What's Notre Dame's status? A 2023 defensive prospect RPM check-in

Recruiting is ramping up for the class of 2023, as many prospects will travel all over the country in the coming months to view practice and spring games. Then they will gear up for official visits.

Notre Dame’s 2023 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 2 in the country according to On3, and the Irish still have a number of big-time prospects considering making South Bend their next home. After looking at the offensive players on Sunday, here are five defensive players to watch.

Note: This list includes uncommitted players only, and prospects are listed in order of decreasing RPM in favor of the Irish.

Four-star defensive lineman Boubacar Traore

School: West Roxbury (Mass.) Catholic Memorial
On3 Consensus ranking: No. 19 defensive lineman, No. 3 player from Massachusetts, No. 133 player nationally
On3 RPM: Notre Dame 99.7 percent

Just last week, Traore was committed to Boston College with Michigan lurking in the background. Now, it seems as though he is all Irish. While he is a top-150 recruit according to the Consensus rankings, Traore is the No. 98 overall recruit and 15th-best defensive lineman in the recruiting class in the On300. He has developed a great relationship with Notre Dame defensive line coach Al Washington and will look to visit South Bend in the coming months.

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Four-star defensive lineman Jason Moore

School: Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic
On3 Consensus ranking: No. 6 defensive lineman, No. 1 player from Maryland, No. 39 player nationally
On3 RPM: Notre Dame 91.9%, Penn State 4.7%

BlueandGold.com’s Mike Singer has a prediction logged for Moore, but Michigan and Penn State are in the mix too. Moore has been in close contact with former Irish defensive line coach and current Michigan defensive line coach Mike Elston and also has a strong relationship with Washington.

Four-star cornerback Christian Gray

School: St. Louis DeSmet
On3 Consensus ranking: No. 10 cornerback, No. 3 player from Missouri, No. 109 player nationally
On3 RPM: Notre Dame 91%, LSU 6.4%

It seems to be a battle between LSU head coach Brian Kelly‘s old school and his new school here. There is a prediction logged for both Notre Dame and LSU for Gray, including one with 60 percent confidence from Singer. Gray had a huge weekend at the Pylon 7v7 Tournament outside of Atlanta last weekend, earning MVP honors from On3’s Jeremy Johnson for his Day 1 performance and additional recognition on Day 2. Gray will be in South Bend for the Notre Dame spring game on April 23.

Four-star EDGE Kennedy McDowell

School: Frisco (Texas) Memorial
On3 Consensus ranking: No. 34 EDGE, No. 58 player from Texas, No. 353 player nationally
On3 RPM: Notre Dame 67%, Kansas 23.4%

The menacing EDGE goes by “Mayhem” for good reason. McDowell’s prediction in favor of Notre Dame is very high due to two unofficial visits in June and October, and the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Texan most recently went to Lawrence on March 5. His fall visit to South Bend was the weekend of the USC game. In addition to Notre Dame and Kansas, McDowell’s other Power Five offers include Arizona State, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Purdue, and Vanderbilt.

Coaches have had high praise for 2023 Frisco (TX.) Memorial EDGE Kennedy McDowell this weekend

Oklahoma State and Notre Dame are among schools to keep an eye on. pic.twitter.com/4NZRYA993f

— Tim Verghese (@TimVerghese) January 30, 2022

Three-star safety King Mack

School: Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas
On3 Consensus ranking: No. 28 safety, No. 68 player from Florida, No. 383 player nationally
On3 RPM: Notre Dame 62.9%

Notre Dame is the only school listed above because behind the Irish sit 12 additional Power Five schools with a 2.9 percent chance to sign Mack according to On3. Cincinnati is also in there at 2.9 percent. Mack plays for one of the best South Florida high schools, so you can bet he has played the highest levels of competition out there. St. Thomas Aquinas is the alma mater of former Notre Dame linebacker and captain Drew White, who was also a three-star recruit.

Four-star defensive lineman Devan Houstan

School: Hagerstown (Md.) St. James School
On3 Consensus ranking: No. 36 defensive lineman, No. 6 player from Maryland, No. 233 player nationally
On3 RPM: Penn State 20.8%, Notre Dame 20.8%, Northwestern 20.8%, Michigan 20.8%

According to On3 RPM, it’s a tight race for the Maryland defenseman between several teams, but Notre Dame is certainly in good standing with Houstan after he visited South Bend in January. Singer spent some time with Houstan at his high school last week just before he left to visit Ann Arbor. Houstan’s brother Caleb plays basketball for the Wolverines. You can probably guess where Caleb would like to see his younger brother end up.