Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 90 Brenan Vernon, incoming freshman defensive end, four-star recruit

Listed measurements: 6-foot-5, 259 pounds 2023-24 year, eligibility: An incoming freshman, Vernon has all four seasons of eligibility remaining. Depth Chart: Alexander Ehrensberger’s retirement from football to head back to Germany to start his career in the medical profession could have elevated Vernon into the three-deep at “Big” end. “Three-deep” may not be a typical term, but along the defensive line, it carries pertinence. Recruiting: A consensus four-star prospect and the No. 8 strongside defensive end in the class of 2023, per rivals.com, Vernon committed to Notre Dame nearly 18 months before he could actually sign with the Irish. An All-American, he never wavered from that commitment, not even when homestate power Ohio State came calling. Particularly along the defensive line, that is not a recruiting battle Notre Dame wins all that often.

QUOTES This space fails to acknowledge frequently enough how much Notre Dame’s coaching staff emphasizes length in its recruits. Marcus Freeman and Co. value it across the board and especially along the defensive line.

“[Vernon] brings physical assets,” Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden said in December. “He’s strong, he’s tough, he’s a competitor.”

Freeman specifically brought up length.

“You look at the ends, you look at [Boubacar Traore], you look at Brenan Vernon, we need length,” Freeman said. “That’s something we’re looking for. You would like length at every position on your team.”

NAME, IMAGE, LIKENESS The youths call this “drip.”

Best dressed superlative goes to Brenan Vernon.https://t.co/QBBD7BZXvW pic.twitter.com/5sVT2RJ4Vj

— Mike Singer (@MikeTSinger) April 23, 2023

WHAT WAS SAID WHEN VERNON SIGNED IN DECEMBER “Vernon’s size and length