Four-Star Safety Adon Shuler Commits To Notre Dame Football
Notre Dame has added another early piece to its 2023 class, and another highly ranked one.
Irvington (N.J.) High safety Adon Shuler announcing his pledge to the Fighting Irish on Sunday, picking them over Penn State and Maryland.
The four-star prospect received his offer from Notre Dame May 13 and quickly built a strong relationship with the Irish coaching staff. He announced his finalists in July after visiting all three.
The choice of Notre Dame was clear to him after mulling several factors over with his family.
“First of all, I picked Notre Dame because of their four-for-40 pitch,” Shuler told BlueandGold.com. “When I first started getting recruited by colleges, the main thing to my family was getting a degree that’s more than your normal degree and that I wasn’t going to college just to play football, but that I’d be set up for the rest of my life.
“I felt that Notre Dame’s education speaks for itself. You get an Ivy League-type school with athletics that can take you to a national championship.”
Shuler got on a call with Notre Dame defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman, safeties coach Chris O’Leary and director of defensive recruiting Chad Bowden to give them the news.
“I told them I wanted to be a part of the Fighting Irish, and they were very excited,” Shuler recalled.
Shuler’s pledge comes very early in his recruiting process; he hasn’t even started his junior season of high school. But he felt he found a fit and didn't see any point to waiting.
“My family, my coach and I felt very comfortable with Notre Dame,” he added. “The coaching staff is amazing. Why wait if we already know what we’re going to do? There was no point in waiting if we could knock it out now.”
At just 15 years old and listed at 6-0, 190 pounds, there’s no telling exactly what Shuler will be by the time he gets to Notre Dame in a couple of years, but for now, BlueandGold.com projects him as an impact safety.
“They said I can play anywhere in their defense,” Shuler added. “I feel comfortable playing in their defense. I have more growing to do, so I just know I’ll be in that secondary making plays.”
Shuler fell in love with Notre Dame during his campus visit July 27.
“It wasn’t just one thing; it was the whole campus,” he said. “It’s beautiful. I could see myself at the school. The golden dome is beautiful. Touchdown Jesus is awesome.”
Shuler is ready to make an impact inside Notre Dame Stadium and around the city of South Bend.
“On the field, I make plays when they’re needed to be made,” he said. “I can make the open field tackles, cover and shut down a side of the field. Off the field, I’m a person who loves the community and loves to be around people. I’m going to help in the community.”
Rivals ranks Shuler as the No. 15 safety and No. 213 overall player in America. He was named to the 2020 All-Essex County first-team defense and the 2020 Liberty Red Division first-team defense.
Shuler held scholarship offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Temple and West Virginia.
He is Notre Dame’s third commitment of the 2023 class, joining defensive ends Keon Keeley of Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep and Brenan Vernon of Mentor (Ohio) High. All three are listed as four-star prospects and ranked inside the Rivals250.
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