Blake Hebert: More Than Just a Consolation Prize for Notre Dame's 2025 Recruiting Class

After losing Deuce Knight to Auburn, Notre Dame lands Blake Hebert for 2025. Here's why he's more than a backup plan for the Irish.

Oct 12, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) celebrates after a touchdown throw to tight end Eli Raridon (9) in the third quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

A few weeks ago Notre Dame 2025 recruiting seemed somewhat stale.

It already had 23 commits in the class, but prized five-star quarterback Deuce Knight was on his way out. It was a 50-50 split essentially on four-star versus three-star recruits - and in fairness it still is - but overall things were looking a bit bleak.

Fast forward to this week, and there's a renewed sense of momentum in recruiting. Notre Dame defeated rival Stanford on Saturday in front of a host of recruits spanning the 2025 to 2029 classes. Many current commits were on campus, along with several top targets.

Coming out of the weekend, Notre Dame has now expanded its 2025 class by two. The first domino was four-star interior offensive lineman Cameron Herron. Previously an Iowa commit, the in-state Indianapolis Warren Central star was on campus for the Stanford game and wasted no time flipping to Notre Dame.

The second commitment is a familiar face from early on in the recruiting cycle. Many will recall that before Deuce Knight pledged to the Irish, four-star quarterback Blake Hebert from Brunswick School in Connecticut was also a top target, if not THE top target for the staff.

After receiving his offer, he quickly committed to Clemson, and that seemed to be the end of it—until now. On Monday night, the talented signal caller de-committed from the Tigers and announced his decision to join Notre Dame.

HERE COME THE IRISH!☘️ #THINKBIG #committed pic.twitter.com/5opM3wSbt9

— Blake Hebert (@BlakeHeberttt) October 14, 2024

Blake Hebert and Notre Dame a Near Perfect Match

A variety of factors make Hebert and Notre Dame an ideal match. For one, the Irish would love to establish a pipeline at the powerhouse Connecticut program, and they are well on their way to doing so. While Hebert is originally from Canada, he began his high school career at Central Catholic in Massachusetts before transferring to Brunswick School ahead of his senior season.

The Irish have previous ties to both programs and Hebert joins fellow Brunswick teammates, safety Ethan Long and offensive tackle Matty Augustine as Notre Dame 2025 commits.

Three high level recruits from one program in a singular class is a major coup for the Irish.

Moreover, Hebert embodies the offensive vision Notre Dame is pursuing under Mike Denbrock. Standing nearly 6'4" and weighing around 215 pounds, he resembles Riley Leonard as a dual-threat quarterback, capable of being a nightmare for opposing defenses in RPO situations.

He also boasts a cannon for an arm, arguably superior to anyone currently on Notre Dame's roster. While he still needs some refinement, like any high school quarterback, he possesses all the tools necessary to become a high-level Power 4 starter.

Mid-season Highlights. 5-0 and onto the next @Wick_Football_

1,138yds 15tds https://t.co/dj67UcQbSi

— Blake Hebert (@BlakeHeberttt) October 13, 2024

Hebert's Recruiting Profile

Heading into his junior season at Central Catholic, Hebert was a top 100 recruit on multiple recruiting outlets. Unfortunately, he broke his ankle during the first game of the season, which sidelined him for the remainder of the year. A drop in the rankings inevitably followed suit.

Hebert committed to Clemson early in the process, back in June 2023, before his junior season began.

At that time, he held offers from UMass, UConn, Rutgers, Virginia, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, Minnesota, Iowa, Boston College, Purdue, Penn State, Illinois, and Auburn, in addition to Clemson and Notre Dame. It’s safe to say he had an impressive offer list for a player who hadn't yet played his junior year.

Now a senior at a new program, Hebert is once again showcasing the skills that made him a highly sought-after recruit and former top 100 prospect.

While it can be challenging to assess a player based on a three-minute highlight clip, his high-level athleticism and arm strength are clearly evident. He also exhibits a quick release and clean mechanics overall.

I’m looking forward to watching full game footage of him during the second half of the season to form a more comprehensive opinion, but for now, I’m very optimistic about what Notre Dame is gaining in Hebert.

He is much more than a consolation prize following Deuce Knight's departure.