Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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46 MARCH 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2026 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY KYLE KELLY J a'Kobe Clapper is not the only tack- ling machine and exemplary leader the Notre Dame football program has signed out of Cincinnati St. Xavier. Twenty-eight years ago, the Irish a d d e d Ro c k y Bo i m a n , o n e o f t h e school's all-time great defenders, who piled up 330 tackles during his high school career. Boiman went on to have an impactful collegiate career, compiling 144 tackles and serving as a co-captain during his senior season. The Tennessee Titans recognized his talent by selecting him in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. Now an ESPN commentator, Boiman sees some of the same traits in Clapper that helped him become a major con- tributor both on and off the field during his Notre Dame career. "He's just a tremendous young man," Boiman told Blue & Gold Illustrated's Eric Hansen and Tyler James on their "Third and Gold" podcast. "A guy who's going to light up a room and does all the right things off the field. … He's just a spectacular young man, a leader and does everything right. His coach never has to worry about anything. "He's also a smart player. St. X plays a fairly complex defense, a 3-3 stack, and sometimes he's the adjuster in it, sometimes he's a linebacker. He has to go in and out of those things." Clapper's smarts and role as a defen- sive leader paid dividends during his senior season. Rivals' No. 27 player in Ohio and No. 47 linebacker nationally helped S t . X a v i e r r e a c h the Division I state championship game by producing 125 to- tal stops (65 solo), 11 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 14 games. He also contributed to 4 turnovers with 1 interception, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery. Clapper compiled those totals despite playing on the same defense as two other class of 2026 Power Fo u r l i n e b a c k e rs : M i c h i g a n 's A d e n Reeder and Clem- son's Brayden Reilly. Yet, in head coach Steve Specht's eyes, Clapper's role was invaluable. And much like Boiman before him, he will be just as essential to the future of the Notre Dame defense. "Nobody's better," Specht said. "He's a leader, a two-year captain. He's in- stinctive. He knows where other guys have to be. He gets guys lined up. He's different when it comes to that." ✦ As a senior, Clapper helped lead Cincinnati St. Xavier to a runner-up finish in the Ohio Division I state playoffs with a team-best 125 tackles. PHOTO BY KYLE KELLY Ja'Kobe Clapper Follows In Rocky Boiman's Footsteps JA'KOBE CLAPPER LINEBACKER 6-1 · 209 ST. XAVIER H.S. CINCINNATI RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE Industry ✪✪✪ 531 47 27 ✪✪✪ — 45 32 ✪✪✪ — 36 22 ✪✪✪ — 42 26 STATISTICS • Totaled a conference-leading 125 tackles (65 solo), while adding 11 stops for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 pass broken up, 1 interception, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery in 14 games while helping St. Xavier reach the Division I state championship game as a senior in 2025. • Was second in the conference with 105 tackles (54 solo), while contributing 11.5 stops for loss, 2 passes broken up, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble re- coveries in 14 games as a junior in 2024. St. Xavier went to the Division I regional final. • Finished second in the conference in tackles, compiling 90 stops (57 solo), with 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and 1 interception in 12 games as a sophomore in 2023. The Bombers lost in the regional quarterfinals. NOTABLE • Earned a spot on the Maxwell Football Club High School All-America Team in 2025. • Was a finalist for Ohio Mr. Football in 2025. • Tabbed first-team All-Ohio in 2024 and 2025. • Was the Greater Catholic League Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025, and was a second-team all-league selection in 2023. RECRUITMENT • Committed to the Irish on May 2, 2025. • Enrolled at Notre Dame in January. • Picked the Irish over Louisville, Michigan, Or- egon, Tennessee and Wisconsin. • Recruited by former Notre Dame linebackers coach Max Bullough. • Visited Notre Dame eight times, including his official visit on June 13, 2025. 2026 PROJECTION • Clapper could become a valuable special teams asset, specifically on kickoff and punt coverage units. THEY SAID IT Rivals director of scouting and rankings Charles Power: "He is a really good high school football player. Clapper plays outstanding competition at a top program in Cincinnati and has been a key de- fensive playmaker for St. Xavier for multiple years. "He plays on the outside a lot and has a well- rounded skill set. Clapper shows ability as a blitzer and pass rusher, but is comfortable dropping in space. He's instinctive, tough and has a lot of the skills and attributes you look for in a linebacker prospect. "He plays with an aggressive, physical mentality. Clapper is a guy who will come in and be a fit for what Notre Dame likes in terms of competitive character. He's got solid, but not overwhelming, size. There's not a lot about him physically that will blow you away, but he's a really good player and will find a way to be productive given what he's shown at the high school level. He's been coached well and will come in ahead of others from an understanding of defenses and how he competes. "It's a nice get for Notre Dame, and Clapper is a little slept on in terms of the high-level player he is. He's made a ton of plays over his high school career."