Crystal ball predictions poured in for 4-star linebacker Jaiden Ausberry to Notre Dame over the weekend. Two days later, Ausberry announced a commitment date of August 4th, which certainly looks like great news for the Irish.
Generally, when predictions and Crystal Balls start flying in for a particular school, and a commitment date is announced shortly after, it’s a good sign for that school. In this case, that school is Notre Dame.
Should Ausberry commit to Notre Dame as nearly every expert in the industry thinks he will, it would be a massive win for Marcus Freeman over his former boss, Brian Kelly, and the LSU Tigers. Ausberry is an LSU legacy and is right in Bayou Brian’s backyard. Kelly boasted about the inherent recruiting advantages he now has at LSU because he can drive his new Tesla and see so many top prospects in talent-rich Louisiana. Kelly might have been able to walk to see Ausberry, who attends University Lab HS in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Other finalists for Ausberry include Michigan, Alabama, Florida, Auburn, and Texas A&M. That is some impressive company that Notre Dame went toe to toe with in Ausberry’s recruitment. It would also potentially be yet another win over Michigan, whose recruiting experts just recently felt the Wolverines had a decent shot with.
If Ausberry selects Notre Dame, Freeman and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Al Golden would have a linebacker class consisting of Drayk Bowen, Preston Zinter, and Ausberry a year after Freeman reeled in one of the best linebacker hauls in years for Notre Dame.
Ausberry would be yet another 4-star recruit for the Notre Dame class of 2023, which is already statistically better than any class Brian Kelly ever signed at Notre Dame. At present, all but one of Notre Dame’s 20 verbal commitments are rated as 4-star prospects in the On3 consensus ratings. He would also be the 16th prospect ranked among the top 250 in the country.
