Recruiting Profile: Notre Dame DL Coach Al Washington

On Feb 13, 2022

Recruiting impact is of course a huge talking about for college coaching hires, and Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman made that crystal clear in his introductory press conference.

When Mike Elston left the Notre Dame program, Irish fans knew that they were losing a great coach, person and ambassador from the program.

The recruiting impact, however, is equally as important. Freeman made a hire in Al Washington that he hopes will not only match Elston’s success but to surpass it.

Let’s take a look at Washington’s recruiting profile during his coaching career.

NEW ERA ON THE DEFENSIVE LINE

Although Washington had previously coached linebackers for the Buckeyes, he had developed a reputation as a developer of talent and dynamic recruiter at multiple positions.

Washington’s resume on the recruiting trail is impressive to say the least. He has secured commitments from some top notch talent over the years. Understanding that impact, including areas of recruiting prowess, is paramount for expectations from Irish faithful.

IDENTIFYING TALENT

The 37-year-old Washington played his college football at Boston College, where he contributed at defensive tackle between 2002-2005. He began his coaching career shortly after, spending some time at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Slippery Rock coaching defensive line, a year as a graduate assistant a part of the NC State program and as a linebacker coach at Elon a year before heading back to Boston College.

From 2012-16, Washington would spend time coaching running backs and special teams before moving to defensive line. That’s when his recruiting prowess began to really flourish.

If the names Harold Landry and John Johnson III ring any bells, it’s because they are now stars on Sundays. Washington was the primary recruiter for both at Boston College. He landed Landry out of North Carolina and Johnson out of Maryland.

Landry racked up 22 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks during the 2016 season and ended up being a second round NFL Draft pick. Johnson was picked in the third round a year before Landry.

Washington also lured ultra productive linebacker Max Richardson to Boston College from the state of Georgia. Again demonstrating his impact on the recruiting trail, including the evaluation of talent.

For good measure, he also lured in talented New Jersey running back Jon Hilliman, who rushed for 2,575 yards and 32 touchdowns during his BC career.

ASCENSION UP THE RANKS

He parlayed that success to an opportunity with the Cincinnati Bearcats, where he was able to coach with Freeman under the tutelage of Luke Fickell.

Although he lasted just one season, Washington made an impact on the recruiting trail, landing four-star Ohio defensive lineman Malik Vann, who also had an offer from Notre Dame. Vann has turned into a valuable member of a talented Bearcats defensive line.

Washington was again on the move, this time heading to Michigan. His impact on the recruiting trail took on a new layer.

He would do something that is a rarity – going into Ohio and plucking yet another talented four-star performer in tight end Erick All. The Fairfield (Ohio) High School product had a long list of suitors, including Notre Dame.

Washington also made a huge grab in the Southeast in his lone season with the Wolverines, heading down to IMG Academy and securing a commitment from talented defensive back D.J. Turner. At times the IMG Academy label can be a bit of a misconception, as their players come from all reaches of the country – and sometimes even outside of it.

Turner, however, was a Georgia native originally, attending North Gwinnett High School during his first three seasons. This would mark Washington’s second big pull out of the state of Georgia up to that point in his career.

All was Michigan’s second leading receiver this season and Turner was an honorable mention All-Big Ten performer.

A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL

Washington spent just one season in Ann Arbor before leaving for Ohio State, where he coached for three seasons (2019-21) as the linebackers coach.

Washington did have a majority of his wins in his home state of Ohio. Ohio is generally a great producer of talent and it’s a feeder for the Buckeye program.

Consistency and closing is a big element of recruiting. Washington did just that in Ohio. Notre Dame and Ohio State landed the two best linebacker classes in the 2022 cycle, and Washington was the driving force.

He beat Freeman and Notre Dame for five-star Sonny Styles and also landed CJ Hicks, a five-star and the No. 7 player in the country according to 247Sports. Washington also was the primary recruiter for Top 100 linebacker Reid Carrico and also landed Gabe Powers, who ranked No. 101.

Washington also had his hand in the recruitment of 2021 five-star defensive end Jack Sawyer. He even went to the state of New Jersey and helped close on linebacker Cody Simon, the brother of former Notre Dame linebacker Shayne Simon and the No. 75 player in the country in the 2020 class.

Again, Washington’s reach would extend back into Georgia when he teamed with Kerry Coombs to land Top 100 defensive back Jordan Hancock in the 2021 class. Washington also assisted in the recruitment of five-star running back TreVeyon Henderson and four-star defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, both from Virginia.

Georgia, Virginia and Ohio are all very, very important states to Notre Dame, so Washington’s experience building connections and landing players from the state are huge.

GET EXCITED NOTRE DAME FANS

A lot of Notre Dame fans raised eyebrows when Al Washington was named as the team’s new defensive line coach, especially with his recent past coaching linebackers. When you dive deep into his past experiences, and ask around, it’s quickly understood that the defensive line is his wheelhouse.

From a recruiting perspective, this one doesn’t need any selling. His reach in Ohio is interesting – potentially challenging the Buckeyes for some future recruits. Then there’s the reach to states like Georgia and Virginia, showcasing his reach on the recruiting side.

We will wait to see Coach Washington’s impact on the field. For now, his recruiting upside is hard to argue against.

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Recruiting Profile: Notre Dame DL Coach Al Washington

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