Visitors List - 2025 Calendar Year

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

Would have never guessed at the time of hiring that Marcus freeman would be a far better on field coach than recruiter three years in

 

[Ricochet]

I still like Tank the best but a good group either way

I'm huge Tank fan as well but IMO he's a true "MIKE" whereas I see Clapper as a potential WILL and/or ROVER.

 

[notredomer23]

Would have never guessed at the time of hiring that Marcus freeman would be a far better on field coach than recruiter three years in

This post makes no sense in the context of we're on our best 4 year recruiting run of the internet era and the visitor list for this weekend is 15+ top 300 recruits.

 

[GoIrish41]

Great another high ranked WR whose we won’t pay and will go somewhere else

You are a f*ing douche.

 

[NDFAN2008]

You are a f*ing douche.

Touche

 

[notredamermotherpray4us]

I'm really hoping this weekend ends with a few commitments. That would help take the sting off of losing the NC, at least a little bit anyway. Like when Michael Floyd committed right after that heartbreaking loss to U$C...

 

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

This post makes no sense in the context of we're on our best 4 year recruiting run of the internet era and the visitor list for this weekend is 15+ top 300 recruits.

Are we??? Our classes are routinely finishing in the rankings at or below where Kelly classes did and Kelly’s best class was better than freeman’s best class. And still no five stars

 

[NDRock]

Are we??? Our classes are routinely finishing in the rankings at or below where Kelly classes did and Kelly’s best class was better than freeman’s best class. And still no five stars

I think we're recruiting slightly better but probably at the best level possible. If we don't get any 5* kids after the season we had and the publicity Freeman has gotten, then it's obviously an institutional problem.

 

[notredomer23]

Are we??? Our classes are routinely finishing in the rankings at or below where Kelly classes did and Kelly’s best class was better than freeman’s best class. And still no five stars

2022 #7 Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 236
2023 #12 Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits : 226
2024: #9 Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 283
2025: #12 Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 305
Average rank: 262.5

Now let's look at Kelly's most recent 4 year run:
2018: #10, Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 277
2019: #16, Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 280
2020: #18, Average recruit rank of top 16 recruits: 368
2021: #9, Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 306
Average rank: 307.5

That's a 15% improvement in Freeman's era despite being handcuffed by our high school NIL policy in ways that Kelly was not. Freeman is getting more blue chippers, but also taking some lower ranked players than Kelly did (in some cases). And I get Kelly is partly responsible for 2022, but Freeman and co held it together + recruited many of the defensive studs, and using it for the sake of 4 years.

All I will say from this exercise was that the 2018 and 2019 classes were a lot better than I remember. It's also amazing what Kelly accomplished in 2020 and 2021 when the average recruit rank of the '16 and '17 classes was 340.

ND can't have another class like 2025. 2026 needs to be back in that 2023 average range with more high end talent.

 

[NDMatt91]

I think we're recruiting slightly better but probably at the best level possible. If we don't get any 5* kids after the season we had and the publicity Freeman has gotten, then it's obviously an institutional problem.

I'll be surprised if we sign a 5* this cycle since we aren't really dropping bags for recruits. Unless they're the son of a former NFL player or value academics like Guerby Lambert, I just don't see it. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[NDRock]

I'll be surprised if we sign a 5* this cycle since we aren't really dropping bags for recruits. Unless they're the son of a former NFL player or value academics like Guerby Lambert, I just don't see it. I hope I'm wrong.

Agree. Nobody likes to self impose restrictions like ND.

 

[NDPhilly]

Seems like the ~5 stars we're in on are Rodney Dunham, Elijah Golden, Ekene Ogboko, Talanoa Ili, Joey O'Brien, Simote Katoanga. Need to get at least 2 of them.

Would be nice to have some offensive skill talent in there, oh well.

 

[NDFAN2008]

We need to suck it up and drop a bag for a 5 star WR

 

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

2022 #7 Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 236
2023 #12 Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits : 226
2024: #9 Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 283
2025: #12 Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 305
Average rank: 262.5

Now let's look at Kelly's most recent 4 year run:
2018: #10, Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 277
2019: #16, Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 280
2020: #18, Average recruit rank of top 16 recruits: 368
2021: #9, Average recruit rank of top 20 recruits: 306
Average rank: 307.5

That's a 15% improvement in Freeman's era despite being handcuffed by our high school NIL policy in ways that Kelly was not. Freeman is getting more blue chippers, but also taking some lower ranked players than Kelly did (in some cases). And I get Kelly is partly responsible for 2022, but Freeman and co held it together + recruited many of the defensive studs, and using it for the sake of 4 years.

All I will say from this exercise was that the 2018 and 2019 classes were a lot better than I remember. It's also amazing what Kelly accomplished in 2020 and 2021 when the average recruit rank of the '16 and '17 classes was 340.

ND can't have another class like 2025. 2026 needs to be back in that 2023 average range with more high end talent.

I think we’re in agreement. All I was trying to say was that I think, coming in, was that coach Marcus was gonna be at his best at pulling in five stars, and not so much coaching master classes like Penn State second half

 

[BobbyMac]

Since last update added:

Jakobe Clapper - 4* OH LB - Offer
Kaydon Finley - 4* TX WR - Offer
Jonaz Walton - 4* GA RB - Offer --- Moved from maybe to confirmed
Ksani Jiles - 4* CA/IMG - Offer
Devin Fitzgerald - 3* - AZ WR

 

[NDPhilly]

Man I want Fitz’s kid so bad Just to have him around the program but if Faison JR Isn’t going to be a player then I don’t know if you can take both of them. Certainly aren’t going to process Larry Fitzgerald‘s kid at the end of the class

 

[MacIrish75]

Man I want Fitz’s kid so bad Just to have him around the program but if Faison JR Isn’t going to be a player then I don’t know if you can take both of them. Certainly aren’t going to process Larry Fitzgerald‘s kid at the end of the class

?

 

[NDPhilly]

?

Dylan Faison, St Andrew's School , Wide Receiver

Dylan Faison is a Wide Receiver from Boca Raton, FL.

247sports.com

He's the number one lacrosse recruit in the country, and is obviously very very athletic. Just super raw as a WR.

 

[jpachuta33]

Let's be real fellas, how many elite 5 star prospects really want to attend class and actually be a student-athlete? My guess, not many. Can you remember the last time a starter from a Power 4 Conference was ineligible due to grades? Some schools have always been that way, but now with NIL, school is now a choice for 99% of these universities.

I love Marcus Freeman's approach of choosing hard, but in a time where most of these kids are softer than baby-shit, they're choosing easy (money & being an athlete only).

 

[NDMatt91]

Let's be real fellas, how many elite 5 star prospects really want to attend class and actually be a student-athlete? My guess, not many. Can you remember the last time a starter from a Power 4 Conference was ineligible due to grades? Some schools have always been that way, but now with NIL, school is now a choice for 99% of these universities.

I love Marcus Freeman's approach of choosing hard, but in a time where most of these kids are softer than baby-shit, they're choosing easy (money & being an athlete only).

Mike Frank said there were plenty of recruits the last few years that were good fits for ND but went elsewhere because they got a big bag, and that if ND just offered them bags, they'd come to ND and be fine (not be locker room cancers). I agree with him. Regarding going to class, the ND staff should just say to the recruits that if they just do what they've done in HS, then they'll be fine at ND.

 

[Katzenboyer]

Are we??? Our classes are routinely finishing in the rankings at or below where Kelly classes did and Kelly’s best class was better than freeman’s best class. And still no five stars

This is incorrect.

 

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

Let's be real fellas, how many elite 5 star prospects really want to attend class and actually be a student-athlete? My guess, not many. Can you remember the last time a starter from a Power 4 Conference was ineligible due to grades? Some schools have always been that way, but now with NIL, school is now a choice for 99% of these universities.

I love Marcus Freeman's approach of choosing hard, but in a time where most of these kids are softer than baby-shit, they're choosing easy (money & being an athlete only).

I feel like hand holding barely literate kids through the equivalent of high school level classes is more in keeping with the catholic mission of notre dame than only bringing in kids from fortunate backgrounds ready for our academic rigor.

 

[domer13]

Junior Day - Jan. 25th
---------------------------------------------
Noah Grubbs - 4* FL QB - Commit
Thomas Davis Jr - 4* NC LB - Commit
Ben Nichols - 4* MI OL - Commit
Sully Garvin - 3* MI OL - Commit
---------------------------------------------
Ekene Ogboko - 5* NC OT - Offer
Jakobe Clapper - 4* OH LB - Offer
Kaydon Finley - 4* TX WR - Offer
Jonaz Walton - 4* GA RB - Offer
Tiki Hola - 4* TX DT - Offer
Jordan Deck - 4* TX - Offer
Simeon Caldwell - 4* FL S/LB - Offer
Connor Salmin - 4* MD WR - Offer
Tyler Merrill - 4* PA OL - Offer
Evan Goodwin - 4* AR OT
Jakore Smith - 4* AR LB - Offer
Brayden Robinson - 4* TX WR - Offer
Zech Fort - 4* CA/IMG S - Offer
Ksani Jiles - 4* CA/IMG - Offer
Kenneth Goodwin - 4* CA LB - Offer
Devin Fitzgerald - 3* - AZ WR
Hakim Satterwhite - 3* MD CB - Offer
Joey Quinn - 3* IL DE
Nick Hankins - 3* IL CB
Ebenezer Ewetrade - 3* NC Vyper
Dakota Dickson - 3* CA DT
Zavion Griffin-Haynes - 4* ND DE - Offer - Going to UNC instead

Not locked in yet but looking to come:

Naheem Burroughs - 4* FL WR - Offer
Greg Patrick - 4* MI OL - Offer

Interesting to compare this list to last year's Junior Day (below, taken from last year's thread).

Of the 11 uncommitted guys at junior day, 7 committed eventually (although with Shaun Terry eventually decommitting). Anywhere close to that hit rate this year would be pretty impressive.

Jan 20 -- JR Day
Commits
Daniel Anderson
Chris Burgess
Davion Dixon
Dom Hulak
Deuce Knight
Ethan Long
CJ May
Joe Reiff
Ivan Taylor
Cree Thomas
Justin Thurman
Recruits
Matty Augustine - '25 CT OT - Offer
Jerome Bettis Jr - '25 GA WR - Offer
Elijah Burress - '25 NJ WR - Offer
Shaun Terry - '25 OH WR - Offer
Jack Lange - '25 MO OT - Offer
NOB - '25 FL LB - Offer
Dame Shanklin - '25 IN DE - Offer
Owen Strebig - '25 WI OT - Offer
Talyn Taylor - '25 IL WR - Offer
Mark Zachary - '25 IN CB - Offer
Cameron Herron - '25 IN OG

 

[IrishTusker]

Is there some reason to think that 5*s are less intelligent or willing to go to class than 4*s? I doubt it. If its about a bag, then give them the bag.

 

[NDRock]

Is there some reason to think that 5*s are less intelligent or willing to go to class than 4*s? I doubt it. If its about a bag, then give them the bag.

It's not even "a bag" anymore. That was cheating, this is just recruiting. Not wanting to get into that part of recruiting only hurts us. It's like when Dabo was trying to eschew the portal. Fine, handcuff yourself.

 

[Rocketman84]

I'll be surprised if we sign a 5* this cycle since we aren't really dropping bags for recruits. Unless they're the son of a former NFL player or value academics like Guerby Lambert, I just don't see it. I hope I'm wrong.

Certainly won't be offensive firepower, maybe a 5* OL or possibly a defensive guy.

 

[Rocketman84]

Is there some reason to think that 5*s are less intelligent or willing to go to class than 4*s? I doubt it. If its about a bag, then give them the bag.

That's tired because how would we be the only one not getting 5*s that play top 10 Football.

 

[BobbyMac]

Updated additions:

March 28
Brody Keefe - '26 3* NC WR - Offer

June 13th Weekend
Gregory Patrick - 4* MI OL - Offer - OV
Khary Adams - 4* MD CB - Offer - OV
Nick Reddish - 3* NC S - Offer - OV

June 20th Weekend
Brayden Robinson - 4* TX WR - Offer - OV
JC Anderson - 4* IL TE - Offer - OV
Davion Griffin-Haynes - 4* NC ED - Offer - OV - Tentative

 

[BobbyMac]

King or Ili???

 

[calvegas04]

King or Ili???

King June 20th... waiting to see if ND lands a GM before locking it it