4-star EDGE Aidan O’Neil sets commitment date, names top 3 schools

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Ramsey (N.J.) four-star edge rusher Aidan O’Neil is ready for his college decision.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder will announce his commitment on Friday, May 1 between Notre Dame, Penn State and Kentucky, he told Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett. O’Neil has visited all three programs this spring and has also locked in official visits with each, as well as Indiana.

But with a commitment coming in less than 48 hours, it’s likely only the school he announces for will be hosting him next month. O’Neil visited the Nittany Lions earlier this month, which came after his previous stops at both Notre Dame and Kentucky.

He told BlueandGold.com that the Fighting Irish set a high bar with their combination of on-field success and off-field culture.

“They told me that the way I’m wired, the culture of Notre Dame would benefit me so much — I’m a perfect fit for the school,” he told Mike Singer of BGI. “They kept saying I’m a great fit, and I’d be doing myself a disservice by not going there. That was the last message Coach Freeman gave me. He really wants me at Notre Dame because he really thinks it’s what is best for me.”

Penn State, Kentucky are other major contenders

Last month, he also said the Nittany Lions were recruiting him harder than any other school at the time. New head coach Matt Campbell has made him a personal priority.

“He really wants me to come see the culture he’s building and how much some things have changed,” O’Neil told BWI in March. “The old staff wasn’t recruiting me very hard. He really wants me to see this new staff, the culture around the team and how the coaches coach.

… Also, with Coach Campbell, he’s spent a lot of time trying to get to know me as a person. When we talk, instead of him rambling on and on about his accomplishments, he’s spent more time trying to get to know me. He’s asking me questions more than having me ask him questions.”

Kentucky has been a bit of a late addition to his recruitment with the new coaching staff, but he liked what he saw in January on his first visit.

“From Kentucky I’ve been talking to Coach T-Dub. Right after he got the job at Kentucky he saw me through the Under Armour Camp. He saw my film there and he reached out to me pretty quickly and gave me an offer after that,” O’Neil told KSR+. “I do like the new staff. I went out on January 31st and I had a great time. I’ll be going back down there for sure.

O’Neil is a consensus four-star prospect at all three major recruiting sites. The Rivals Industry Ranking places him as the No. 110 recruit nationally and No. 3 overall in New Jersey. As a junior, he was NJ.com All-State selection on defense.

He finished his the season with 54 tackles (16 TFLs), 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

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