Notre Dame leads the country with most 2025 commitments
Marcus Freeman and his staff have had one overarching recruiting strategy at Notre Dame: Identify their top targets and get them in the class early. That was the case in the 2023 and 2024 cycles, and it’s again the case in 2025.
The Fighting Irish lead the country in commitments as the month of March comes to a close next week, with a whopping 18 prospects already in the fold. The next closest programs are LSU, Penn State and Clemson — all of whom like early commits as well — with 11 apiece.
The 18-man class consists of 10 blue-chip prospects, led by No. 5 quarterback Lucedale (Miss.) George County four-star Deuce Knight. Knight committed to the Irish in September.
“I hope they know they’re getting an elite competitor,” Knights told On3 when asked what Irish fans should expect of him. “Anything that I can do to win games, that’s what I’m going to do. They’re getting a guy who will come in and help everyone get better because I’m an elite competitor.
”If I’m going to compete hard, that’s going to make everyone around me compete hard. And I’m a great teammate. I’m going to support everyone around the program in any way I can.”
Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange four-star safety Ivan Taylor also ranks inside the top 75. Waukesha (Wis.) Catholic Memorial four-star offensive tackle Owen Strebig, Chicago Simeon four-star EDGE Christopher Burgess, Green Bay (Wis.) Notre Dame De La Baie Academy four-star tight end James Flanigan, Wallingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall four-star offensive tackle Will Black and Tampa Jesuit four-star running back Justin Thurman all rank inside the On3 Industry top 300.
Top Fighting Irish Offensive Commit: QB Deuce Knight
The No. 5 quarterback in the 2025 class, Knight ranks No. 40 overall in the 2025 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
On3’s Scouting and Rankings team gives their take on him:
“Big left-handed signal caller who is the top athlete at the position early on in the 2025 cycle. Measured in at around 6-foot-4.5, 195 pounds with a 9.5-inch hand prior to his junior season. Registers as a truly elite athlete at the position via his offseason testing and track and field background finishing his sophomore track and field season as one of the top high jumpers in Mississippi. Transfers that athleticism over to the field on Friday nights. Easily eliminates the angles of pursuit defenders as a scrambler and on designed runs. Tough to bring down in the backfield with his size and reactive quickness.
… Touts a strong downfield arm. Has made progress as a passer from his sophomore to junior seasons. Still developing, but has the upside to continue improving with continued in-game reps. Transferred to Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tenn. for the beginning of his junior year before heading back to Greene County just a few games into the season. Also plays basketball. Considered as a very high upside prospect who is just scratching the surface of his physical potential.”
Top Defensive Commit: SAF Ivan Taylor
Taylor is another Notre Dame commit who ranks inside the top 10 at his position. The No. 5 safety in the class, he ranks No. 58 nationally in the On3 Industry Ranking.
National Scout Cody Bellaire writes this about him:
“Taylor is a good-looking defensive back prospect standing in right at 6-0, 170-plus pounds with solid length. He tested very well during the spring camp circuit prior to his junior season and is a fluid and smooth mover with some explosiveness. His best trait is his ability to stay in-phase and sniff out the football. When working as as corner, he has such great hip looseness that he can sink and flip his hips with little to no wasted movement. This allows him to constantly turn and move with receivers in and out of their breaks.
“As a deep safety, his instincts and field vision allow him to break to the football and trigger efficiently. His long speed and burst allow him to close to the football in a hurry in order to make plays at the catch point. He’s asked to play as a safety and corner in high school, and I honestly believe he could play either at the next level. Taylor has the willingness to come downhill and tackle as well as the range and instincts for safety, while also having the athletic traits and coverage ability to excel at corner as well. No matter how you slice it, Taylor is going to be a strong, versatile weapon for a defensive coordinator at the next level.”