Freshman nose tackle Sean Sevillano Jr. says he's 'beyond ready' to help Notre Dame football
SOUTH BEND — A prominent script tattoo spreads across much of Sean Sevillano Jr.’s tree-trunk left thigh.
Its blunt message aligns perfectly with the straightforward personality of its owner, one of the more intriguing midyear enrollees for Notre Dame football.
“Don’t be upset by the results you didn’t get,” it reads, “with the work you did not do.”
Sevillano Jr., a nose tackle who easily carries 330 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame, received the tattoo almost two years ago at age 16.
“To me, it’s the big symbol of, ‘Put your head down and get to work’ because nothing comes that isn’t earned,” he said recently. “And if you didn’t earn it, it will be taken away. That’s a constant reminder to me.”
A three-star signee from Clearwater (Fla.) Academy International, which is dropping its football program due to scheduling and funding issues, Sevillano Jr. has no shortage of confidence as he approaches his 18th birthday.
Asked about his Madden-esque production from his final two seasons —179 tackles, 115 tackles for loss and 36 sacks — he smiled and assured a skeptic those weren’t a misprint.
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Comparisons to Aaron Donald, Dexter Lawrence and the late Louis Nix
He considers himself “humble in my craft,” but doesn’t shy away from name-dropping some of the game’s biggest stars at his position.
“People have always compared me to Aaron Donald,” he said of the three-time NFL defensive player of the year. “I love that comparison, and I’ll take it all day long.”
Considering he’s 50 pounds heavier than Donald, Sevillano Jr. admittedly identifies more with NFL Pro Bowl defensive tackles such as Vita Vea (Buccaneers) or Dexter Lawrence (Giants).
“Guys who are really strong,” Sevillano Jr. said, “like how I would say I am.”
In terms of Notre Dame greats, the late Louis Nix, aka Irish Chocolate, has been mentioned as an apt comparison for a prospect who also took official visits to Ohio State and Auburn.
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With plans to major in neuroscience and behavior, Sevillano Jr. is taking classes in history, math and theology. Faith is important to him, so he enjoys “talking and thinking about religion and what might be beyond death.”
As for less existential questions, such as how soon he might be able to contribute to a top-six scoring defense, Sevillano Jr. narrowed his gaze.
“I’m beyond ready,” he said.
That’s been his refrain to position coach Al Washington, defensive coordinator Al Golden and anyone else in the Notre Dame football building in a position to control playing time.
“I’ve communicated to Coach Wash and all the coaches here that I’m ready to play,” Sevillano Jr. said. “I’m ready to make a statement because, ultimately, I’m playing for this university but I’m also playing for my family, my name on the back (of the jersey) and my reputation.”
Sean Sevillano Jr. as 'warrior and protector'
Of Filipino extraction on his father’s side, Sevillano Jr. has emblazoned on his left arm a series of intricate symbols as further reminders of his daily purpose.
“It represents me as a warrior and protector of my family, a fighter, and some of it represents different parts of my family,” he said.
Doves, he said, represent the women in his family. The turtles are for his male relatives.
A Canadian citizen who moved from Winnipeg to Clearwater as a high school sophomore, Sevillano Jr. comes from a hockey family and is a big fan of the NHL’s hometown Jets. His grandfather played semi-pro hockey, and most of the male relatives on his mom’s side played “high-level” junior hockey.
“I love hockey,” he said, “but I never got to play it.”
He took skating lessons as a child, but there was only one problem.
“I never could stop,” he said. “That put an end to that and started my journey to the gridiron.”
Admittedly “pretty raw” upon his arrival in Florida, Sevillano Jr. experienced what he calls his “flip the switch” moment soon after making the step up in competition. Tasting some early success and seeing older teammates sign at Power 5 programs helped ignite an inner hunger as he suddenly recognized his potential to “create generational wealth” for his family.
Once that fire was lit, Sevillano Jr. allowed his natural personality to flow. Having Irish defensive tackles like Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills as his newest role models should only expedite that process.
“As you get better and better and you realize that, ‘Hey, you are that guy’ and you can do this, you gain that sense of swag,” Sevillano Jr. said. “Since then I’ve tried to maintain that swag. You’re playing in the trenches. Everybody’s 300 pounds, everybody’s strong, this and that. You need to have some swag.”
He paused and nodded for emphasis.
“You,” he said, “got to have the swag.”
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for NDInsider.com and is on social media @MikeBerardino.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football freshman nose tackle Sean Sevillano Jr. is ready to roll
