Linebacker Jakobe Clapper Commits To Notre Dame

Notre Dame remains red hot on the recruiting trail thanks to a commitment from Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier linebacker Jakobe Clapper. Notre Dame had been considered the front runner for some time but now the Ohio standout is officially in the Notre Dame 2026 class.

Clapper has been a frequent visitor to Notre Dame and has been to campus twice this spring and winter. He was offered by the Irish last March and has been a top target ever since. Since that offer he has been on campus a total of four times as he and the Irish staff continued to build a strong connection.

The 6-2, 205-pound linebacker had an outstanding junior season for the Bombers. He racked up 105 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and two break ups. That dominance earned a first-team All-Ohio honor as a junior. He was high school teammates with Notre Dame 2025 signee Gordy Sulfsted. Clapper is an athletic linebacker with the frame to fill out nicely. He shows impressive downhill speed and the range you want to play linebacker at a high level.

Clapper earned a four-star upside grade on the Irish Breakdown board and also earned a four-star grade from Rivals. He had offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Louisville, Illinois, West Virginia, Michigan State, Indiana, Kentucky, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Boston College, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Duke and Vanderbilt.

Clapper is the 13th player to commit to Notre Dame in the 2026 class. He joins Florida quarterback Noah Grubbs, Florida wide receiver Dylan Faison, Texas athlete Bubba Frazier, Michigan offensive linemen Ben Nichols, Sullivan Garvin and Gregory Patrick, Pennsylvania offensive lineman Tyler Merrill, North Carolina edges Rodney Dunham and Ebenezer Ewetade, North Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis Jr., Florida cornerback Ayden Pouncey and Tennessee cornerback Chaston Smith.