Notre Dame Felt Like Home For Linebacker Commit Julian Bruno

Notre Dame’s 31-24 victory over Miami this past weekend provided not just a win on the field, but also many wins on the recruiting trail. With Notre Dame locking down three verbal commitments after recruits were on-hand to witness Saturday night’s victory over then No. 1 Hurricanes, the night provided a foundation for the future.

One verbal commitment came from Sacramento, Calif./Grant Union linebacker Julian Bruno. The victory, the atmosphere at Notre Dame, the relationship built with the coaches were all more than enough for Bruno to decide to join the class. On Sunday, Bruno gave the Irish his verbal commitment.

"I’ve been thinking about this for awhile now, just all the conversations I had with the coaches," Bruno told Irish Breakdown on Sunday afternoon on his way to the airport. "Getting out here and being able to see it all and meeting them in-person, it felt like home. (The staff was) all super excited, super ecstatic. (Linebackers) Coach BJ (Brian Jean-Mary) told me he was my first verbal commit (in the 2028 class) since being there. (Assistant general manager) Kenny Sanders was all hyped to just to hear the news."

Jean-Mary in-particular left an impression on the Class of 2028 recruit, who picked Notre Dame over 27 other schools who have been vying for his services.

"Coach BJ is a really good, really good down-to-earth guy," Bruno said. "I think he really cares about me a lot and all the people on the staff. Just the conversations we have. When I met with Coach (Marcus) Freeman his thing was like, 'We don’t know the future, I don’t care if you never play a down here. I will still be here for you outside of football'."

Bruno felt at home right away as he arrived at the Shields Family Hall on Saturday afternoon, and the warm welcome he received felt like a precursor to the entire day in hindsight.

"We got to the indoor facility and dudes were coming up to me,” Bruno explained. "Recruiting people were introducing themselves. I just felt really welcomed. It was great. I mean, from the pregame all the way to the game, it was great. It was great vibes, had a good time all around. They played really, really, really hard football. They weren’t scared of their opponent."

During the game, Bruno paid attention to the fans, who were glued to the game and acting serious while having so much fun at the same time. He sat up higher than some other recruits, who got to storm the field after the victory. While he wasn’t able to get down to the field in-time, the higher view allowed Bruno a great line of sight to take in the atmosphere.

"Just how everybody like was focused on the game," stated the 6-1, 210-pound linebacker. "In the fourth quarter, I see dudes with their shirts off and it’s 30 degrees, freezing. They’re having fun in the game and at the game. I really like the crowd push-ups and everything like that."

A key factor for Bruno’s decision to commit to Notre Dame was the combination of athletics and academics. He realizes his life is much bigger than just football.

"That is one of the big values I have with my family," Bruno said. "Football isn’t always going to last. I still have a whole life to live ahead of me, setting myself up for the future."

Bruno is listed as a three-star recruit by the national recruiting services, but he earned a 4.0-grade and a Top 250 caliber ranking on the Irish Breakdown board. As a junior, Bruno has racked up 83 tackles (50 solo), 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, four pass break ups and four forced fumbles in just seven games. As a sophomore he had 109 tackles and 14 tackles for loss, and registered 84 tackles and seven tackles for loss as a freshman.

---------

Join the Irish Breakdown community!
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes
Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook