It may just be the beginning of May, but the Notre Dame recruiting machine is showing no signs of slowing down. In a year when Marcus Freeman and his staff have placed a renewed emphasis on strengthening the roster with elite talent from coast to coast, their latest commitment hits particularly close to home — and it hits hard. Jakobe Clapper, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound linebacker from football powerhouse St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, has officially pledged to the Fighting Irish.
This is not just another name in the commitment column. This is a statement — one that echoes all the way from the Queen City to South Bend and sends a loud and clear message across the recruiting landscape: Notre Dame is winning battles for top-tier Midwest talent again. And not just winning, but doing so against national powers like Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, Penn State, and others. In short, this was a major recruiting victory.
From the Buckeye State to South Bend
Ohio is widely regarded as one of the most talent-rich states in high school football. The Buckeye State has long produced elite-level players who go on to become college stars, NFL draft picks, and Pro Football Hall of Famers. It’s not uncommon to see Ohio State and Michigan go to war over local talent in this region — and that’s what makes Notre Dame’s win here so significant.
Jakobe Clapper didn’t come out of nowhere. This kid is a known commodity in the Midwest. He plays for one of the best programs in the nation in St. Xavier — a school that routinely churns out high-end Division I prospects and competes at the highest level in Ohio’s brutal Division I football scene. In short, Clapper has been battle-tested from day one.
While many expected Clapper to eventually land with the hometown Buckeyes or even head north to Michigan, Marcus Freeman and linebackers coach Max Bullough made it a priority to show Clapper he was needed in blue and gold. That effort paid off in a major way.
Multi-Sport Athleticism
One of the most appealing traits that separates good recruits from great ones? Multi-sport athleticism. In an era where sports specialization has taken over at the youth level, colleges love kids who still play multiple sports in high school — and Jakobe Clapper fits that bill perfectly.
Clapper is not just a thumper on the football field. He also laces up his sneakers and takes the hardwood for St. Xavier’s basketball team. That type of athletic range speaks volumes. It shows he’s got lateral quickness, body control, hand-eye coordination, and the ability to move his feet in tight spaces. All of those traits translate beautifully to the linebacker position.
Basketball players often make excellent linebackers because of their fluidity and spatial awareness. Jakobe checks those boxes and then some.
Turn On the Tape: A Defensive Chess Piece
Pop in the film, and it doesn’t take long to see why Clapper is such a coveted prospect. He’s a Swiss Army knife on the defensive side of the ball. He lines up everywhere — off the edge, stacked inside, and sometimes even covering slot receivers in space. That kind of versatility is rare.
But what makes Jakobe stand out isn’t just his alignment; it’s his instincts. He’s a natural playmaker who seems to have a sixth sense for where the football is going. He reads keys quickly and rarely takes false steps. When the ball is snapped, he’s reacting — fast.
In run support, Clapper shines. He takes smart angles to the ball and is a technically sound tackler. He doesn’t dive recklessly or get caught lunging. Instead, he wraps up well, drives through the hips, and occasionally delivers a crushing blow. You can tell he enjoys contact.
When you watch him on the edge, another layer of his game opens up. Clapper has heavy hands and uses them well to disengage from blockers. That’s no easy task at the high school level — especially against elite offensive linemen in Ohio. Yet, he sheds blocks with intent and tracks down ball carriers with aggression.
Clapper also shows flashes as a pass rusher. He’s got a quick first step and knows how to close in tight spaces. That short-area burst makes him a dangerous blitzer, particularly when he times the snap well. Quarterbacks often don’t see him coming until it’s too late.
In coverage, Clapper is more than serviceable. He understands zone concepts and drops to the right depth. He keeps his eyes on the quarterback and will jump a route if given the opportunity. While he’ll need to keep refining his coverage skills at the next level, the tools are absolutely there.
Areas for Development
No high school player is perfect, and Clapper still has room to grow — which is a good thing, considering how high his ceiling already appears. The biggest area of focus for Jakobe as he transitions to the college level is strength and size.
At 6-foot-2 and around 200 pounds, he has a frame that can support another 15–20 pounds of muscle without compromising his mobility. That process will begin the moment he steps foot in Notre Dame’s weight room under the guidance of strength coach Matt Balis.
Adding that size will be key if Clapper wants to contribute early — especially in the physical trenches of Power Five football. But that’s the beauty of his commitment timeline: with his early decision, he now has the opportunity to enroll early, get in the strength program, and be college-ready by next fall.
Aside from physical development, Clapper will continue to polish his man coverage abilities. As teams increasingly target linebackers in the passing game, being able to run with tight ends and running backs is a must. Fortunately, Clapper has the foot speed and hips to make those strides.
Fit in Notre Dame’s Defense
Defensive coordinator Al Golden has done a masterful job crafting a unit built around versatility and aggression. With Clapper in the fold, Golden adds another hybrid-type linebacker who can contribute in multiple packages.
In today’s college game, linebackers are asked to do more than ever — blitz off the edge, drop into zone, cover in space, and play the run. Clapper has experience doing all of that, and he thrives in that type of system.
Expect Notre Dame to use him in a number of ways once he gets on campus. Whether it’s rotating him into early-down situations to stuff the run or sending him on blitz packages in third-and-long, he brings real value to the roster.
Given his skill set, Clapper could evolve into a rover-type player — someone who floats between linebacker and safety responsibilities depending on formation. That type of flexibility is gold in today’s defensive schemes.
Beating the Big Boys
Let’s not overlook how significant it is that Notre Dame beat out major programs for Clapper. Any time you’re recruiting against Ohio State and Michigan for an in-state Buckeye, the odds are typically stacked against you. Yet, Notre Dame emerged victorious.
That win says a lot about the momentum of Marcus Freeman’s staff on the trail. It also reflects Notre Dame’s ability to connect with recruits beyond football. The education, the tradition, the culture — it all plays a role. And for Jakobe Clapper, that combination was too good to pass up.
It also helps that Freeman is from Ohio and knows the landscape as well as anyone. He understands how to build relationships in the region, and it’s paying off in a big way with this commitment.
Final Thoughts: A Tone-Setter
Jakobe Clapper isn’t just another name on the commitment list. He’s a tone-setter. The type of player who can anchor a recruiting class and serve as a glue guy for others to follow.
Notre Dame got faster, tougher, and more versatile on defense with this addition. And they did it by going into the heart of Big Ten country and pulling out a major victory.
Jakobe Clapper is the kind of player who embodies the Fighting Irish mentality — tough, smart, athletic, and ready to work. He’s a future leader on and off the field. And when you win battles like this, it’s more than just a recruiting win. It’s a culture win.
So go ahead and circle this name, Irish fans. You’ll be hearing it on Saturdays soon enough — flying around the field in blue and gold, doing what he does best: hitting hard and making plays.