Key Notre Dame defensive target sets commitment date, and it doesn’t appear to be good news for the Fighting Irish
The Notre Dame football staff is putting together a tremendous 2026 recruiting class right now, riding a ton of momentum in recent weeks. Secondary coach Mike Mickens is putting together another good class on the back end, already having commitments from Ayden Pouncey and Chaston Smith. There are several talented targets that are still on […]
The Notre Dame football staff is putting together a tremendous 2026 recruiting class right now, riding a ton of momentum in recent weeks. Secondary coach Mike Mickens is putting together another good class on the back end, already having commitments from Ayden Pouncey and Chaston Smith.
There are several talented targets that are still on the board for Coach Mickens, including Roanoke (Va.) North Cross School cornerback Jaziel Hart. The talented cover man announced on Monday that he has set a commitment date on May 22, and Notre Dame managed to make that list. They are finalists with Michigan, Tennessee, Penn State, and Virginia Tech.
While the Fighting Irish have done a good job in this recruitment, they aren’t expected to be the selected on May 22 barring something unforeseen. From multiple sources, Penn State is viewed as the clear leader heading into that decision. Notre Dame will, instead, be focusing on other key targets remaining on the board.
Hart is considered a three-star recruit by almost every major recruiting platform, the exception being On3. The Virginia native currently sits as a three-star, the No. 453 overall player, No. 40 cornerback, and No. 12 player in the state of Virginia in the 2026 recruiting class according to the On3 Industry ranking. Hart is rated as high as the No. 36 cornerback on the class on the Rivals ranking.
Despite those lower ratings, a long list of impressive programs have continued to pursue Hart. Some of his top offers include the Fighting Irish, Michigan, Tennessee, Penn State, South Carolina, Missouri, West Virginia, Louisville, Indiana, UNC, NC State, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Cincinnati, Duke, and Stanford among others.
As a juniors, Hart put together a strong season for North Cross School. In 10 games, he manages to collect 23 total tackles and four interceptions. The 5-11, 170-pound athlete also managed to haul in 24 receptions for 521 yards and six touchdowns on the offensive side of the football as well.
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