Notre Dame Lives Up To High Expectations For Elite Edge Jackson Vaughn
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Notre Dame hosted its first Junior Day of the year this weekend, but the Irish also hosted a number of big time sophomores, including Oradell, N.J./Bergen Catholic standout edge Jackson Vaughn. Vaughn made his third visit to campus this weekend, and he had very high expectations for this visit, and the visit more than lived up to that standard.
"The visit was great," Vaughn told Irish Breakdown. "It was great being able to get back on campus and spend time around the coaches and players. I was really able to feel the energy of the program, and that was big for me. It definitely lived up to what I expected."
Getting to know the culture from the standpoint of Irish players was something that Vaughn was keen on accomplishing during his visit. The culture of the schools that are recruiting him will be one of the deciding factors in why he ultimately chooses a program in the future. Notre Dame certainly made a mark in that department.
"The culture stood out the most for me," Vaughn expressed. "You can tell it's a brotherhood. Guys are competing at a high level, but still supporting each other. The standard is really high, and not just on the field, but academically off the field too. That's important to me and my family."
Vaughn was on campus to watch Notre Dame compete in its second practice of the spring. This was important for Vaughn since Notre Dame has a new defensive line coach from the last time he was on campus. This was Vaughn's first chance interact on campus with new defensive line coach CharliePartridge, and see how the Irish team, and the line went about its business.
"Practice was intense," detailed Vaughn. "It was high tempo, very detailed and competitive. That's the type of environment I want to be in. Coach Partridge is a great coach. He's very technical and he coaches with energy. You can tell he really cares about developing his guys on and off the field. That stood out to me."
After practice, Vaughn and his father got an opportunity to spend time with head coach Marcus Freeman, Partridge and the rest of the defensive staff. The Irish staff covered every base with Vaughn and his family.
"I spent a lot of time with Coach Freeman and Coach Partridge," Vaughn said. "I also got a chance to connect with the rest of the defensive staff. We were just building those relationships and having real conversations about development and fit. That was big for me."
Vaughn has an explosive first step, the ability to bend and close off the edge, and a physical presence that already earned him a 4.5-star (Top 50 player) grade on the Irish Breakdown board, and he earned a 5.0-star upside grade, which is rare for a sophomore. His performance at the Irish Invasion in June earned him a scholarship offer from the Irish following the camp.
“Notre Dame is one of my top schools,” Vaughn stated. “They’re definitely one of the top schools for me right now. They’ve done a great job building a relationship with me and my family, and I respect what they stand for on and off the field. I’m still going through the process, but they’re definitely up there for me.”
The Fighting Irish have put themselves in prime position with the 6-4, 225-pound edge as he heads into other spring visits. There's still a ways to go in his recruiting process, but the vibe after the visit is very promising.
Vaughn already has offers from Notre Dame, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, LSU, Miami (Fla.), Oregon, Tennessee, Michigan, USC, Penn State, Florida State, Florida, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Auburn, Nebraska and many, many others.
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