Just now: Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Notre Dame LB commit, had an outstanding senior year

Notre Dame is ready to sign an exceptionally talented 2024 recruiting class in less than a week. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa of Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco, who the Irish landed over finalists Ohio State and USC back in August, is arguably the best player in the class. The publication of his senior year film highlighted Viliamu-Asa’s uniqueness. Consider this: how long has it been since Notre Dame signed a linebacker recruit this good?

Forget about hyperbole for a moment. Allow the movie to speak for itself. GAME DYNAMO RUN As a linebacker, you need a huge frame, power, and quickness to get to the ball. However, a large part of the game relies on reflexes and an awareness of how to navigate through traffic.

As you can see, Viliamu-Asa performs an excellent job of sorting through rubbish and locating the ball carrier. The trenches can be a cluttered area at times, organized chaos. He obviously senses the space surrounding him and comes to a complete stop in front of the ball bearer. In terms of power, Viliamu-Asa is a fairly accomplished player. He has a huge body and exceptional core strength, allowing him to play through contact effectively. He’s taking on multiple pullers here.

Simply put, things move quickly and physically in the trenches, and it isn’t for everyone. Working through traffic and finishing plays is what Viliamu-Asa thrives on.

Because he has a strong build, good length, and the power to play at the point of attack, Viliamu-Asa fits the profile of a middle linebacker. He is also very adaptable and has demonstrated the ability to back door some blocks, which means to come underneath and still beat ball carriers to the area.

The backside offensive tackle tries to cut Viliamu-Asa off, causing him to go underneath the block. The agility and short-area quickness required to sneak beneath and make the play is amazing. Good linebackers know when to take that risk, and Viliamu-Asa takes advantage of it. The combination of quickness and closing speed in Viliamu-Asa’s game improved significantly as a senior. Offenses frequently attempt to use misdirection to put linebackers in a difficult position to play in pursuit.

The bizarre part is that the offense technically did this. Mater Dei was able to get the wide receiver easy space off a slip route thanks to play action. Then you see Viliamu-Asa go into overdrive. That range is impressive for a modern middle linebacker. As a senior, his range has grown significantly. When opposing offenses try to outleverage him to the perimeter, Viliamu-Asa is able to run and cover a lot of ground.

That is really evident in this play. In his search of a genuine middle linebacker, the 6-3, 230-pound linebacker makes some remarkable plays. That enhancement to his game has raised his ceiling to new heights.

If you’ve been following Notre Dame over the last two years, you’ll know that Al Golden loves to blitz his linebackers. Fortunately for him, Viliamu-Asa is one of the top blitzers in the 2024 recruitment class. Once he gets past the line of scrimmage, he’s a blur.

Viliamu-Asa possesses a great combination of length and closing speed, allowing him to cover a lot of ground rapidly. You can see him finish for the sack, displaying the range and finishing skills that Irish fans like.

When you first see Viliamu-Asa, you might have some preconceived notions about what kind of football player he is. He must be a downhill thumper who works best tackle to tackle. While Viliamu-Asa is impressive in that function, he demonstrated as a senior that he is at ease and fluid in space.

On this play, Viliamu-Asa can be seen flipping his hips and running with an inside vertical. It appears to be man coverage, but it’s extremely similar to some protect Two shells in which the middle linebacker must protect the mid hole (the open space between the two safeties).

Viliamu-Asa is agile and smooth enough to make an impact in pass coverage. How many middle linebackers do you trust to cover slot receivers in man coverage? The answer is not a lot.

Viliamu-Asa has also shown flashes in that area. On this rep, the opposing offense motions him across the field in an attempt to pick him off. Viliamu-Asa not only avoids contact, but he can also run on the wheel route.

Another outstanding illustration of his potential effect in pass coverage is running stride for stride to the back of the endzone versus a wide receiver. High school is particularly entertaining to watch because athletes are frequently challenged to perform things that showcase their athleticism but aren’t always transferable to the next level. During St. John Bosco’s playoff rematch against Mater Dei, they relied on Viliamu-Asa to provide an offensive spark.

When lined up at wide receiver against Chuck McDonald, one of the top cornerbacks in the 2025 class, he is able to elevate and make a circus catch for a touchdown. Viliamu-Asa is simply a different cat when it comes to athleticism. He’s a terrific player.

Perhaps no description adequately defined Viliamu-Asa. Everything you’ve heard about advanced, nuanced, dynamic, and unique is accurate. Notre Dame has not landed a linebacker in quite some time.

If Viliamu-Asa’s senior season is any indication, we may have overestimated his potential as well. When he arrives in South Bend next month, this five-star football prospect might make an immediate impression.