On Saturday evening, 5-star linebacker Jaylon Smith from Fort Wayne, IN, committed to Notre Dame and joined the self-dubbed group “IrishMob13” . What is “IrishMob13”? It is the title that Notre Dame’s class of 2013 football commitments decided to give themselves as they begin to bond and develop chemistry with each other — 8 months before signing day. To have a class that is already trying extensively to establish friendships and familiarity is a very positive sign.

On his own, Jaylon Smith is a tremendous get for the Irish. He is an athletic freak, ranked as the #4 overall player in the country according to Rivals.com. He is no doubt the heir apparent to Manti T’eo, the current Irish middle linebacker (his clear position in college, even though he has played everything from defensive line to corner in high school). But Smith is much more than just a 6-foot-3, 218 lb super-athlete. He understands the school side of Notre Dame.

“It all boils down to finding the place you feel comfortable at,” Smith told IrishSportsDaily.com. “The thing that’s always stood out about Notre Dame is the people and the standard of excellence. I think it’s a school that is hard to match with everything it offers.” Like many recruits before him, Smith knew Notre Dame was the place for him right away, but had to take a few other visits to reassure himself. Sometimes you have to see the shortcomings at other places to fully appreciate what Notre Dame offers. And one of the things that has been cited over and over again is the TRUE family atmosphere on campus (which I can definitely verify. We all love each other).

Jaylon also told ESPN, “Every (Notre Dame) coach has the same stand character wise,” Smith said. “Other coaches tell you what you want to hear, and I saw that with my brother” (his brother, Rod Smith, played running back for the Buckeyes). Notre Dame tells it how it is. You will have to work your butt off in the classroom, you won’t be surrounded by beaches and strip clubs and insanely hot women (sad but true), and the campus is definitely not your traditional state school when it comes to partying. But the value of a Notre Dame degree is second to none, and for more mature, focused athletes it is undoubtedly the place to be.

Bottom line – Jaylon Smith is an excellent fit for Notre Dame as a player, as a student, and as a person.



Recruiting as a whole — What does this mean?

First off, it is great that Jaylon is from Fort Wayne. It is no secret that Indiana isn’t exactly one of the traditional hotbeds of college football recruiting, but this now marks two seasons in a row that Notre Dame has absolutely put their stamp on the territory. Last year it was 5-star quarterback Gunner Kiel, and this year it is Smith, but the indication is clear: when elite prospects show up in the area, Notre Dame will always be the team to beat.

Ironically, Jaylon is the 13th commitment for the class of 2013, and now is the clear centerpiece, meaning that he takes on the role of a giant magnet, meant to attract other ultra-talented players to South Bend. These days, communication is rampant among recruits through social media, and seeing a player of his caliber commit to Notre Dame does not go unnoticed. Talent wants to play with talent, and Smith now serves as a ringing Irish endorsement. He has already started working on convincing top players like CB Vernon Hargreaves III, LB Alex Anzalone, and LB Michael Hutchings to join him on the Irish defense down the road, demonstrating his willingness to take charge and lead. Smith getting the attention of other players could pay huge dividends in a few months.

Additionally, Jaylon’s commitment could inspire some other guys to pull the trigger soon, most notably Georgia defensive end Isaac Rochell. Rochell is an elite pass rusher, who many (including myself) already consider an Irish lock. He has shown extreme interest in Notre Dame and raved about it in interviews, and is even on campus as we speak (June 4th). But while before he may have wanted to draw out his recruitment a little longer, the hunch here is that he also could end up committing to the Irish in the next few days to join “IrishMob13”.

All in all, this was a fantastic pick up for Notre Dame in a class that is already shaping up to be an excellent one. It also gives the Irish a centerpiece and some serious recruiting momentum as we head toward the fall. While obviously players can de-commit at any time, Smith seems to very much care about his word and integrity, so don’t expect any waffling on his part, especially because proximity to home was a big factor for him (his mom can now come watch all of his games). Fans should be grinning ear to ear at this point.

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