Notre Dame Football: Buying Stock in Newly Offered Antavious Richardson

The Notre Dame coaching staff continues their search for more playmakers in the 2025 class, and USF commit Antavious Richardson is a recruit with an arrow pointing up.

Notre Dame wide receiver Jayden Thomas participates in a drill during a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK

The storylines surrounding Notre Dame's 2025 wide receiver class have been underwhelming so far. It's late August and the Irish have secured commitments from only two pass catchers and missed out on several top targets.

Although the rankings and offer lists for these recruits might not immediately suggest top-tier talent, it’s time to reconsider the value of these assessments, particularly in the case of Greenville High School (GA) three-star athlete Antavious Richardson.

Prospects Breakout at Different Times

Recruits often gain attention at different times for various reasons, and this can be both justified and not. In the case of Antavious Richardson, who plays quarterback and defensive back for Greenville High School, the focus is shifting. Despite his dual role on the field, he is not being recruited as a quarterback at the Power 4 level. While some teams see his potential on defense, many are enamored with his prospects as a wide receiver. The tape paints a clear picture on why.

Richardson boasts verified speed, having won the 2024 Georgia state championships in the 100-meter, 200-meter, and 400-meter dashes. Standing at 6'2" and weighing 170 pounds, he also has impressive size.

The 2024 High Point Award and Triple Crown state champion in the 100 meter, 200 meter and the 400 meter, 3⭐️ ATH @Antavious545 pic.twitter.com/eARnxREE7j

— Greenville Football Recruiting Page (@Greenville_FB) May 12, 2024

Richardson was initially committed to Georgia State, but as more offers poured in, he decided to flip his commitment to USF. Now, as he prepares for his senior season of high school football, additional opportunities have continued to arise. In August alone, he has received offers from North Carolina, Duke, and Notre Dame. Just before his commitment to USF in June, he also attracted interest from Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.

And it looks like more offers are on the horizon.

Learn from Past History

Many Notre Dame fans will recall Brandyn Hillman. Before his senior season in 2022, Hillman had few, if any, Power 4 offers. Like Richardson, he was an explosive dual-threat quarterback for his high school team. By late September, however, offers began to flood in, and he eventually signed with the Irish as a four-star safety recruit. We know how his story unfolded, but that’s another matter.

Richardson’s recruiting journey mirrors Hillman’s in many ways. Initially lightly recruited, he’s now attracting significant attention as more teams enter the equation.

Let me emphasize this: disregard the current rankings and the modest offer list. Set aside his current commitment status. Focus instead on his junior film, his senior season, and his impressive track and field achievements.

I anticipate we’ll see a recruiting trajectory similar to Hillman’s from just a few cycles ago.

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