Keon Keeley, ranked the top defensive end in the 2023 recruiting class by ESPN and 247 Sports, decommitted from Notre Dame on Wednesday.
The five-star recruit from Berkeley Prep in Tampa did not announce his new destination.
Keeley tweeted, “First and foremost, I would like to thank the University of Notre Dame and their tremendous staff for spending the time to recruit me to Notre Dame. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity. Making a decision that will ultimately affect my life’s path has been quite challenging and cannot be understated.
“With that said, I will (be) decommitting from the University of Notre Dame. I hope everyone understands my need to ensure I find the right path. Thank you so much.”
— 5 (@keon_keeley) August 18, 2022
The news comes two weeks after five-star Alabama running back recruit Richard Young tweeted, “Mark my words, I am gonna flip Keon Keeley from Notre Dame …”
Keeley visited Alabama, Florida and Ohio State in addition to Notre Dame — with his latest visit to Tuscaloosa coming after he was already committed to the Fighting Irish.
Marcus Freeman, formerly the Irish’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, is heading into his first season as Notre Dame’s head coach. The Irish, coming off an 11-2 season that ended with a Fiesta Bowl loss to Oklahoma State, are ranked fifth in the preseason Associated Press poll.
Alabama is No. 1 in the preseason AP poll following a season in which it went 13-2 and lost to Georgia in the national championship game.
–Field Level Media