4-star LB Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng breaks down top schools, upcoming official visits

Manassas (Va.) IMG Academy four-star linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng isn’t in any rush to announce his commitment, but has narrowed down the list of schools he’ll take official visits to this summer.

After initially planning to visit South Carolina, Stanford and Georgia, he told On3’s Chad Simmons last week that he has made some changes to that list. In recent weeks, Owusu-Boateng has taken visits to Los Angeles, Ann Arbor and Columbus.

And now he’ll take official visits back to each, as well as one to Notre Dame.

“I am now visiting USC on May 31, Notre Dame on June 7, Ohio State on June 14 and Michigan on June 21,” Owusu-Boateng told Simmons.

On Thursday, he sat down with On3’s Phillip Dukes for the Five-Star Flex to discuss each of the programs he will take official visits to and why — if he did sign with that school — he would choose them.

He is a Notre Dame legacy with his brother, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, playing there from 2017-2020. But he’s giving each school a fair shot at him, and also says he could visit one or two other programs in the fall.

Owusu-Boateng recaps interest in Notre Dame, USC, Ohio State and Michigan

USC: “If I signed with that school, I’d say the reason why I signed is because of the countless opportunities they have. Knowing that they have the No. 1 business school and I want to major in business going into my college career [is big]. And knowing that L.A. is a big marketplace, so I can really market myself there knowing that I’m my own brand. Also just knowing that Coach Riley hired a whole new defensive coaching staff with Coach Entz as the DC and stuff like that — just having a great connection with him. And then knowing the plans they have for me to come in, compete and earn that starting spot early.”

Michigan: “Just going up to Ann Arbor, I think I was up there two weeks ago. Going there and talking to Coach Moore, talking to coach BJ and Coach Wink, their DC has major NFL experience. Knowing that he’s coached for the Giants, he’s been with the Ravens — he coached Ray Lewis and countless superstars. I like knowing that you’re going to get developed and going into a system that knows how to win. NFL scouts to love to scout players that love to win, so you want to go somewhere that has good academics, a good strength and conditioning coach, and know that you’re going to get developed by one of the best coaches.”

Notre Dame: That’s family right there. If I went there, I’d just be carrying on the legacy. Knowing what Coach Al Golden is doing for the program right now, and Coach Free [Marcus Freeman] is always calling my phone, pouring love and just showing that he really cares about me. He wants me to come and be part of the Irish family. And then going back to the development piece of it, knowing you’re going to get developed and really coached. Coach Max Bullough, the linebackers coach, he played the position. So it’s just that you’re going to be coached by those guys and playing good football each week.

Ohio State: I just came back from an Ohio State visit last weekend. Coach Laurinitis is a great guy. And Coach Knowles, their DC, just sitting down and talking to him about where he envisions me at and knowing that he sees me as a player who can attack the game fiercely. He sees me coming in and playing like a WILL position, and I like knowing what opportunities they have outside of football, too. All four schools I’m taking OVs to, they really characterize development and life after football. Not only that, but you come into these programs and I really don’t feel like I have to compromise something, and that’s my big piece in this.