How Notre Dame On300 DL commit Joseph Reiff gave a glimpse into the position he’ll play
Joseph Reiff leaned forward to ensure the recorder picked up his answer to the question. Even though Prep Football Report analyst Tom Lemming’s Chicagoland photoshoot last Sunday did feature a prospect workout, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Notre Dame commit matched the description of a college defensive lineman just standing around.
If this is how Elmhurst (Ill) York Community’s Reiff looks now, you can’t help but wonder how he could look after a year or two in Loren Landow’s strength and conditioning program. So, it only made sense to ask the four-star prospect how the Fighting Irish see him positionally.
“As of right now, they see me as that strongside, 5-technique defensive end,” Reiff told Blue & Gold. “Like Javontae Jean-Baptiste.”
Jean-Baptiste carried a 6-4½, 260-pound frame while manning his side of the defensive line last season. With the help of Irish D-line coach Al Washington, the former top 300 recruit from Ohio State played himself into becoming a seventh-round NFL Draft choice this year.
Reiff played a similar position for his high school team as a junior. He worked his way from being only a three-star in the preseason to now the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 312 overall player and No. 26 defensive lineman in the 2025 class.
A significant season on the stat sheet might have helped him earn a ratings boost.
Reiff registered 76 tackles (50 solo), 20 for loss, 12 sacks, 17 quarterback hurries, 1 pass breakup, 3 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery. With a production like that, Notre Dame has no reason to project him elsewhere. The staff’s latest comparisons for him have come to Jean-Baptiste’s replacement.
“It’s more me and Joshua Burnham at the end spot,” Reiff said. “But that’s because I’m playing off the end.”
Still, Reiff poses a profile that could also put him in a position to play on the interior. He agreed with that assessment.
“The blessing about being 6-5 is that they could play me at 280 pounds, and I wouldn’t be sloppy. I could still move,” Reiff said. “I could be like a Rylie Mills-type. He’s 6-5.”
Since Reiff has been pledged to the Irish since Sept. 24, this has allowed him to have insightful conversations with the Notre Dame coaching staff rather than listen to schools’ pitches. It also keeps him engaged every time he shows up on campus.
This season will especially have his full attention. The Irish return one of the nation’s most experienced defensive lines. Whether it’s watching 3-tech, 5-tech or elsewhere, he can’t wait to see them thrive in 2024.
“I love watching Rylie and Howard (Cross III),” he said. “Really, everyone on that defensive line is fantastic.”
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