Meanwhile, 247 Sports and ESPN view him outside their top 100 overall rankings and list him as the No. 18 and No. 31 edge nationally, re- spectively. Lemming would agree more with Ri- vals' view of Ewetade than the other two websites. "He's explosive to the ball," Lemming told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "And he's got good bend and explosive moves to the ball. His lateral speed was outstand- ing. And he tracks the ball very well. He was running down guys from behind and had a couple of sacks." Ewetade's senior season at South Garner (N.C.) High featured many of the same eye-opening traits. Rivals' No. 3 player in North Carolina consistently lived in opposing back- fields. In 11 games, he recorded 28 tack- les for loss, 9 sacks and 25 quarterback hurries. He also made his presence felt beyond the line of scrimmage, total- ing 70 tackles, including 60 solo stops, along with 4 passes broken up. Ewetade helped South Garner force multiple turnovers as well by producing 2 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, a blocked punt and a blocked field goal. "He's a legit four-star plus guy," Lemming said. "Now, with another 25 pounds, he could be a five-star type talent." Lemming, who does in-person evalu- ations of nearly every nationally ranked prospect each year, said Ewetade mea- sured 208 pounds when he first saw him about a year ago. Despite still being on the lighter end for an edge rusher, Lemming does not expect Ewetade to have difficulty add- ing mass once he arrives in South Bend. "He's 6-4," Lemming said. "If he weighs 250, that's fine. He'll get up to that. These guys are going to eat a lot better when they get to Notre Dame." After what Ewetade put on tape over the last four months, he enters college with momentum and room to grow, giv- ing Notre Dame an excellent defender whose best football still lies ahead. "He was a really explosive player," Lemming said. "As good as we thought he was." Ewetade enrolled at Notre Dame in January, and if he picks up the Notre Dame defense quickly, earns the trust of the staff and puts on the necessary mass, he could be a surprise contributor as a freshman, especially considering the Irish could use help on the edge. "The goal is to really be ready to play at any given moment," Ewetade said. "Get in there with a dog mentality. Go ahead and put in work. Nothing's given. Everything's earned." ✦ Ebenezer Ewetade Shines At New Military Appreciation Bowl EBENEZER EWETADE DEFENSIVE LINEMAN 6-4 · 217 SOUTH GARNER H.S. RALEIGH, N.C. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE Industry ✪✪✪✪ 111 17 7 ✪✪✪✪ 38 9 3 ✪✪✪✪ 150 18 12 ✪✪✪✪ 264 31 12 STATISTICS • As a senior in 2025, posted 70 total stops, 28 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 25 QB hurries, 4 passes broken up, 4 fumble recoveries, 2 forced fumbles, 1 blocked punt and 1 blocked field goal. He also had 49 receiving yards and 1 touchdown on offense. • Totaled 82 tackles, 28 stops for loss, 10 sacks, 27 quarterback hurries, 1 pass deflection and 4 forced fumbles in just nine games as a junior in 2024. NOTABLE • Participated in the Military Appreciation Bowl following the 2025 season. • Received Greater Neuse River all-conference accolades in 2024 and 2025. • Earned a spot on the South Garner All-Aca- demic list in 2025. • Also ran track and field, and has a personal best of 22.5 seconds in the 200-meter race. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on April 5, 2025. • Enrolled at Notre Dame in January. • Picked the Irish over Alabama, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina State. • Recruited by former Irish defensive line coach Al Washington. • Visited Notre Dame four times, including his official on June 20, 2025. 2026 PROJECTION • If Ewetade adds the necessary weight and strength, he could become a defensive end con- tributor for the Irish. THEY SAID IT Rivals director of scouting and rankings Charles Power: "He has the physical dimensions that you look for at the position with his elite length and arms close to 35 inches. He has the frame to continue fill- ing out with the length you like to see at the position. "When you turn on the film, you see his athleti- cism that is so important. He runs really well, tracks down ball carries in pursuit and looks to have good flexibility. Ewetade plays with a high motor, and it's easy to see why he is so productive." Ewetade — the No. 9 edge and No. 38 overall prospect in America per Rivals — is deserving of the hype, says long- time recruiting analyst Tom Lemming. PHOTO COURTESY SOUTH GARNER H.S.