A five-star rating for Keon Keeley felt inevitable.

The Notre Dame defensive end commit dominated his junior season at Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep with 61 tackles, 34 tackles for a loss and 16.5 sacks.

Keeley put his talent on display in a nationally televised matchup with five-star quarterback Arch Manning, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class, in October. Keeley sacked Manning twice and intercepted him once in a 49-24 Berkeley Prep victory over New Orleans Isidore Newman.

Rivals gave the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Keeley his five-star rating Monday as it named 16 five-star prospects in the 2023 class. Keeley moved up to No. 14 overall in the class as the No. 1 weakside defensive end prospect. He was previously slated No. 26 overall and No. 2 at his position.

The rest of the Rivals250 will be released Tuesday. Keeley was the only Notre Dame commit to receive a five-star rating. The Irish haven't signed a Rivals five-star recruit since offensive tackle Blake Fisher in the 2021 class.

Notre Dame entered the week with the top-ranked 2023 class in the country with nine four-star commitments. Only tight end Cooper Flanagan wasn't ranked in the previous Rivals250.

Other programs are testing the strength of Keeley's commitment to Notre Dame.

Alabama did enough to receive a visit from Keeley on Jan. 27, and he's considering other visits to Florida, Ohio State and Georgia, according to Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney's Recruiting Rumor Mill.

Notre Dame knows the fight for Keeley isn't over. The Irish have Keeley's close friends in their corner. Keeley's best friend, Troy Reader, is a 2023 baseball recruit committed to Notre Dame. Then the Irish took a preferred walk-on commitment from Reader's older brother, Tre, a 2022 linebacker.

The 6-2, 205-pound Tre Reader recorded 124 tackles, 20.5 tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks last season.

"At the time, the opportunity that it presented to me," Keeley told Gorney of why he committed to Notre Dame. "Just things like that. From the standpoint of the school: big program, good academics, great community. It felt like that. A great university.

"At that time, that was the decision. That's what went into that decision along with the coaching staff. ... Those are the things that are important to me."

Watch the full interview with Gorney below. A full transcript is available on The Insider Lounge.

Rivals national recruiting analyst and rankings director Adam Friedman made the argument for Keeley to be considered a five-star recruit.

"The Notre Dame commit out of Florida is an impressive athletic specimen that presents mismatch issues for the offense wherever he lines up," Friedman wrote. "Keeley is a big time pass rusher that can win with inside and outside moves and employs a variety of techniques that translate to the next level. He has the overall athleticism to play off the ball and flow to the ball carrier or drop into coverage when needed. Keeley is good against the run when the play is coming at him but this is where he'll have the steepest learning curve at the next level."

Fourteen of the 16 five-star recruits have previously reported Notre Dame offers. However, the Irish won't have legitimate chances with all of those prospects.

Notre Dame should be a contender for at least three of the uncommitted five-star recruits: quarterback Dante Moore (No. 6 overall), athlete Samuel M'Pemba (No. 7) and wide receiver Carnell Tate (No. 13).

The Irish could make moves with defensive end David Hicks Jr. (No. 2), offensive guard TJ Shanahan Jr. (No. 8), offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor (No. 12), athlete Nyckoles Harbor (No. 15) and linebacker Anthony Hill (No. 16), but the current momentum doesn't seem to be in Notre Dame's favor.

Cornerback Cormani McClain (No. 4) and wide receiver Shelton Sampson (No. 10) are the only five-star recruits who haven't announced Notre Dame offers.