Notre Dame five-star commit Keon Keeley draws rave comparison
Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux is projected as a top-five pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he’s the player who On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power compares Notre Dame class of 2023 commit Keon Keeley to.
On3 updated its own rankings last week, and Keeley, a five-star prospect from Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep, moved up one spot from No. 4 to No. 3 nationally.
“Keeley ranks as the top non-quarterback in the On300 and reminds us of the On3 Consensus’ No. 2 prospect in the 2019 cycle,” Power wrote. “We see some similarities in the builds, length, on-field athleticism and ability to bend.
“Thibodeaux was a highly productive and well-established prospect coming out of Thousand Oaks (Calif.) Oaks Christian. He had the best production profile of pass rushers in the 2019 cycle and turned in 28 tackles for loss with 20 sacks as a junior. Keeley’s numbers are similar – the Tampa Berkeley Prep star had 34 tackles for loss and 16. 5 sacks last fall. Thibodeaux’s ability to dip and bend also separated himself among his peers as a high school prospect. We see the same from Keeley at this stage. Keeley’s curvilinear movement, along with his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame and elite production make him an obvious five-star in our opinion.”
Keeley committed to Notre Dame last June but has racked up a handful of scholarship since and remains interested in other programs. He visited Florida last weekend and may take more trips moving forward. He’s also scheduled to make multiple visits to South Bend this spring, too.
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Top Notre Dame target receives his comparisons
Notre Dame is trending for Rock Island (Ill.) Alleman offensive tackle Christian Jagusah, a five-star prospect and No. 7 player nationally per On3, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine at 94.9 percent.
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Jagusah’s comparison is former Iowa and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, who was a first-team all-pro selection in 2021.
“Jagusah‘s physical dimensions, fluidity and multi-sport background reminds us of Wirfs,” explained Power. “Both also come from similar geographic areas – Jagusah lives on the Illinois and Iowa border in Rock Island, Illinois. Wirfs is from Mount Vernon, Iowa, just 73 minutes west of Rock Island.
“We see many similarities between the two as high school players. Jagusah plays on both sides of the ball as an offensive and defensive lineman, as Wirfs did. The coordination, balance and smooth movement patterns are also similar. The frame and length are close, as well. Like Wirfs, Jagusah is a dominant high school wrestler who cuts weight from the 300 pound range to get under the 285 pound limit for heavyweights. The 2023 prospect is one of the top wrestlers in the Midwest, recently finishing a 41-0 season on the mat. Wirfs had one of the best multi-sport profiles we’ve seen in recent years, winning a combined six state titles in wrestling and track and field.”
According to the On3 Consensus – a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies – lists Jagusah as the nation’s No. 37 player and No. 2 offensive tackle.
