DONOVAN HINISH
Central Catholic High School; PittsburghMeasurements: 6-foot-2, 270 pounds.Accolades: The consensus three-star is considered the No. 44 defensive tackle in the class by rivals.com
Other notable offers: Pittsburgh did its best to chase the local product, but it may have never stood a genuine chance after he spent the last five years visiting his older brother, Kurt, at Notre Dame.
Projected position: Hinish will make for up to nine years of his surname manning the Irish defensive middle, but the elder Hinish — a five-year contributor at Notre Dame with more appearances in a gold helmet than any other player in history — will quickly admit which one is better.
“All the coaches out there are always joking around with me and talking about stuff that he’s better at than I am,” Kurt said in mid-April. “So we’re about the same size, if not, he might be an inch or two taller than I am, give or take. He’s about 275 (pounds) right now. My dad has him in the gym working out, putting some weight on him, he looks real good.
“The one thing my younger brother does a lot better than I do, just naturally he’s a lot more athletic than I am, laterally. He’s a better all-around athlete than me. I kind of got the #$%^ end of the stick. It is what it is. The youngest get it all.”
Quick take: If Kurt’s scouting reporting is accurate, than much may be expected from his younger brother, recruiting ranking aside. Donovan will have to channel the same drive that pushed Kurt, but every indication is that blue-collar attitude runs throughout the entire family.
Short-term roster outlook: With Kurt finally out of eligibility, for real this time, and senior Jayson Ademilola considering his NFL options, Donovan may find a rotational role in 2022. The Irish still have proven pieces running two-deep, but defensive line coach Mike Elston is not shy about trotting out a third wave.
Long-term depth chart impact: At nose tackle, following his brother’s footsteps, Hinish may find notable playing time as soon as 2023 if he develops at a moderate pace. Of Notre Dame’s interior strength, more of it is at three-technique.
EARLY SIGNING PERIOD COVERAGE
Consensus four-star defensive end Aiden Gobaira
Consensus four-star safety Nolan Ziegler
Consensus three-star quarterback Steve Angeli
Consensus three-star defensive tackle Donovan Hinish, Kurt’s brother
Consensus four-star linebackers Jaylen Sneed and Joshua Burnham
Punter Bryce McFerson, former Wake Forest commit
Consensus four-star running back Jadarian Price
Tight ends Eli Raridon and Holden Staes
Consensus four-star defensive end Tyson Ford, the first commit to Marcus Freeman back in January
Cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison and Jayden Bellamy
Consensus four-star linebacker Niuafe Tuihalamaka, former USC commit
Consensus four-star receiver Tobias Merriweather, the only receiver in the class
Consensus four-star cornerback Jaden Mickey
Five offensive linemen complete Irish class of 2022, including quartet of four-stars