Irish Breakdown

Ranking the 2025 Notre Dame Football Signees: Top Players and Key Recruits

Breaking down Notre Dame's 2025 football signees: Ranking the top recruits and analyzing their potential impact.

Nathan Erbach, Mason Plummer

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates with players at the end of the game against the Southern California Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates with players at the end of the game against the Southern California Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame Football signed an impressive 25-man recruiting class on the first day of the Early National Signing Period.

This class showcases several strengths that will be reflected in our rankings, though there are also a few areas where improvements are needed. Overall, it's a solid class for the Irish that will provide Freeman and his staff with continued depth on the roster for years to come.

The biggest surprise came with the commitment of Madden Faraimo, who seemed like USC's to lose heading into Wednesday morning. However, Notre Dame managed to pull off the "upset," securing the Top 100 linebacker after leading for much of his recruitment.

It didn't take much to adjust our rankings after Faraimo's commitment—both Mason Plummer and I positioned him high in our rankings, pushing everyone else down a spot.

For this analysis, I will provide you the consensus Notre Dame on SI ranking, but also provide context on where each of us ranked each player individually. Let's dive in!

2025 Notre Dame Recruiting Class Rankings 21-25

25 - PK Erik Schmidt

A general rule of thumb that both Mason and I follow is that specialists tend to slot in at the bottom of the rankings. We both placed Schmidt at 25, but this doesn’t reflect how we feel about him as a kicker or punter. In fact, we both believe Notre Dame has found its kicker for the foreseeable future.

24 - DT Davion Dixon

This is another consensus ranking for us, as we both have Dixon at 24. A true nose tackle prospect, Dixon fills a position that Notre Dame needed in this class. If he develops into a starter for the Irish, it will likely be in his upperclassman years. A stat machine in high school, Dixon will need to refine his physique and adjust to the collegiate level before he sees meaningful playing time.

23 and 22 - DL Gordy Sulfsted and WR Jerome Bettis Jr.

This is technically a tie, as I had Sulfsted at 22 and Bettis at 23, while Mason ranked them in reverse order. Sulfsted would likely be ranked higher if we had his senior film to evaluate, but unfortunately, he was sidelined for much of his final high school season.

Bettis made significant strides from his junior year, and I do see a potential path for him to contribute at wide receiver for Notre Dame down the line. Some in the industry believe he could potentially transition to safety in college as well.

21 - DL Joseph Reiff

Mason’s ranking: 20
Nathan’s ranking: 21

We both view the Chicagoland standout similarly. He could project as a strong-side defensive end, but more likely, he’ll end up on the interior—similar to Rylie Mills, though not quite the same level of athlete.

2025 Notre Dame Recruiting Class Rankings 16-20

20 - OT Matty Augustine

Mason's Ranking: 17
Nathan's Ranking: 18

This is where I believe the talent level truly elevates in the class. The next 7-8 recruits are all ranked similarly in my personal rankings. At 6'6" and 287 pounds, Augustine is a big, athletic tackle prospect who projects as a future starter after a few years in the program.Also has a basketball background which is always nice to see with tackle prospects.

19 - QB Blake Hebert

Mason's Ranking: 16
Nathan's Ranking: 19

I think highly of Hebert—more than you might expect for the 19th-ranked recruit in a class. He is not just a "consolation prize" after Notre Dame lost Deuce Knight to Auburn late in the cycle. Hebert has good size, solid arm strength, and tremendous athleticism. With the right development and persistence, he has the potential to be an upperclassman starter for the Irish.

18 - S Brandon Logan

Mason's Ranking: 18
Nathan's Ranking: 16

Logan is an elite 2025 baseball recruit whom Notre Dame managed to flip from Vanderbilt. While he may be a bit undersized for the safety position, he has an exceptional athletic profile that makes him a standout. It will be tough to keep him off the field once he arrives on campus.

17 - OT Owen Strebig

Mason's Ranking: 13
Nathan's Ranking: 20

Listed as a tackle, Strebig fits into the three-tackle recruiting goal that Freeman and GM Chad Bowden set for the class. However, I think he could also make a solid guard at the next level. Offensive linemen are always tough to rank, which explains the slight discrepancy in our rankings. Regardless, Strebig has all the tools to become a multi-year starter at the collegiate level.

16 - S Ethan Long

Mason's Ranking: 14
Nathan's Ranking: 17

I’ve long been higher on Long than his recruiting rankings suggest. For my money, he should be a consensus four-star recruit. He has ideal size for a box safety and brings length, intelligence, and a perfect Notre Dame profile, both on and off the field.

2025 Notre Dame Recruiting Class Rankings 11-15

15 - LB Ko'o Kia

Mason's Ranking: 21
Nathan's Ranking: 10

I’m much higher on Kia than Mason, as you can see from our rankings. That said, we both agree on the strength of the class overall, so Mason’s ranking at No. 21 isn’t meant as a slight. I believe Kia has tremendous upside, especially in blitz packages and coming off the edge—similar to what Jaylen Sneed currently does for Notre Dame. He’s a twitchy athlete at linebacker and made significant strides on film from his junior to senior season.

14 - LB Anthony Sacca

Mason's Ranking: 15
Nathan's Ranking: 13

Sacca is another player who significantly improved on film from his junior to senior season. However, despite his strong development, he has continuously dropped in the On3 and 247 rankings, after being a high-profile recruit as a sophomore and junior. Big, athletic, and with a former safety background, Sacca has the makings of a standout MIKE linebacker. He could even potentially grow into a VYPER with his size and skill set.

13 - WR Antavious "Scrap" Richardson

Mason's Ranking: 12
Nathan's Ranking: 15

One of the more interesting profiles in the 2025 class. Richardson gained national recognition as a senior after committing to Georgia State, then flipping to USF, and eventually choosing between Notre Dame and Alabama.

A high school quarterback and safety, Notre Dame likes him at WR. Oozes potential as a high school track star, but will need some time to hone in craft at the college level.

12 - EDGE Dominik Hulak

Mason's Ranking: 19
Nathan's Ranking: 5

The biggest discrepancy of all the recruiting rankings between Mason and myself. I absolutely love his upside and think now that he has officially settled in as edge defender, he will ascend to new heights. Notre Dame also lists him at 6'4, 240 pounds, which if true, is much bigger than I expected. I was very high on Aiden Gobaira coming out of HS, and I have the same recruiting crush on Hulak.

11 - RB Nolan James

Mason's Ranking: 11
Nathan's Ranking: 12

James was a fantastic late addition for Notre Dame and represents a significant upgrade over what they had before his commitment. A smooth runner that lacks size, but has elite agility and feet. Sounds a lot of Kyren Williams, which is who many have compared him to. That worked out really well for Notre Dame the first time around.

2025 Notre Dame Recruiting Class Rankings 6-10

10 - DB Cree Thomas

Mason's Ranking: 10
Nathan's Ranking: 11

Is he a corner or a safety? It doesn't matter. Hails from the same high school as Notre Dame All-American Benjamin Morrison, and he will be coached by Mike Mickens. One way or another, he is going to be successful at Notre Dame.

9 - OL Cameron Herron

Mason's Ranking: 7
Nathan's Ranking: 14

Mason’s ranking helped elevate Herron into the top 10, but he’s a really interesting interior player. A common theme for Notre Dame in this class is undersized, but highly skilled football players, and Herron fits that mold. He’ll likely be a multi-year starter for the Irish at center. Flipped from Iowa late in the cycle.

7 and 8 - WR Elijah Burress and DE Christopher Burgess

This is another tie, as Mason and I simply had them flipped in our individual rankings at 8 and 9. With Burress, Notre Dame is adding a mature, Day One ready wide receiver with elite NFL bloodlines. Burgess, on the other hand, will need a bit more time before he hits the field, but his upside at strong-side defensive end is considerable. Both are exciting prospects.

6 - CB Mark Zackery IV

Mason's Ranking: 6
Nathan's Ranking: 7

Freeman mentioned in his press conference that Zackery could legitimately play basketball at Notre Dame, showcasing his athleticism. He may need some time in the weight room to add size, but he has ideal length and toughness to make an immediate impact in the Notre Dame secondary. Like many of the top DB recruits, Zackery’s development will be further enhanced by the elite coaching he’ll receive.

2025 Notre Dame Recruiting Class Rankings 1-5

5 - TE James Flanigan

Mason's Ranking: 5
Nathan's Ranking: 4

Flanigan is the best tight end recruit to join Notre Dame since Michael Mayer. He will arrive in South Bend as arguably the best blocking tight end on the roster, which should allow him to see the field early. However, it’s his potential as a pass catcher that could make him a future first-round pick. An Irish legacy with strong NFL bloodlines, Flanigan’s combination of skills makes him an exciting prospect.

4 - S JaDon Blair

Mason's Ranking: 2
Nathan's Ranking: 6

The comparisons to Kyle Hamilton are unfair, but Blair is a big-time safety prospect in his own right and it starts with the elite size, standing at nearly 6'5. He won't cover ground like Hamilton did, because Hamilton was one of the smartest safeties out there. However, he might have more natural straight line speed.

3 - CB Dallas Golden

This one is straightforward. Both Mason and I rank Golden at No. 3 in the class. In my opinion, my top four would all rank in the top 75 of the national rankings, and Golden is much closer to a five-star prospect than not. While he’ll get a shot at cornerback, he could also excel as a college wide receiver with his skill set.

2 - LB Madden Faraimo

Mason's Ranking: 4
Nathan's Ranking: 2

Faraimo edges out Golden for the No. 2 spot based on our individual rankings, but it’s tough to definitively say whether Faraimo or Golden is the better prospect. Faraimo brings great size, tenacity, pass-rush ability, and elite smarts to the linebacker position. He fits seamlessly into what the Irish already have at linebacker and has all the tools to make an immediate impact.

1 - OT Will Black

The consensus best player in the class by Mason and myself. Black has true top 10 draft pick potential written all over him due to his size and athleticism. He could easily slot in the starting lineup from day 1, but won't have to because of what Notre Dame has returning on the offensive line. By his sophomore season, he will likely be too hard to keep out of the starting rotation though.

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Nathan Erbach
NATHAN ERBACH

Mason Plummer
MASON PLUMMER

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