Notre Dame 2025 Commit Profile: Cornerback Dallas Golden

A look at Notre Dame cornerback commit Dallas Golden, one of the best athletes in the 2025 class

Notre Dame cornerback commit Dallas Golden / Dallas Golden

Notre Dame landed a major commitment when elite Florida athlete Dallas Golden pledged to the Fighting Irish. Let's take a look at Notre Dame's latest commitment.

DALLAS GOLDEN PROFILE

Hometown/High School: Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep

Height/Weight: 6-0, 185

IB Grade: 4.5 (Top 50 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 5.0

Player Comp: Cooper DeJean, Iowa

Recruited By: Mike Mickens

Offers: Notre Dame, Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, Michigan, Florida State, Texas, USC, LSU, Penn State, Oregon, Tennessee, Florida, Miami (Fla.), Texas A&M, Auburn, Louisville, Iowa, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Colorado, Duke, Rutgers, Boston College, Syracuse, Indiana, UCF, Cincinnati

RECRUITING RANKINGS

247Sports: 4-star - No. 83 overall - No. 9 safety
On3: 4-star - No. 125 overall - No. 14 safety
Rivals: 4-star - No. 147 overall - No. 15 cornerback
ESPN: 4-star - No. 172 overall - No. 12 athlete
247Sports Composite: 4-star - No. 95 overall - No. 11 safety
On3 Consensus: 4-star - No. 104 overall - No. 12 safety

NOTRE DAME FIT

Golden could play wherever he wants at Notre Dame, or anywhere else. He could play either cornerback spot, he has slot talent, he could be an impact safety and he would be Notre Dame's highest graded running back in the class if he wanted to play offense. 

As a cornerback, Golden also has versatility, showing the size and cover skills to thrive as a boundary player, and the range and playmaking ability to play the field. He is a smooth athlete that is a willing tackler, and he is a quick decision maker in coverage, which also project well to the slot. This versatility will allow him to get on the field as quickly as possible by being able to fit in at whatever position he is needed. In a perfect world, Golden would be able to develop into a lockdown outside corner.

FILM ANALYSIS

Golden is listed at 6-0 and 185 pounds, and he looks to have the kind of top-notch length you want in a man cover corner. He'll fill out nicely and he's already a willing tackler, so I expect this to be a strong part of his game at the next level. You can see his play strength shine when he's on offense. Golden has rushed for over 3,200 yards the last two seasons, and you don't do that against the schedule he's played against if you don't have good play strength.

Athletically there is so much to like about Golden's game. His first step is outstanding, and he combines that with top-notch acceleration. Golden's movement skills are elite. The Berkeley Prep standout shows easy change of direction ability and his balance is special. This is another trait that you can really see shine at running back, but it projects quite nicely to cornerback, which you can also see on film in the snaps where he is lined up outside. 

Golden plays all over for Berkeley Prep, thriving at safety, cornerback, running back and even some wide receiver. That's something that I love about him as a prospect, because he's really good at each of those positions. Where that can create some issues, at least when projecting him to one position, is it prevents him from playing with great technique anywhere. As a corner, Golden will need development from a footwork and technical standpoint. This is especially needed when he transitions in man or press coverage situations. It's something that a coach like Mike Mickens can improve in a hurry, but it's worth noting.

While that might sound like a critique it really isn't. Everything that was just discussed can be fixed and taught. What you can't teach is Golden's elite physical talent, football IQ and feel for the game. As he gets more experience playing just cornerback he'll have a chance to turn into the kind of ball hawking cover man that Benjamin Morrison has been for the Irish. He makes quick decisions when playing off coverage thanks to his agility and ability to make quick reads. He plays the deep ball well on defense and tracks it quite well as a wide receiver. That should help him playing the ball as an outside player.

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