Notre Dame football officially signs four-star athlete Brandyn Hillman
One of Notre Dame’s most recent commits didn’t have long to make his pledge to play for the Fighting Irish official. Brandyn Hillman officially signed with the program Wednesday.
Hillman announced his commitment to Notre Dame on Dec. 7. The four-star athlete from Portsmouth (Va.) Churchland had Notre Dame director of recruiting Chad Bowden doing cartwheels in a hallway when he called to inform he’d choose the Irish over Kentucky, North Carolina, USC and Virginia Tech.
Hillman’s future in South Bend is undefined. Entering his senior season of high school, he only had one scholarship offer: Norfolk State of the FCS. A slew of offers came in from FBS programs when film of Hillman playing safety hit the mainstream. He’s listed as the No. 11 athlete and No. 358 overall prospect in the On3 Consensus recruiting rankings.
His primary position at Churchland? Signal caller.
“I will be trying out at quarterback, but who knows,” Hillman told BlueandGold.com earlier this month. “It could be anything.”
Hillman’s athleticism was on full display this fall. He passed for 1,312 yards and 11 touchdowns and ran for 1,236 yards and 22 more scores. He won his second straight Region 4A offensive player of the year award in the state of Virginia. He was also a second-team all-region defensive back and punter. The 6-1, 190-pound Hillman has a 6-5 wingspan. In the spring circuit prior to his senior season, Hillman recorded a 40-inch vertical jump and a 4.7-second 40-yard dash.
Notre Dame has its true quarterback recruit in the class in Hendersonville (Tenn). Pope John Paul II’s Kenny Minchey. The Irish are also looking to bring in a quarterback from the transfer portal. With rising junior Tyler Buchner and rising sophomore Steve Angeli already on the roster, Hillman getting tossed in with that quartet would make for an extra crowded QB room. It’s much more likely Notre Dame attempts to utilize his talents in ways that will allow him to see the field much sooner.
However Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and his assistants decide to use Hillman, he seems to be ready to contribute in that undecided capacity when he enrolls early next month.
“I’m a leader and a fun guy to be around,” he said in early December. “I’m always there for people, and that’ll never change. I have that friend aspect to me.”
