Notre Dame Recruiting: 2017 Freshman Breakdown - David Adams

Notre Dame football added a player who could one day be amongst the best linebackers in the country.

David Adams: Linebacker (Pittsburgh, PA) Central Catholic

David Adams, the hard-hitting linebacker from Pittsburgh, PA, committed to Notre Dame on March 20, 2016. Choosing Notre Dame over Penn State, Baylor, LSU and others, Adams comes to South Bend as a 4-star, the 10th best linebacker in his class and the seventh best recruit in Pennsylvania.

Adams finished his high school career at Central Catholic with 219 tackles, nine sacks, and five forced fumbles. Playing most of his senior year with a torn ligament in his knee, Adams proved to be one of the toughest players in the country.

Adams is a freak. He’s one of the hardest working athletes of his recruiting class, and with his physical ability has everything a coach loves in a player. This inside linebacker is one of the smartest in the country. His ability to read quarterbacks and study film is second-to-none. When he uses his instincts, Adams seems to be everywhere he needs to on each play.

He reminds a lot of Luke Kuechly of the Carolina Panthers. It seems that on every play Adams is in position to make a play. Whether it’s in the backfield stopping a run or in coverage defending a pass, Adams is where the ball is.

Adams has everything you look for in a Mike linebacker. His strength is insane for only being in high school. At 6’1, 225 lbs, Adams can push any blocker around. But he isn’t the player to stay on a block. When the lineman or fullback makes contact, Adams is quick to press and throw, releasing himself from the block and continuing to pursue the ball carrier.

With his athleticism and strength, Adams should become a star at South Bend. There are few players with as much football instinct as him, and by learning from Mike Elko and the Notre Dame staff, this player has every opportunity to be the best in the country one day.

Projection

Adams is going to make an impact on this team immediately. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him get playing time during his freshman year and then become a starter for his sophomore season. With his attributes, Elko is going to fall in love with this guy.

It shouldn’t take long for Adams to make his name known at Notre Dame. He’s going to be a playmaker right out of the gate. As a true freshman, it’ll be difficult for him to step into a starting role immediately, but with some coaching, he’ll grow his game to levels he never thought possible.

The sky is the limit for this kid. He hasn’t even stepped onto campus yet, and everyone believes he’s going to be something special. Once he gets going and working within the program, he’ll become a monster of an athlete. By the time his career is over at Notre Dame, Adams is going to be one of the best linebackers in the NCAA.

Check out David Adams 247 profile, Rivals profile, and Hudl highlights here.