TRISTEN HOGE
Pocatello, ID
Measurables: 6-5, 287
Accolades: US Army All-American, First team American Family Insurance All-USA, First team MaxPreps All-American, Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year, No. 1 center in country per Rivals and 247 Sports, State Champion
Impressive Offers: Boise State, Florida, LSU, Stanford, UCLA
Projected Position: Center
Quick Take: Notre Dame hasn’t recruited a true center since Brian Kelly arrived in South Bend, but Hoge seems readymade for the position. He spent the week in San Antonio battling some of the top defensive tackle prospects in the country and held his own.
Big, strong, physically imposing and athletic, it’s tough not to think of Braxston Cave when you look at Hoge, though there’s a bit better mobility and athleticism in Hoge’s game already. Watching his tape, he’s a man among boys in Idaho high school football.
What he means to the Irish: With both Nick Martin and Matt Hegarty in their fifth years, the center job is up for grabs come 2016. Coming in early gives Hoge a chance to get an extra semester of work and take advantage of his natural instincts at the position, even if it’s during a redshirt season.
A rare interior offensive lineman that actually played on the inside in high school, it’ll be interesting to see if that helps Hoge thrive once he enters Harry Hiestand’s depth chart.
Obligatory YouTube clip: Here are some highlights of Hoge mauling the opponent at the high school level.
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