On3 No. 1 tackle Charles Jagusah picks Notre Dame over Michigan

Rock Island (Ill.) Alleman five-star offensive tackle Charles Jagusah has made up his mind. On3’s No. 1 offensive tackle is heading to Notre Dame, choosing the Fighting Irish over Michigan.

“It’s nice to just feel confident about it,” Jagusah told On3. “It’s a hard decision, and there’s never really one right decision obviously. But I feel pretty good about where I’m at, and I’m going to place that will take me where I want to go.”

The biggest thing for Jagusah, he said, was the belief from the staff in his abilities. He said the staff locked in on him throughout the process and he communicated well with them.

Offensive line coach Harry Hiestand played arguably the biggest role in his recruitment as the two really bonded ever since Hiestand was hired.

“He was definitely super important,” Jagusah said. “For me, it’s about connecting with the right offensive line coach. I felt like I had good relationships with all of the offensive line coaches in my final four, but I think he can teach me a lot, and there’s a lot of room to grow.”

Hiestand was the first person Jagusah called to let him know about his commitment. Jagusah that while Hiestand kept his composure when he heard the news, some of the recruiting department staffers were going “absolutely nuts.”

Marcus Freeman has also made a good impression on Jagusah and is a big reason why the No. 7 overall recruit in the 2023 On300 ranking committed to Notre Dame.

“He’s a really good guy,” Jagusah said. “I didn’t know a whole lot about him when he first got the job, but a couple weeks after he was already making calls and doing that stuff. He’s a really genuine guy and knows how to organize people. I think that’s the biggest thing for head coaches: You know how to set a vision and organize people. Definitely the head coach I believe in the most.”

Notre Dame also appealed to Jagusah on the academic side, as that part of the equation was important as well.

Jaguash joins the highly-ranked Fighting Irish recruiting class and becomes the second On3 five-star prospect in the group along with Tampa (Fla.) Berkley Prep five-star EDGE Keon Keeley.

“It was super tough,” Charles Jagusah said. “Everybody has an opinion on where I should go, and I like each school for its own specific reasons. But in the end, I was confident that Notre Dame was the place things would work out the best. Educationally and football-wise, it’s a good opportunity for both.”