Jackson Vaughn always had high ambitions and once he arrived at Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic, football was his obvious path to long-term success in sports.
The blue-chip edge rusher announced his Notre Dame commitment Tuesday on the CBS Sports College Football YouTube channel, but his thinking was markedly different when he was playing basketball, baseball and football in grade school and junior high.
“I always thought I was going to the NBA or MLB,” Vaughn said. “I would have really good games in those sports. I would hit a lot of home runs or I would score a lot, and then I would have really bad games. But those were my two favorite sports.
“Playing football, I never had bad games. I always played consistent. I always played the best.”
By the time the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Vaughn finished his freshman season at Bergen Catholic — he had 16 tackles and eight sacks — he knew football was his path.
It is a lot like how he knew the Irish should be his college choice, especially after numerous visits to campus to get to know coach Marcus Freeman. Something about Freeman stood out right away to Vaughn.
“Honestly, it’s his humility and the way he carries himself,” Vaughn said. “I have a lot of faith in what he believes in and I feel like he’ll lead me in the right direction.”
When the Irish hired Charlie Partridge to coach the defensive line in January, it pushed the Irish into a leading spot it did not relinquish.
“We have a lot in common,” Vaughn said. “We have a strong love for the game. We can talk about pass rush all day and he’s a wizard at pass rushing. He really knows what he’s talking about and a lot of guys.
“A lot of guys know schematic stuff so they kind of teach like (defensive coordinators) but he really teaches you as an edge coach like he’s in your position.”
Defensive coordinator Chris Ash‘s usage of the front four also appeals to Vaughn.
“I like how they let their guys go,” he said. “I feel like they have an understanding that is one of the most important positions on the defense and I feel like they do a good job getting those guys tackles for losses and sacks.”
Here is what you need to know:
WHAT JACKSON VAUGHN SAYS ABOUT NOTRE DAME
“What stands out about Notre Dame is a lot of places have good football but what (it is) they provide long-term after football and how they set their guys up for success,” he said.
WHO ELSE WAS IN THE MIX?
The top five was Auburn, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame and South Carolina. Vaughn took a recent visit to South Carolina but, from the moment he decided to move from the 2028 class into 2027, Notre Dame was the choice.
The Irish worked with Vaughn closely to make sure. that he had the ability to do it, and to ensure that he had the requisite classes to be accepted into the school. That work was not going on to the depth that it was at Notre Dame with other programs.
If he stayed in the 2028 class, Miami was the biggest threat of the five programs but this recruitment was ear-marked for the Irish for a while.
WHERE JACKSON VAUGHN RANKS AS A RECRUIT
Vaughn has a 247Sports grade of 91, which makes him a high-level four-star prospect. He is the country’s No. 15 edge rusher, and the No. 4 player in New Jersey and No. 105 prospect in the nation.
In the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, Jones is the No. 5 overall prospect in New Jersey, and the nation’s No. 22 edge rusher and No. 244 player.
HOW JACKSON VAUGHN FITS WITH NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame is not shy about spending on high school players, and especially at crucial spots. The Irish already have a pair of top 60 offensive tackles in the class in Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter’s Prep’s Oluwasemilore Olubobola and Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s James Halter, and a pair of top 80 guys along the defensive front in edge rusher Aidan O’Neil of Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco and defensive lineman David Folorunsho of Chicago St. Patrick. Vaughn’s ranking of No. 105 nationally makes him the seventh-highest commit in the 18-member class.
WHAT WE THINK OF JACKSON VAUGHN
247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins provided the following eval notes on Vaughn:
– Combative defensive end with the ideal pressure rate that will head to college a year early after electing to forgo his senior season.
– Spent the past two years attacking from a variety of different alignments for one of New Jersey’s top talent-producing programs.
– Will mix speed and power on the corner.
– Swipes through blockers with clubbing hands.
– Can bend and slide into open rush paths.
– Quick to sniff out counters and has the range to charge across the field.
– Already well ahead of the curve from a technical standpoint but must continue to invest in his body and adjust to trench warfare on Saturdays.
– Projects as a potential multiyear starter at the Power Four level who will likely start on the outside but could eventually offer more and more interior looks.
