Notre Dame continued their great run of recruiting defensive lineman for the 2023 cycle with the addition of four-star Devan Houstan. The Saint James, Md. star had been considering a number of other schools but didn't put out an official shortlist prior to his commitment. Houstan broke down his decision with Rivals.com.
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IN HIS OWN WORDS...
"It was mainly about how the school can benefit me on and off the field," Houstan said. "They always talk about '4 for 40' and that was big for me. Everyone knows football players in the NFL, their typical time in the NFL is pretty short and you have to have backup plan. I think that Notre Dame will put me in the best position possible to play at the highest level but also get the best academic education in the world.
"It's going to be a 'tough love' situation," he said. "They're going to push me and they're going to get me to where they want me to be. They're not going to settle for anything less than perfection and I think that's an environment that I think I'll thrive in. They see me playing as a swing guy, sometimes as a three-technique and sometimes as a five-technique, depending on the situation.
"I wouldn't say the recruiting class was a big part of my decision but it definitely factored in," said Houstan. "I looked at it as, 'All these amazing players want to be there, why do they want to be there?' I broke it down and dissected it and understood that you can get the best of both worlds at Notre Dame. In terms of the players there, I want to be in a room where I'm going to be pushed 24 hours a day where I know the guy next to me could take my spot in a matter of seconds. That will constantly light a fire under my ass and it will make me a better player in general.
"Coach Washington, other coaches, the players, and really the other commits too have made it feel like home," he said. "Brenan Vernon and I had a really good conversation when I went up there in January. I've also talked to Drayk Bowen a few times through text. They all seem like really great dudes. I've talked to some of the other guys that are committed and they all seem like really cool people.
"I definitely want Jason Moore to come with us," Houstan said. "I just talk to him about where he's thinking of going and tell him about how crazy it would be if we were on the same team. Running backs and quarterbacks would be scared for their lives. It doesn't get much better than that."
RIVALS' REACTION...
Houstan is an excellent athlete on the defensive line. He wins at the point of attack relying mostly on his quickness. At the high school level he doesn't play impressive competition, but his skill set certainly translates to the college level. Houstan will definitely need to mature physically before being able to contribute in a meaningful way and his frame lends itself to multiple positions on the defensive front. It'll be interesting to see how Houstan develops once he gets on campus and is able to really fill out his frame. Al Washington and Marcus Freeman deserve most of the credit for Houstan's commitment. The two of them made sure Houstan, whose brother was a basketball player for Michigan, ended up playing in South Bend as opposed to Ann Arbor.
