Notre Dame has pulled off a huge victory on the recruiting front.
Traverse City (Mich.) Central class of 2022 linebacker Joshua Burnham has been long considered a Michigan lean, but the Fighting Irish pulled off the upset for the four-star player.
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman and defensive analyst Nick Lezynski led the charge in the recruitment.
“Our connections have been getting stronger,” Burnham recently said about the Notre Dame coaching staff. “Coach Freeman is awesome. I can’t wait to actually be able to meet him in person and get a better feel for him, but what I have seen over the phone and on FaceTime, he has amazing energy.”
Burnham’s recruitment came down to Michigan, Notre Dame and Wisconsin, and he also held offers from Alabama, Michigan State, Nebraska and Ohio State. He had an offer from Cincinnati when Freeman was with the Bearcats too.
Rivals ranks Burnham as the No. 3 prospect in Michigan, and the nation’s No. 5 inside linebacker and No. 141 overall player in the 2022 class.
Burnham is Notre Dame’s 11th commitment of the 2022 cycle and second linebacker, joining Grand Rapids (Mich.) Catholic Central’s Nolan Ziegler. Eight of the Irish’s 11 commitments are ranked as four-star prospects by Rivals.
The 6-3, 200-pounder received his scholarship offer from Notre Dame on June 25, 2020. A lot of credit goes to Lezynski for laying the groundwork in this recruitment for several months. Burnham was the top target at linebacker for the Fighting Irish.
“He’s the No. 1 linebacker prospect in Michigan and one of the nation’s finest,” Prep Football Report recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. “Speed is a big part of his game as is his high football IQ.”
Burnham was named to The Detroit Free Press 2020 football Dream Team, which is one of the highest honors in the state of Michigan. He recorded 61 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception.
He played quarterback for the Trojans and accounted for 1,953 yards and 30 touchdowns and is also a member of the 2020 Michigan Division 1-2 All-State football team.
Burnham stars on the Traverse City Central basketball team as well.
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