Notre Dame has added another big piece to its 2028 class, and this one comes with the kind of upside that can reshape a defensive front.
Darieon Prescott, the Bolingbrook (Ill.) High School standout, is the third commitment in the class and the second defender.
He’s also the first defensive lineman Notre Dame has landed in the 2028 group. Prescott is rated as a Top 25 national recruit by 247Sports and Rivals/On3, and he checks in as a Top 50 national recruit on the Irish Breakdown board.
The Irish have already built real momentum on the edge in recent cycles. Notre Dame signed Rodney Dunham and Ebenezer Ewetade in the 2026 class, then followed with commitments from Abraham Sesay, Jackson Vaughn and Aidan O'Neil in 2027.
With that kind of haul already in place, the 2028 approach is less about volume and more about landing difference-makers. Prescott fits that idea cleanly.
At 6-4 and 255 pounds, he brings a different body type than Sesay and Vaughn, who are both listed at 225 pounds. Those two are long, athletic pass rushers right now and still need to build out their run-game impact.
O'Neil, meanwhile, is more of a power player who can set the edge and still has room to grow as a pass rusher. Prescott gives Notre Dame another bigger end with power to match the burst, which makes him a natural complement to that group.
That fit matters in Chris Ash’s defense, which is built around two clear jobs up front: stop the run and get after the quarterback with the front four. Prescott projects well in both areas. He’s already a playmaker as a sophomore, and the physical traits jump off the page - size, power, explosiveness and a relentless motor.
The frame is a major selling point. Prescott already looks the part, and there’s room for him to grow into a 6-4, 270-pound edge player at the next level.
He’s got length, strong hands and a lower body that lets him play with force. With two years of high school still ahead of him, the focus isn’t on adding weight so much as building more power and explosiveness.
What separates him from a lot of other young edges is how much force he brings off the snap. His first step is elite, and it lets him run past high school blockers before they can settle in.
He’s not polished yet, but he doesn’t need to be to make an impact. He can already win with traits.
There’s more to his game than straight-line burst, too. Prescott is a smooth athlete who can bend, change direction and close quickly.
There are even snaps where he drops into coverage, and the agility shows up there as well. Size, power, length, explosiveness and agility - he has all of it.
The biggest area for growth is technique. His footwork needs work, and his hands need to become more refined.
He’s still raw, but that’s not a criticism so much as a reflection of where he is in his development. He hasn’t even played his junior season yet, so there’s time for that part of his game to catch up.
That’s where Notre Dame’s staff comes in, especially Charlie Partridge, who has a reputation for developing the technical side of the position.
Prescott also stands out for his football IQ. He had eight pass breakups as a sophomore because he reads the game well.
He understands when to get his hands up against the quarterback, recognizes screens, stays disciplined as a read key on read zone and does a good job staying backside. That mental side of his game is already advanced.
If the technique continues to develop, Prescott has the tools to become a special player - the kind of edge who can impact the game on both sides of the ball.
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