Top247 four-star QB Max Duggan: ‘I grew up a Notre Dame fan’
Council Bluffs (Iowa) Lewis Central four-star quarterback Max Duggan heads to Notre Dame for an unofficial visit on Friday, as first reported by 247Sports National Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong.
The 6-2, 190-pounder from the class of 2019, who will be joined by his mother, father and sister, is looking forward to this trip, but it won’t be the first time he’s been on campus.
“I went out there the first time,” said Duggan, referencing his trip to Notre Dame back on Apr. 3, 2017. “They really wanted me to come back to the Irish Invasion and throw for them, but I wasn’t able to make it out there because I play baseball in the summer. I wasn’t able to make it out there. Our relationship went down a little bit. We didn’t stay in touch as much. Then they got [former Irish quarterback commit] Cade McNamara, who committed, and like most schools, they shutdown their 2019 quarterback recruiting. Now things have changed and they reached out.”
Since his first trip to campus, Duggan has racked up a ton of offers. Although he doesn’t hold a Notre Dame offer yet, one is expected this weekend. The staff will look to impress him on Friday. However, it’s clear they did exactly that the first time around.
“The first time I was out there, it was unbelievable,” said Duggan of his first visit to South Bend. “Just seeing the school, the tradition, not even talking about football. The campus was unbelievable. Football-wise, I saw a couple players working out, I met with coach (Tom) Rees, I toured the facilities and the campus. It was an unbelievable and awesome visit.”
Duggan has been in contact with Rees, whom the quarterback has knew of before he started to get recruited by Notre Dame.
“I’ve had contact with coach Rees. He’s a great guy and a great coach. He knows a lot,” said Duggan. “I grew up watching him play for Notre Dame, so it’s pretty cool to communicate with him and have the relationship that we have. … I grew up a Notre Dame fan. It won’t play a role in my decision. I’m being honest. I’m just trying to find the right fit for me.”
Regarding an offer, nothing has been promised. Although it would be pretty surprising if Duggan didn’t add Notre Dame to his offer list that includes Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Georgia, Ohio State, North Carolina, Penn State, Oregon and many others.
“They just told me to come out,” said Duggan of the staff’s message. “They said it would be super beneficial for me to come out and visit again, meet with the coaching staff, and it would be awesome to build back that relationship once again.”
In addition to growing up a fan of the Fighting Irish, Duggan has a few other connections to the school. He has a family member that attended the university and he has a close friend that is on the football team.
“My uncle actually went out to school at Notre Dame,” said Duggan. “There is also a walk-on safety out there, John Mahoney, that I played against in high school. I’m super good friends with through all kinds of sports back here in Iowa.”
Duggan will be at Ohio State on Wednesday and Thursday before heading to Notre Dame on Friday. He’ll take a few more trips in March and April, as he prepares to commit and shutdown the process sooner rather than later.
“I’m pretty far along in my process,” he said. “I feel like I’m getting closer to making a decision, so I want to make a decision sometime in April if I get the right feel and I’m ready.”
Duggan is an early enrollee and will be on the campus of his choice in Jan. 2019.
Per the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Duggan is the No. 292 overall player nationally, No. 7 dual-threat quarterback in the country and No. 3 prospect in Iowa from the class of 2018.
According to 247Sports standalone rankings, Duggan is the No. 226 recruit in the country, No. 4 dual-threat quarterback in the nation and No. 3 player in Iowa.
