Commitment breakdown: Notre Dame lands Rivals250 DL Boubacar Traore

When Boubacar Traore decommitted from Boston College everybody had him pegged for Notre Dame. The Rivals250 defensive lineman out of West Roxbury (Mass.) Catholic Memorial didn't take many visits but the Fighting Irish really caught his attention when they offered. Without rushing his decision, Traore decided that Wednesday was the right time to announce his commitment.

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Traore is a versatile defensive lineman with that can wreak havoc on the offensive line in a variety of ways. At 6-foot-4, 255-pounds, he does a great job using his size and strength to his advantage but he's a real mismatch when he uses his quickness and strength simultaneously. Traore is able to push around offensive linemen with ease but his quickness and aggressive hand techniques keep them from slowing him down enroute to the ball carrier. He has the physical tools to be able to play defensive end but his frame and continued growth point to him spending more time on the interior of the defensive line at the next level. If Traore were to see more time as a defensive tackle, his quickness would be an even bigger asset. Even though he doesn't have a ton of experience playing against future Power Five offensive linemen, Traore has seen what the competition could be like during his limited experiences at offseason camps in the past so his learning curve may not be as steep as other prospects coming from similar situations.

Thanks to Traore's commitment, Notre Dame is back at the top of the Rivals team recruiting rankings. He is also the third defensive line commitment and all three of them are Rivals250 prospects. The Fighting Irish and head coach Marcus Freeman are clicking on all cylinders when it comes to defensive line recruiting and they aren't done just yet. Reloading with elite talent along the front defensive front will help solidify a unit that Notre Dame is going to rely on heavily as they aim to compete for national championships.