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4-star WR Kaydon Finley reflects on recruitment, commitment to Notre Dame

hunterby: Hunter Shelton07/06/25HunterShelton_
Kaydon Finley during his Notre Dame official visit photoshoot
Kaydon Finley during his Notre Dame official visit photoshoot (IG: @kaydon.finley18)

Notre Dame has become a home for NFL legacy recruits. The Fighting Irish have added two more to their 2026 class this weekend, including Aledo (Texas) four-star wide receiver Kaydon Finley.

The son of former longtime Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley, Kaydon made his pledge to head coach Marcus Freeman and Co. on the Fourth of July and is now one of the top prospects on the Irish’s impressive pledge list this summer.

Notre Dame beat out Texas — the school the elder Finley attended — as well as Arizona State and Texas A&M for the blue-chip pass-catcher. The decision was far from easy for Finley, the No. 124 overall prospect and No. 18 WR in the cycle.

On Sunday afternoon, the 6-foot-0.5, 200-pounder reflected on his decision and gave thanks to the three finalists that didn’t receive his commitment this weekend in a post on X:

Texas was considered Notre Dame’s top competition down the stretch. The Longhorns had the legacy ties and pushed hard for Finley throughout a majority of his process.

“I have the utmost respect for Coach Sarkisian and his staff. UT has always been a special place for me and my family. Coach Jackson has become one of my most influential mentors throughout this process, and I’ll value our relationship forever. With guys like Arch Manning and Dia Bell leading the way, Texas is set up for big success and I wish them nothing but the best,” Finley wrote.

For Finley, there was a certain feeling he found in South Bend that trumped everywhere else. Freeman and the Notre Dame staff build sturdy bonds with the top prospect, and after a successful official visit last month, Finley was ready to lock in.

“The Notre Dame visits blew us out of the water,” Finley told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman about his decision. “They have an amazing culture. I have amazing relationships with the staff there. Coach Freeman is a hands-on players coach, and I’m a big relationships guy, so my recruitment it took all to heart and felt all the love from the guys at Notre Dame, the coaches there, and the guys committed.”

Finley is one of three notable NFL legacy prospects now in the Notre Dame class, joining four-star linebacker Thomas Davis Jr., as well as three-star WR Devin Fitzgerald, who pledged on Saturday. The Irish currently have the No. 4 class in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

“I’m deeply thankful to every program that extended me an offer,” Finley wrote. “I don’t take the blessing of relationships and opportunities lightly, and I’m immensely grateful for this entire process. Ultimately, God led me to Notre Dame to compete under Coach Freeman. His plan for me is greater than my own and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. Go Irish!”