Top 200 LB Anthony Sacca includes Notre Dame football in Top 5 schools
Anthony Sacca narrowed his college football recruitment on Thursday, and the Notre Dame football program is still in the mix. The 2025 Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep linebacker is down to Alabama, Duke, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
The 6-foot-2½, 225-pound Sacca is a four-star prospect ranked within the top 200. The On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 25 linebacker and No. 4 prospect in Pennsylvania in the class, Sacca, is a player the Irish have targeted for over two years.
He was the second 2025 recruit to report a Notre Dame offer after the university elevated Marcus Freeman to head coach on Dec. 3, 2021. Sacca announced his offer 13 days after the Irish promoted Freeman. He was just the third freshman recruit Notre Dame offered that year.
Sacca is the son of former Penn State quarterback Tony Sacca. The elder Sacca played with Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden with the Nittany Lions from 1988-91. Despite being a Penn State legacy, the younger Sacca did not include it in his top schools. The Lions already have three 2025 linebacker commits.
“I have a great relationship with all of the coaches. I think they would utilize me well out there,” Sacca told On3’s Chad Simmons. “Coach Golden was one of my dad’s really good friends in college. They played together at Penn State. I’ve known him for quite some time. We’ve built a relationship. He’s come in and seen me in school… We got to sit down, talk X’s and O’s, get on the board and talk about different defensive philosophies.”
It’s worth noting that Alabama and Duke made the cut despite offering him within the last 15 days. Sacca made the trip to Tuscaloosa, Ala., last Saturday. Also, former Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz is now the head coach at Duke.
Although Sacca has never reported a college recruiting visit to Wisconsin, they are also one of his top schools. He has yet to visit Duke, too. Ohio State has hosted him twice.
In addition to Penn State, 18 other schools no longer compete for the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 196 overall player. He most notably excluded Georgia and Michigan despite visiting both schools.
Notre Dame’s Golden has the Irish in the race for Anthony Sacca
So far, Sacca has reported two unofficial college recruiting visits to Notre Dame. He first attended last year’s Blue-Gold Game on April 22 before returning about five months later for the Sept. 23 Ohio State game.
“They made me feel right at home,” Sacca told Blue & Gold on Nov. 1. “I got to see Al Golden again, and I’m close with him. It was great seeing Coach Freeman.”
At this time, Notre Dame has two 2025 class linebacker commits in three-stars Dominik Hulak and Ko’o Kia.
According to the On3 Industry Ranking, Elmhurst (Ill.) IC Catholic Prep’s Hulak is the No. 444 overall player, No. 48 linebacker and No. 12 prospect in Illinois in 2025. Honolulu Punahou’s Kia ranks as the No. 628 recruit, No. 58 linebacker and No. 3 player in Hawai’i.
