Notre Dame Football Recruiting: Q&A With Irish Target T'Andre Waverly

Notre Dame Fighting Irish On SI had the opportunity to sit down with 2025 four-star athlete T'Andre Waverly following his visit to campus for the Miami University game

Sep 21, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman prepares to lead his players onto the field for the game against the Miami Redhawks at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Notre Dame Football Recruiting: Interview with T'Andre Waverly

Notre Dame hosted two 2025 targets for official visits last weekend during their game against Miami University. I had the privilege of catching up with one of those athletes earlier this week to discuss his recruitment, his experience on campus, and what to expect moving forward.

T'Andre Waverly, a four-star athlete from Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, WA, is currently ranked as the No. 385 player nationally according to the 247Sports composite rankings.

He has received offers from several Power 5 programs, including (in alphabetical order): Arizona State, Auburn, California, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Texas A&M, Utah, and Washington.

When did communication with Notre Dame begin? What are his thoughts on the university, the program, and the coaching staff? How was his time on campus? And what’s the latest on his recruitment?

Here are some highlights from my interview with this standout athlete from the Pacific Northwest.

2025 Kamiak (Wash.) TE T'Andre Waverly had the Irish stop by his school last week and is on an official visit to Notre Dame this weekend.

Waverly ran 10.6 in the 100m this spring. pic.twitter.com/9AKJkDYN6k

— Matt Freeman (@mattfreemanISD) September 21, 2024

First Impressions and When Communication Began

"Chad Bowden (Notre Dame General Manager) reached out a few weeks ago about coming out and said they are looking at me. From there things moved pretty quickly.

My first impression of the program is really high. I loved the history and traditions of the school. Also, they are great both on and off the field. The coaches were great. Coach Denbrock was really direct and honest about expectations and I appreciate that. I like how he thinks."

This was Waverly's first visit to campus, and while discussions with Notre Dame are still in the early stages, the coaching staff has made it clear they like him a great deal.

After visiting him in Washington, they quickly extended an invitation for him to come to campus. The dynamic athlete, who has a verified 10.6-second 100m dash, couldn't pass up the opportunity to explore everything Notre Dame has to offer.

Offensive Fit and Time On Campus

Although Waverly is listed as an athlete, Notre Dame sees him as a tight end, a position he feels suits him well. He’s also intrigued by the possibility of Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock serving as his college position coach.

"Coach Denbrock being the OC is good because that gives him freedom to be creative with me," said when asked about his future role in the offense.

Waverly went on to talk about his impressions of the Miami University game and what he liked about the Notre Dame campus.

"The game was good. Team started slow, but I liked how they bounced back and took over. It shows they can overcome adversity. Overall, I liked the history and the stories behind each part of the campus. I definitely want to come back and check it out more."

Recruitment Moving Forward

The talented 6-4, 220-pound tight end prospect is in no rush to make a final decision. While he remains in communication with several programs, he hopes to receive an offer from Notre Dame soon. I don’t think he’ll be waiting too much longer.

"Honestly, my focus has been on making sure we have a great season, and the recruitment will work itself out from there. I don't have a timeline, but I'd like to wrap it up when it feels right."

Waverly continued: "With Notre Dame, I met with admissions and they have to approve before anything is officially done, so I will just keep grinding. I've been talking to Oregon State and Arkansas some. Oregon will always be a consideration, but I am open to the right fit."

Moving forward, this is definitely a recruitment to watch as Notre Dame looks to finalize its 2025 class in the coming months. Assuming there are no hiccups with admissions, a Notre Dame offer should be forthcoming, positioning the Irish as a major contender when it comes time for Waverly to make his final decision.

You can check out his most recent senior season highlights here.