Mansfield (Texas) Legacy defensive end David Abiara started landing scholarship offers last spring, and his recruiting process really blew up in January, with Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech joining the race for his services.
On the gridiron, it is clear that the new Notre Dame class of 2021 commit is a special talent.
“He’s so fast off the edge and is so physical,” Legacy head coach Chris Melson said. “With his length, he can really keep blockers off of him. He uses his hands and long arms really well. He can separate from tackles really quickly and go make plays. He’s really special.”
During the summer going into Abiara’s sophomore year, Melson knew that he had a big-time prospect on his hands. Abiara would not land his first offer until the next spring, but the Power Five potential was clear before he played a snap in 2018.
“He had tons and tons of potential,” Melson explained. “My thought was, if he develops like he probably will, then he could be as highly recruited as any kid we’ve had. I knew that going into his 10th-grade year. I told coaches that I had a young one they needed to look at. As soon as people looked at him, they agreed, and he started getting attention.”
Abiara’s development off the field may be just as impressive as growth on it. As he gained more attention from college coaches and became a big-time player, his peers looked at him as a leader on the team. Abiara rose to the challenge.
“He’s grown in his work ethic, his leadership abilities,” Melson added. “He’s really matured. When you meet a young man as a ninth-grader, he was just a young kid. He didn’t have any idea of what he was doing and what he was going for. As he’s grown and been in our program and matured on his own, you see this kid who really works hard and encourages his teammates.
“He puts everything he has into each workout, but when he was a ninth-grader, that wasn't really him. He was just a long skinny kid who had some potential. Now he knows what he wants to do, and it sure has made a big difference.
“I think the greatest leader is the one who serves others. David is really starting to understand that and is serving his teammates in lots of ways other than just vocally. He’s the first to clean things up, pick up things off the track. That just makes him greater all the time.”
Abiara fits what the Notre Dame coaching staff is looking for in its locker room and in the classroom.
“He’s a highly intelligent kid,” Melson said. “He’s a good student, very social with his teammates and enjoys hanging out with his friends. He’s a really good teammate and is there for his guys. He really encourages them to be his best. You’re getting a good kid from a great family. He’s a lot of fun. I can’t say enough positive things about him.
“Sometimes [the schoolwork] here is really easy for him. I think he’ll be a really good student. Again, it starts at home. His mom and dad demand academics to be a priority, and it carries over for David. He’s a great student.”
Abiara has the body type and athleticism to play either vyper or strong-side defensive end for Notre Dame.
“I just tell coaches he’s an edge player,” Melson noted. “He’s someone off the edge in a five-technique; I don’t really talk about strong side or weak side. You just get this guy on the field where he fits your scheme the best and let him go.”
Notre Dame has seven commitments in the 2021 class, which ranks No. 5 in the country per Rivals. Abiara is Notre Dame’s second defensive line pledge, joining tackle Gabriel Rubio.
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