Elite LB Madden Faraimo includes Notre Dame in final four schools list
Notre Dame signed one of the nation’s best linebackers in the 2024 class — a prospect from Southern California named Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa. Could the Irish land another elite ‘backer from the Golden State in the 2025 cycle?
On Friday afternoon, San Diego J Serra Catholic’s Madden Faraimo, who ranks as the nation’s No. 62 overall prospect and No. 10 linebacker according to the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking, announced his top schools list of Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, and USC.
According to Faraimo’s On3 visit center, he’s visited each of his four finalists. His trip to South Bend occurred last June. Blue & Gold is not aware of any return trips Faraimo has lined up to Notre Dame this spring and/or summer, but the expectation is that he’ll make a trip to campus.
Below is what Faraimo said to On3’s Hayes Fawcett regarding his finalists:
“Notre Dame is unique from the other schools because of its foundation in faith, which is an important aspect of my life. The university is highly respected academically, and I would be honored to play under Coach [Marcus] Freeman’s leadership.
“The Ohio State offers an opportunity to be part of a football program that young players dream of. It feels surreal to imagine myself in a Buckeyes uniform. I know the opportunity at Ohio State stretches me from a character standpoint because I’d be further from family.
“Oregon’s program and what I anticipate the lifestyle to be, seems to align with me. I don’t need a lot to be a hard worker, but they have everything I need to be the best player and teammate I could be.
“USC is USC. The university is highly respected academically and though the football program has been challenged in recent years, I am very confident in the coaching staff Coach [Lincoln] Riley has built. It would be an honor to play for a school close to home as well.”
Interestingly enough, Viliamu-Asa’s final three choices were Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC. He committed to the Irish the summer before his senior year and inked with ND this past December. Freeman and Co. would love nothing more to strike gold in California once again.
“(Faraimo) has tremendous change in direction and body control,” JSerra head coach Victor Santa Cruz previously told Blue & Gold. “His ability to run through contact, shed blocks, run sideline-to-sideline is everything you want in a linebacker. Some would say it’s a big compliment, but in our area, where we’re from, he has that Junior Seau ability.
“He can be so just in the moment, has change of direction and can explode with his hips in rare space. It’s a rare deal. He’s that prototypical linebacker mold.”
