Notre Dame 2025 four-star OL target Will Black sets commitment date
Two days after unofficially visiting Notre Dame for the third time, Will Black has privately decided where he will continue his collegiate career. On Monday, the 2025 four-star offensive tackle announced he would reveal his commitment on Thursday.
The 6-foot-7, 285-pound Black will choose between Notre Dame, Alabama, Michigan and Penn State. Each one of those schools offered scholarships to the Wallingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall senior — as did 17 other Power Five programs.
Black is the No. 312 overall player, No. 23 offensive tackle and No. 2 prospect in Connecticut in the 2025 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services.
In On3’s own rankings, Black is the No. 202 overall prospect, the No. 14 player at his position and the No. 2 recruit in Connecticut.
The Irish already have 10 prospects verbally committed in the 2025 cycle. However, they are still searching for their first offensive line commit.
Notre Dame offered Black after he participated in the program’s “Lineman’s Challenge” on June 3. Afterward, he spoke to Blue & Gold and raved about coach Marcus Freeman.
“It was really fun talking to (Freeman),” Black said. “I think he’s a really good guy and a good family guy. … He talked to my mom a lot about more than football, about academics, and he wanted to get to know my family and our story.”
Black also liked that Notre Dame has about 8,500 students and is smaller than most schools.
“That’s pretty ideal,” Black said. “You get to know everyone, and it’s pretty good competition to get into the school, so I like that part about it.”
Black’s high school plays all its games on Saturdays during football season. As a result, he could not visit Notre Dame for a game day. Still, he visited for last year’s Boston College game, which took place Nov. 19.
Michigan hosted him for the Ohio State game on Nov. 25 this season. That matchup took place after Black’s junior season had ended. He also reported a pair of visits to Penn State, another to Michigan, and one to Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Alabama.
On April 19, Pittsburgh was the first Power Five school to offer Black. He previously held an offer from Appalachian State.
Later that spring, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden attended a spring showcase at Black’s school. That motivated Black to attend Notre Dame’s camp last June.
“(Golden) said he liked what I was doing,” Black said. “So then I came down to camp, and Coach Joe Rudolph, O-line coach, had been talking to my head coach quite a lot. So yeah, there’s definitely a lot of connection there.”
In addition to Black, the Irish also hosted 2025 four-star offensive tackles Matty Augustine, Jack Lange and Owen Strebig on unofficial game-day visits.
