Notre Dame 2025 Recruiting Class - Defense

Rankings and analysis for the 2025 Notre Dame defensive recruiting class

Ethan Long - Ivan Taylor /

Notre Dame needs a top notch defensive class during the 2025 recruiting cycle. That is the task head coach Marcus Freeman and the staff have at hand. Notre Dame needs impact players on all three levels and depth need still must be met.

Below is the list and breakdown of the defensive commits in the 2025 class. As more players are added, and as rankings are adjusted with further film evaluation, this list will be updated. That means you'll want to bookmark it and return to it on a regular basis.

COMMIT RANKINGS

1. Dallas Golden - CB - 6-0, 185 - Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep
2. Ivan Taylor - S - 5-11, 170 - Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange
3. Anthony Sacca - LB - 6-3, 225 - Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep
4. Christopher Burgess Jr. - DE - 6-4, 240 - Chicago, Ill./Simeon
5. Cree Thomas - CB - 6-1, 190 - Phoenix, Ariz./Brophy Prep
6. Davion Dixon - DT - 6-2, 305 - Miami, Fla./Palmetto
7. Ethan Long - S - 6-2, 185 - Milford, Conn./Brunswick School
8. Joseph Reiff - DE - 6-5, 240 - Elmhurst, Ill./York Community
9. Josiah Kia - LB - 6-2, 210 - Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou
10. Dominik Hulak - LB/Edge - 6-3, 230 - Elmhurst, Ill./Immaculate Conception

COMMIT BREAKDOWNS

1. DALLAS GOLDEN, CORNERBACK

Hometown/High School: Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep
Height/Weight: 6-0, 185

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

Analysis: Golden is a special prospect that adds tremendous value to the Notre Dame class. He is versatile enough to play on both sides of the ball at a high level, but he's being recruited to play defense for the Irish. Golden is a special athlete that rushed for over 3,200 yards and 37 touchdowns the last two seasons. While his speed is good, it's his explosiveness and agility that makes him such a dynamic football player. He changes direction with ease, his balance is top notch and Golden's acceleration makes him a dynamic playmaker on both sides of the ball. Golden doesn't just dominate by being a great athlete, he's also a high IQ football player that shows a tremendous feel for the game. His vision and anticipation on offense are top notch, and his route recognition and ability to read the quarterback on defense are top notch. As he focuses on one side of the ball he'll become an even more impactful player. It will allow him to shore up his technique and focus even more on being an impact player in coverage and when the ball is in the air.

ND Fit: Golden could play wherever he wants at Notre Dame, or anywhere else. 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.

2. IVAN TAYLOR, SAFETY

Hometown/High School: Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange
Height/Weight: 5-11, 170

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 100 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5

Analysis: There is so much to like about Taylor's game. He's a true all-around safety that can impact the game in every facet. He's not the biggest safety, checking in at 5-11 and 170 pounds, but he will strike in the run game, and he's powerful for his size. Thomas is also a high football IQ player, which shouldn't come as a surprise. But his ability to quickly diagnose and get to the football allows him to make a lot of plays on the ball, and allows him to be all over routes in both zone and man situations. He's a smooth and fluid athlete that could actually play cornerback in certain systems, and he could even play some slot for Notre Dame. His combination of easy change of direction skills, speed and instincts give him the kind of big time range you want and need on the back end of the defense. Taylor can do everything you want in coverage, from playing centerfield, patrolling the alleys to locking defenders down man to man. As he fills out and gets stronger his explosiveness and power will be enhanced, which is scary for opponents.

ND Fit: Notre Dame is looking to add more cover players to its secondary, especially at the safety position. Taylor fits that bill perfectly, and he's very much a player that plays the same in similar fashion to current Notre Dame star Xavier Watts. His ability to cover allows him to matchup from the back end, but also should allow to even play down in the slot if the need arises or the matchup fit. Notre Dame wants safeties that can do a little bit of everything, and that certainly describes Taylor.

Comp: Xavier Watts, Notre Dame

3. ANTHONY SACCA, LINEBACKER

Hometown/High School: Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep
Height/Weight: 6-3, 225

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 100 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5

Analysis: Sacca made a smooth transition from safety to linebacker, which shouldn't come as a surprise. He's a fluid athlete with an incredibly high football IQ, traits that project well to both positions. He was a playmaker coming downhill as a safety, and even with added weight as a junior he remained a nimble athlete with impressive sidelie speed. Sacca is a sound tackler that will need to get stronger on the ball and continue enhancing his footwork and block destruction technique, but the tools are there for him to develop into an impact second level defender. Sacca is already a quality run defender, and more growth will make this an even greater strength. His range, athleticism and feel for the game should also allow him to develop into a strong blitzer, which is important at Notre Dame. What truly separates him, however, is that Sacca has elite coverage skills at linebacker. His potential to be a dominant all-around linebacker should excite Irish fans.

ND Fit: Sacca's range and coverage instincts fit quite nicely at the Will spot, but he has the kind of frame and strength potential to be a bigger version of JD Bertrand as a Mike in the Irish defense. There are still some flashes on his junior film of the player that looked like a Rover, but the inside is likely where his future lies. But the fact you can see parts of all three linebacker positions in Sacca's game makes his versatility something the Irish coaches will likely be quite fond of.

Comp: Drue Tranquill, Notre Dame

4. CHRISTOPHER BURGESS JR., DEFENSIVE END

Hometown/High School: Chicago, Ill./Simeon
Height/Weight: 6-4, 240

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5

Analysis: It's easy to see why so many top programs made Burgess a huge priority in the 2025 class. This is a young prospect that oozes potential and has a lot of God-given tools. The first thing you'll notice is his impressive size and physique. Burgess is every bit of a 6-4 and 240 pounds, and his length is what you want for an edge player. He's a powerful player that lines up on the edge and slid inside quite a bit for Simeon as a junior. The Simeon star already shows impressive edge setting ability, and he has plenty of room to get even better. Burgess flashes the athleticism to not only play on the edge, but to thrive. He gets off the line well and has the kind of closing speed you want in a power rusher. Right now the thing that keeps Burgess from being even more dominant player at the prep level is his game is still quite raw. He's relatively new to football and has dealt with coaching changes. As his technique and feel for the game improves his game will explode.

ND Fit: Burgess projects as a defensive end in the Notre Dame defense, which is the field/power end position. That position requires length, power and athleticism in order to handle all the duties at a high level. Landing Burgess gives Notre Dame a player that has all the God-given tools to become a standout at the position. With his big frame there is also an opportunity for him to grow into a role that allows him to move inside at times, but Burgess has everything this defense needs to be a power edge player early on.

Comp: Khalid Kareem, Notre Dame

5. CREE THOMAS, CORNERBACK

Hometown/High School: Phoenix, Ariz./Brophy Prep
Height/Weight: 6-1, 190

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5

Analysis: One common theme you'll hear about defensive backs in the Notre Dame 2025 class is their ability to make a lot of plays on the ball, and Thomas is no different. Whether he's playing cornerback or safety, the Phoenix native is constantly making impact plays on the football. His ability to read and jump routes is impressive, and fits well into the field corner position at Notre Dame. The first two things you'll see on film from Thomas, from a traits standpoint, is his size and physicality. He's a tall, long cornerback that is an effective tackler. Not only will Thomas deliver punishment, but he's a very good tackler in space, something Notre Dame needs more of in its secondary. Thomas isn't a burner, but he runs well and his length allows him to cover a lot of ground in a hurry. He's a fluid athlete that can redirect with ease, and he has good recovery speed, but there is plenty of room for him to improve his footwork in coverage. As that happens you'll see him make even more plays on the football.

ND Fit: Another Notre Dame commit with the versatility this program covets. The Irish staff pushed hard to land Thomas because they see him fitting in at cornerback in this defense, but he can be more than that. Not only does Thomas have the range and physicality to be a really good field cornerback, he could also be someone that moves to safety if the need arises, or he's just too good not to play and cornerback is filled up. I could also see Thomas getting an early chance in the boundary, although he'll need to improve his technical game to be as good there as he is to the field.

Comp: Coby Bryant, Cincinnati

6. DAVION DIXON, DEFENSIVE TEACKLE

Hometown/High School: Miami, Fla./Palmetto
Height/Weight: 6-2, 305

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5

Analysis: Dixon has been in the class longer than anyone else, and it was a big early pickup, both figuratively and literally. Dixon put up monster numbers as a sophomore, but he played against inferior competition. He transferred to Miami Palmetto as a junior, but his playmaking ways continued. When you see him you think space eater, and he can certainly do that, but Dixon has racked up 49 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks the last two seasons. Dixon has an inconsistent get off and his body needs to continue to be reshaped, those are my two big issues, and both can be improved. But when he comes off hard you why he makes so many plays. Dixon has a very good first step and he can beat blockers off the ball. His low build allows him to play with naturally good pad level, allowing him to hold up at the point of attack and also get a push. Dixon is a very powerful young defender, and he uses his hands effectively to keep blockers off his body, traits that combine to make him an interior playmaker.

ND Fit: Notre Dame wants to add more beef to the interior of the defensive line and Dixon certainly adds that to the depth chart. Already over 300 pounds, Dixon will likely continue add weight (ideally good weight), and he has impressive natural power for such a young athlete. He fits well at the nose tackle position in that while he can eat up space, he's not just a space eater, he can make plays. As he reshapes his body and improves his footwork I could see him also being able to play the three-technique as well.

Comp: Justin Jones, NC State

7. ETHAN LONG, SAFETY

Hometown/High School: Milford, Conn./Brunswick School
Height/Weight: 6-2, 185

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 150 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5

Analysis: Long is one of the more underrated players in the defensive class for Notre Dame. If he played in an area more known for producing big time players I believe he would be ranked much higher. There are the intangibles that Long brings to the table, like toughness, smarts and he's a sound technical player. Those traits alone allowed him to be a ballhawking safety early in his career, to the point that opponents now simply do all they can to avoid him. But Long is more than just a heady player, he's also a high quality athlete that is just scratching the surface of his potential. He is more rangy than fast right now, but there's another gear to be tapped into there, and that should come once he gets to college and gets into the Notre Dame strength program. He's a smooth and fluid athlete that changes direction with ease, traits that allow him to thrive as a middle of the field safety, and he drills downhill quite well in the run game.

ND Fit: Long can play either safety position and he has the all-around game to thrive in all areas. The part I like best about his game, however, is his range and ability to play the middle of the field in Notre Dame's man and Cover 1 schemes. Long's name is quite fitting, he's a very long athlete that shows the range to play the post and protect the deep ball, something Notre Dame needs more and more of in the secondary.

Comp: Julius Brents, Kansas State

8. JOSEPH REIFF, DEFENSIVE END

Hometown/High School: Elmhurst, Ill./York Community
Height/Weight: 6-5, 240

IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 250 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.0

Analysis: Reiff is a very intriguing player, and right now I still don't know what position he'll end up playing at Notre Dame. But when you pop in the film you see there is a lot to like about this vastly ascending young defensive lineman. Reiff is highly disruptive against the run, which fills a big need for Notre Dame. He's light right now, but he has a massive frame that could allow him to eventually grow into an interior player. I wonder if Reiff has the long speed to stay on the edge, but I love his initial get off. When allowed to attack, Reiff explodes off the line and can quickly get into gaps on his way to the ball carrier. Combine this with his impressive length and you see why he makes a ton of plays for York Community. Reiff is just a highly productive player right now with a strong feel for the game from a playmaking and technique standpoint. He'll need to fall in love with the weight room, but I really like the tools.

ND Fit: I tried to find another comp for Reiff, but the comparisons to Rylie Mills just make too much sense. Like Mills, Reiff is a high school defensive end that certainly shows some potential to play the Defensive End position in the Irish defense, which is more of a power player. Like Mills, Reiff also has a great frame that could allow him to eventually grow into a defensive tackle. Ultimately, that could be the position where his game projects the best due to his playing style and athletic skills. I see a young defender that if he can fill out can become a long, disruptive, playmaking interior lineman.

Comp: Rylie Mills, Notre Dame

9. JOSIAH KIA, LINEBACKER

Hometown/High School: Honolulu, Haw./Punahou
Height/Weight: 6-2, 210

IB Grade: 3.5 (Top 350 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.0

Analysis: Kia took a jump as a junior, and you can see why the Notre Dame staff continued to push so hard for him. The Hawaii native has always been a quality athlete, but he filled out as a junior and is now a legit 210-pound defender. The good news for Kia - and now Notre Dame - is that he didn't lose a step, and actually got quicker as he added weight. Kia is a rangy athlete that shows good change of direction skills, he's nimble on his feet and he shows impressive plant and drive ability. His first step is really impressive and he shows top notch closing speed in space. Although he'll likely never be a huge player, he is tough and a physical player. I love his motor as well. Kia will need to work on using his hands better to get off blocks in traffic, and he'll need to get a lot stronger at the next level.

ND Fit: Notre Dame likes athletic and rangy linebackers, and Kia certainly fits that mold. At 6-2 and 210 pounds with solid length he certainly fits the current profile of a Rover. Kia is also a very good coverage player, which also projects well there. There is also some impressive power at the point of attack, and Kia has a frame that could add some good weight. That gives Kia some potential to eventually move inside and play Will linebacker as well, and his pass rushing skills could make him a weapon in the nickel package.

Comp: James Onwualu, Notre Dame

10. DOMINIK HULAK, LINEBACKER/EDGE

Hometown/High School: Elmhurst, Ill./Immaculate Conception
Height/Weight: 6-3, 230

IB Grade: 3.5 (Top 350 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.0

Analysis: Hulak plays mostly inside linebacker for Immaculate Conception, but you can see the traits the Irish staff likes that allow him to play all over. He is a thickly built athlete that shows impressive power at the point of attack. His length looks good enough to allow him to play along the line if that's where he ends up, and his combination of quickness and closing speed project on the edge as well. Hulak showed much improved range and speed as a junior, and his grade saw a jump as well. His short-area quickness is impressive, and it allows him to show good box range against the run. As a junior he also showed a much-needed improvement from a change of direction standpoint, which made him a much more impactful run defender. He looked comfortable playing on the edge when asked to do that as a junior, and as his feel improves he'll become an even better fit on the edge.

ND Fit: Notre Dame doesn't see Hulak as a pure linebacker, and it doesn't seem to view him as a pure defensive end either, at least not yet. His combination of athleticism, power and experience in coverage and playing in space makes him a bit for the hybrid "Money" position in the Irish defense. That will require him to rush the passer and play the run from the edge, but also to drop into coverage and play in space at times.

Comp: Junior Tuihalamaka, Notre Dame

UPSIDE GRADE

1. CB Dallas Golden - 5.0
2. DE Christopher Burgess Jr. - 4.5
3. S Ivan Taylor - 4.5
4. LB Anthony Sacca - 4.5
5. DT Davion Dixon - 4.5
6. CB Cree Thomas - 4.5
7. S Ethan Long - 4.5
8. DE Joseph Reiff - 4.0
9. LB Josiah Kia - 4.0
10. LB/EDGE Dominik Hulak - 4.0

GRADE KEY

5.0 - Top 25 Caliber Prospect
4.5 - Top 75 Caliber Prospect
4.0 - Top 250 Caliber Prospect
3.5 - Top 400 Caliber Prospect
3.0 - Top 600 Caliber Prospect

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