The Notre Dame class of 2023 added another top recruit with the signing of four-star athlete Micah Bell. Ranked No. 141 nationally, according to Rivals, Bell joins a stacked Notre Dame class that is ranked fourth just behind perennial college football powerhouses Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State.
Listed at 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, Bell played both sides of the ball for his varsity high school team at the Kinkaid School in Houston. In his junior year, he was his team’s primary ball carrier, tallying over 1,000 yards and averaging 8.3 yards per carry as a running back. However, Bell’s main recruiter was Irish cornerbacks’ coach Mike Mickens which highlights his long-term projection as a defensive back. The signing of Bell and other strong defensive backs like No. 78 Christian Gray highlight a strong year for Notre Dame at the position.
“Mike Mickens is a guy that knows how to recruit corners and develop them. Cornerback recruiting has taken a strong step forward,” Rivals Notre Dame recruiting analyst Kyle Kelly said.
Bell’s most salient attribute as a prospect is his speed. An elite track and field competitor in high school, Bell ran a 10.45-second 100-meter dash and notched a 20.89-second time in the 200-meter race. For context, these times are each less than one second off the world records held by the 8-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt. He also competed in the long jump and the triple jump, showcasing elite raw athleticism.
“I don’t think Notre Dame has had speed at the cornerback like they’re getting in Micah Bell. It’s a rare sort of speed,” Kelly said.
Bell first committed to Notre Dame on July 1, 2022, with a post on his Twitter. The announcement came shortly after an official visit to campus two weeks earlier on June 17. He also had an unofficial visit to campus on October 23, 2021. That same day Notre Dame retained the Jeweled Shillelagh with a 31-16 primetime home win over rivals USC. He received official offers from 31 different schools, including a late offer from Georgia, where his older brother Dillon signed in 2022. Regardless, Notre Dame was Bell’s only official visit and his only unofficial visit outside of his home state of Texas.
Contact José Sánchez Córdova at jsanch24@nd.edu
