4-Star LB Prospect Jack Lamb Commits to Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Versatile linebacker Jack Lamb announced Thursday he'll play college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Lamb rates as a 4-star prospect and the No. 97 overall recruit in the 2018 class, according to the Scout.com rankings. He also grades out as the No. 4 inside linebacker and the second-best California-based player at the position among the incoming group.

The Great Oak High School star's game is built on a well-rounded skill set, and he does a variety of things to help a team win.

Dropping into coverage is chief among those talents. He'll become a major asset in defending top-flight tight ends because of his athleticism and smooth movement into and out of breaks.

He's also a reliable tackler against the run and has edge-rushing ability, which is an area that still has plenty of upside as he puts more work into his moves.

Yet, since he's not dominant in any single area, finding the right fit where his across-the-board contributions would work best was key during the recruiting process. Lamb told Scout's Greg Biggins in April he wanted to take his time before announcing his decision, likely for that reason.

"I'm not going to rush this and like I said, I have a ton of thinking to do," he said. "I loved all five schools I visited, they're all so different but I loved each one of them so it's going to be a really tough decision for sure."

Ultimately, Lamb decided Notre Dame represented the best fit, and in turn he provides a nice boost to the program's defense. He's not a lock to become a star, but he's the type of prospect who can help round out a class.

The linebacker's first involvement within the Fighting Irish defensive scheme could come quickly as a rotational depth piece on passing downs, especially against opponents with playmaking tight ends. He should be a three-down player by the time he's an upperclassman.