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No. 1 basketball recruit Tyran Stokes expected to make football debut this week

hunterby: Hunter Shelton09/24/25HunterShelton_
Oakland Soldiers’ Tyran Stokes (4) shoots a free throw during a game at Nike EYBL at the Memphis Sports & Events Center on Saturday, May 17, 2025 | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Oakland Soldiers’ Tyran Stokes (4) shoots a free throw during a game at Nike EYBL at the Memphis Sports & Events Center on Saturday, May 17, 2025 | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Earlier this month, Tyran Stokes made it known that he intended on putting on pads and playing high school football in his senior year for Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (Calif.).

The news caught most off guard, given Stokes is the No. 1 overall basketball prospect in the 2026 cycle and the 2025 high school football season had already gotten underway. Regardless, the 6-foot-7, 225-pounder began to practice with Notre Dame nine days ago.

The Knights head to Culver City this Friday, and according to High School on SI’s Tarek Fattal, Stokes is “good to go” and is expected to make his football debut.

“I had to explain to my Mom and agent that this is my last time I get to actually be a kid,” Stokes told Fattal about his decision to get on the gridiron. “Once I go to college everything is looked at as a business.”

While Notre Dame and college basketball coaching staffs alike will presumably be holding their breath upon seeing Stokes in action, it’ll give the Five-Star Plus+ hoops star a chance to show his athleticism in different ways than he does on the hardwood. It remains to be seen just how involved Stokes will be, but he’s anticipated to suit up as a receiver.

Notre Dame is coming off a bye and is 2-2 on the season. Last time out, it lost 29-23 to Servite, one of the top teams in the Golden State. The Knights enter this week as the No. 67 team in California, per the Massey Ratings.

Culver City is 3-1 on the year. The Massey Ratings predict a 42-20 win for Notre Dame this Friday.

It’s been a busy fall for Stokes, who’s taken official visits to Oregon and USC the last two weekends. The Louisville native has also taken OVs to Louisville, Kentucky and Kansas thus far. He’s yet to trim down a list of finalists and has not pinned down a commitment timeline just yet.

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