Four-star LB Kobe Clapper commits to Notre Dame football
Notre Dame is on a heater when it comes to landing new verbals in the 2026 class. The latest recruit to commit to the Fighting Irish is Cincinnati St. Xavier four-star linebacker Kobe Clapper.
While Clapper kept his recruitment close to his vest — and the timing of his pledge was unexpected — this decision doesn’t come as a surprise. Multiple On3 insiders had predicted that Clapper would pick the Fighting Irish, and he’s been a frequent visitor. The staff offered him last March for its Pot of Gold Day recruiting initiative, and hosted him both that spring and again for the Louisville game.
Clapper returned to South Bend in January for Notre Dame’s junior day event and again March 28 to watch practice with his high school teammate, Gordy Sulfsted, who signed with the Irish as part of Notre Dame’s 2025 class.
And Clapper, who checks in as the No. 372 overall player and No. 30 linebacker in America per the 2026 On3 Industry Ranking, announced his commitment Friday morning via On3’s Hayes Fawcett.
“I’m home. Go Irish!” Clapper said.
During an interview with Blue & Gold in September, Clapper compared Notre Dame to his current high school.
“Yeah, Notre Dame is very similar, but when you think about the culture, you can’t really teach that,” he said. “Other schools might not have that culture that they have. So to change it up, that maybe would be nice. But it’s also nice to have (that culture).”
Clapper is Notre Dame’s second linebacker commit of the class, joining Matthews (N.C.) Weddington four-star prospect Thomas Davis Jr. In the On3 Industry Ranking, Davis is the No. 182 overall player, the No. 10 linebacker in America and the No. 11 recruit in North Carolina.
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During his 14-game junior season in which he helped lead St. Xavier to the Ohio Region 4 state championship game, Clapper posted 105 tackles (11.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 pass breakups.
“He’s very mature for his age,” St. Xavier coach Steve Specht previously told Blue & Gold’s Kyle Kelly about Clapper. “He plays with great energy. He’s very smart. His football IQ is off the chart. All of those elements are needed to help the younger kids.”
“He’s very gifted, physically. God gave him talent. He’s 6-foot-2. He’s long, he can run and he can jump. You have to have that. The biggest thing that separates Kobe is his football IQ. He sees things before they happen.”
Clapper is Notre Dame’s 13th commitment of the 2026 class, a group that ranks No. 4 nationally per the Industry Ranking football Team Recruiting Rankings.
