Coveted four-star CB Mark Zackery commits to Notre Dame football

On Saturday, the Notre Dame football program added another promising piece to their prized defensive backfield. Indianapolis Ben Davis junior Mark Zackery, a top 100 prospect per the On3 Industry Ranking, announced his verbal commitment to the Fighting Irish. The No. 10 cornerback in the 2025 class chose to play his college football in South Bend over Cincinnati, Florida and Michigan.

The 6-foot, 155-pound Zackery held 32 total scholarship offers, including Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Purdue, Penn State, Tennessee and USC. On Jan. 15, those schools all made his Top 10. But after a March 23 trip to South Bend, his seventh Notre Dame unofficial visit, and some time away from his family, his choice school became crystal clear.

“My parents went out of town the week after my spring visit, which was a very special visit to me,” Zackery told Blue & Gold before making his declaration public. “Notre Dame made it focused on me, showing what they had for me and laid it all out. It was more like an official (visit) with all the information they gave me.

“After that visit, I did some heavy thinking, comparing the schools and figuring out what would be best for me. Then, I took another visit to Cincinnati to see what it felt like. I feel different when I step on Notre Dame’s campus. I feel like I belong there and fit in.

“That’s one of the main reasons I chose Notre Dame and what my recruitment came down to.”

Zackery’s recruitment nearly came down to June official visits; he had trips planned to his four finalists. However, as Notre Dame’s 22nd commit in the 2025 class, the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 2 prospect in Indiana will only return to South Bend on an OV.

With his pledge now public, Zackery joins a star-studded Irish secondary featuring four-star recruits Dallas Golden, Ivan Taylor and Cree Thomas.

Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange’s Taylor and Tampa (Fla.) Berekely Prep’s Golden are the No. 6 and 11 safeties in the 2025 cycle, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Defensive backs coach Mike Mickens projects Golden to play cornerback. Then, Thomas, a Phoenix Brophy College Prep product, is the No. 32 cornerback in the class.

Although Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School safety and Irish commit Ethan Long is a three-star, nine power conference programs, including Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State, offered him a scholarship. He is the No. 36 safety in the class.

Notre Dame defensive backfield is loaded on paper. Still, Zackery said putting his God-given abilities into action should help him stand out among his peers.

“They plan to use my versatility and length to our advantage,” he said. “I have long arms and a great football IQ. That will help me a lot on the football field.”

But Zackery understands traits do not guarantee playing time.

“I’m going to have to work,” he said. “I’m going in with the mindset that when I get to college, I am the worst player in the room, and I have to work for my spot. I have to earn my playing time.”

Although there will be plenty of competition at cornerback, Zackery expects his bonds with the future and current players to make it a friendly battle. After all, the program’s camaraderie was one of the many reasons he chose Notre Dame.

“There is a great group of guys in my class and the class above me,” he said. “I will be able to work, improve and compete every day because we have great people at our school.”

The Mark Zackery File

Zackery will arrive in South Bend next year after putting together one of the most decorated careers in Ben Davis High history.

Last season, he led the Giants to a football championship in the state’s highest classification as a two-way player. On defense, he had 39 tackles (37 solo), 8 pass breakups, 4 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries and 2 forced fumbles in 14 games. On offense, he caught 53 passes for 823 yards and 8 touchdowns.

The Indiana Football Coaches Association (IFCA) named him to their Top 50 All-State team for his efforts.

Zackery is also a standout basketball player. This past season, he averaged 11 points, 4.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game. On March 30, they fell in the state final, 65-56. As a sophomore in 2022-23, he helped his high school hoops team win the home a state title last year by 6.6 points, 2.1 assists and 1.8 rebounds per game.

The Irish previously mentioned that he could contribute to the men’s basketball program in some capacity. That opportunity is still on the table after coach Micah Shrewsberry saw Zackery and his AAU team play last weekend in Texas,

“I talked to Coach Shrewsberry recently,” Zackery said. “They’re definitely still interested in me if I want to play basketball after the football season. They said I have that option, knowing I am a great basketball and football player. … I am still thinking about that because I don’t know how my freshman year will go. But that opportunity is available to me.”

Zackery broke out on the high school gridiron as a freshman in 2021, registering 21 solo tackles, 3 pass breakups and 2 interceptions. On May 4, 2022, Vanderbilt was the first school to offer Zackery. Mickens put the Irish in the mix about a year after his sophomore season.

Zackery earned All-State underclassmen recognition as a sophomore in 2022. He had 18 tackles (16 solo) and 4 pass breakups in 7 games. On offense, he had 8 receptions for 65 yards and 1 touchdown.

When he signs with the Irish in December, he will be just the second in-state cornerback to join Notre Dame as a high school recruit in the internet recruiting era, which began in 2002. Merrillville (Ind.) High’s Jojo Johnson signed with the program in 2021 and transferred out shortly thereafter.

Although it took some time away from his family for his Notre Dame commitment to come together, Zackery is thrilled to represent his bloodlines, friends and mentors in South Bend.

“It just means more for me, my family and my support system,” he said. “I feel like they have given me what I need to succeed. So, I need to go out there and prove to myself and them that the time they gave me and the sacrifices they made for me weren’t for nothing. …

“I know the feeling I had at Notre Dame wasn’t just me. My family felt the same way.”