Defensive end of Chantilly High School (Virginia) Aiden Gobaira, which is about to add a fourth star, is the last class of 2022 to commit to Notre Dame. Fighting Irish defeated Penn State in the search for the 6-6 of 235 pounds.
Gobaira informed Irish Illustrated and 247Sports on February 1 that he was in South Bend at the time and would visit Notre Dame on Tuesday, February 2. This was his first trip to campus. Of course, the visit was a turning point in this recruitment.
Notre Dame was one of the main competitors in this recruitment for a long time. Defensive line coach Mike Elston had Fighting Irish fighting for first place since he offered Gobaira back on May 5, 2020. In the stretch, Elston and the defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman came together and pushed it to the top to do it. It was a tag-team effort that brought this coveted recruit to Notre Dame.
“He just spoke to the entire defensive technical team, they really liked my tape. They liked how I played, very fast, restless, always trying to get to the ball, ”said Gobaira, from Elston. “It was a normal conversation. I started to get into the football aspect of the game. So they offered me. I was so excited. I said, ‘Thanks, coach, I’m so excited about this opportunity. With all this coronavirus business, I can’t understand up there yet, but it’s definitely on my to-do list.
“He looked like a really nice guy. Very smart, ”continued Gobaira de Elston. “I really liked how he was talking and when he offered it, I obviously loved it. I was thrilled”.
Looking back on his recruitment and what he was looking for in a school, it is clear that Notre Dame checked all the boxes. Not only was he looking for a strong football program, but education would always carry a lot of weight for him.
“I want a great academic program because football, one percent goes to the league,” said Gobaira. “So the chances of me going are pretty low, so I want to be established after college with a good education. Obviously, I want to play. I want to do my best to get to the next level, so I want to go to an excellent football program with an excellent technical committee and a good reputation.“
For 247Sports, Gobaira has an overall rating of 89, is the 15th defensive position on the weak side nationally and the 10th potential in Virginia in the 2022 class.