Notre Dame Grill And Chill Preview: Irish Set To Host A Long List Of Key 2025 Recruits

Some key 2025 recruits set to visit Notre Dame for the "Grill and Chill" recruiting cookout

On Sunday, Notre Dame is set to host a long list of premier 2025 recruits on campus for their annual "Grill and Chill" recruiting cookout. As of now, the Irish staff is expecting at least 30 total players, including up to 25 uncommitted players.

From those key targets, some other intriguing recruits and Notre Dame commits, it promises to be a tremendous event. Let's take a look at the visitors, and where things stand currently. 

2025 OFFENSIVE PLAYERS ON CAMPUS

There is a ton of offensive firepower set to make the trip to campus over the weekend. That includes a pair of talented running backs in Tampa Bay (Fla.) Jesuit speedster Justin Thurman and Bryant (Ark.) HS standout Daniel Anderson.

Both Thurman and Anderson camped at Notre Dame this off-season, showcasing their dynamic skill sets. Thurman already held an offer prior but Anderson was able to earn one following his performance. Both players bring a unique skill set to the table, with the staff especially valuing Thurman’s big play ability tremendously.

As of now, the Florida runner is shooting for a college decision this summer. Notre Dame sits in a tremendous spot.

There is arguably not a more talented recruit on campus than Geneva (Ill.) Community wide receiver Talyn Taylor, who is making the return trip to South Bend. Taylor is right in Notre Dame’s backyard and anytime you have an elite recruit so close, you need to keep him at home.

There isn’t much Taylor can’t do on a football field. Whether working outside or inside, he is a potential game breaker on the college level and someone that the Irish staff will have to play the long game for.

The two legacy recruits on campus are Atlanta (Ga.) Woodward Academy wide receiver Jerome Bettis Jr. and Green Bay (Wis.) Notre Dame De La Baie Academy tight end James Flanigan.

Bettis, of course, is the son of former Notre Dame legendary runner of the same name from the early 1990s. The younger Bettis is a long pass catcher with upside to tap into. It feels like more of when than if he ends up with the Irish.

Flanigan is one of the more gifted athletes on the Notre Dame board in general. The Wisconsin star is also one of the top track and field throwers and hockey players in the state on top of being a dominant two-way player on the football field. Right now, the 6-5, 225-pound pass catcher likes Notre Dame a lot but Wisconsin is also heavily in the mix.

The offensive line group heading to campus is beyond impressive. There’s a legitimate possibility that all three players heading to campus could end up in the class for the Irish. It starts with Waukesha (Wis.) Catholic Memorial offensive tackle Owen Strebig, who is one of the better offensive lineman in the 2025 class.

This will be Strebig’s third trip to campus this off-season, clearly showing how high he is on the Irish. The 6-8, 290-pound offensive lineman is incredibly advanced for his age. He has all the tools to be the next great offensive lineman for Notre Dame if he opts for the Irish.

Notre Dame is also in a tremendous spot with New Rochelle (N.Y.) Iona Prep standout Rowan Byrne. The New York native has already said that Notre Dame is a top three school for him, along with Michigan and Wisconsin. Right now Byrne intends to let the recruiting process play out but it will be interesting to see if that changes.

This off-season, Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School offensive tackle Matty Augustine camped at Notre Dame. Once the staff saw him in person, they began to prioritize him. He is a high upside developmental offensive lineman with a ton of talent.

FULL LIST OF 2025 OFFENSIVE RECRUITS

RB Justin Thurman - Tampa Bay (Fla.) Jesuit
RB Daniel Anderson - Bryant (Ark.) HS

WR Talyn Taylor - Geneva (Ill.) Community
WR Jerome Bettis Jr. - Atlanta (Ga.) Woodward Academy

TE James Flanigan - Green Bay (Wis.) Notre Dame De La Baie Academy

OL Owen Strebig - Waukesha (Wis.) Catholic Memorial
OL Matty Augustine - Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School
OL Rowan Byrne - New Rochelle (N.Y.) Iona Prep

2025 DEFENSIVE PLAYERS ON CAMPUS

The defensive class in 2025 is also well represented this weekend. The defensive line is especially impressive, bringing several standouts to South Bend.

That includes four local products in Chicago (Ill.) Simeon standout Christopher Burgess, La Grange Park (Ill.) Nazareth Academy pass rusher Gabe Kaminski, Elmhurst (Ill.) York defensive lineman Joseph Reiff and Elmhurst (Ill.) Immaculate Conception defender Dominik Hulak, who has the versatility to play both linebacker and vyper.

Each player has good early interest in the Irish. Burgess specifically is a player that Notre Dame must be ready to battle for. He has already earned scholarship offers to the Irish, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Miami, Florida, Auburn and Colorado among many others.

For the second time this off-season, Cleveland (Ohio) Heights defensive end Brandon Caesar will also be heading back to South Bend. Caesar is a massive kid with tons of upside to tap into. He is also a dominant wrestler and it shows heavily on his film.

Caesar will be making the trip with his high school teammate Marquise Davis, who is a really impressive athlete. He has experience playing running back, linebacker and safety. Davis presents a lot of upside on the defensive side of the football specifically.

A big assist goes to Irish 2025 commit Davion Dixon for helping to get Newberry (Fla.) High School defensive tackle Jarquez Carter to campus for the first time. Carter is a twitched up interior rusher with a lot of tools to work with. It will be interesting to see how much impact the staff can make on him this weekend.

There may not be a stronger 2025 unit on campus than the secondary players. Notre Dame is expecting Indianapolis (Ind.) Ben Davis cornerback Mark Zackery IV, Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School safety Ethan Long, Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange defensive back Ivan Taylor and Winston Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor star JaDon Blair.

All of Zackery, Long and Taylor have been to the campus multiple times this off-season. Blair has a ton of intrigue coming into the visit but just how much remains to be seen. The 6-4, 180-pound safety is one of the elite defenders in the 2025 recruiting class.

FULL LIST OF 2025 DEFENDERS

DT Jarquez Carter - Newberry (Fla.) HS

DE Brandon Caesar - Cleveland (Ohio) Heights
DE Joseph Reiff - Elmhurst (Ill.) York
DE Gabe Kaminski - La Grange Park (Ill.) Nazareth Academy
DE Christopher Burgess - Chicago (Ill.) Simeon
DE Dominik Hulak - Elmhurst (Ill.) Immaculate Conception

CB Mark Zackery IV - Indianapolis (Ind.) Ben Davis

S Ethan Long - Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School
S JaDon Blair - Winston Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor
S Ivan Taylor - Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange

ATH Marquise Davis - Cleveland (Ohio) Heights

KEEP AN EYE OUT

There are several 2025 recruits on campus that have not been offered by Notre Dame as of now, but all deserve some attention. The biggest name of that group is Lenexa (Okla.) St. Thomas Aquinas defensive lineman Juju Marks. The 6-7, 260-pound defender has been blowing up recently, including offers from Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, USC, Washington, Penn State, TCU, Auburn, Nebraska, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisville, Minnesota, Kansas State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, UCF and Kansas among others.

DT Juju Marks - Lenexa (Okla.) St. Thomas Aquinas

DE Caden O’Rourke - Frankfort (Ill.) Lincoln-Way East
DE Israel Oladipupo - Noblesville (Ind.) HS
DE Lamari Carter-Hall - Aurora (Ill.) Christian

ATH Brock Schott - Leo (Ind.) HS

IRISH COMMITS ON CAMPUS

It’s always a positive when Notre Dame can get commits on campus, especially when several top uncommitted targets are also making the trip. The list includes 2025 Miami (Fla.) Palmetto defensive tackle Davion Dixon, which is his first trip back to campus since committing during the 2023 Blue-Gold Game.

Notre Dame is also planning to host several of their 2024 commits, which is great to get them all together again for bonding purposes. They also can have a hand in selling the vision to the 2025 recruits.

FULL LIST OF NOTRE DAME COMMITS

QB CJ Carr - Saline (Mich.) HS
WR Cam Williams - Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Glenbard South
OT Styles Prescod - Fishers (Ind.) Hamilton Southeastern
DT Sean Sevillano Jr. - Clearwater (Fla.) International Academy
LB Bodie Kahoun - Roanoke (Va.) Patrick Henry
CB Karson Hobbs -Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller
S Taebron Bennie-Powell - West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West

DT Davion Dixon (2025) - Miami (Fla.) Palmetto 

Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions Lounge

Irish Breakdown Content

2023 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule

Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

2024 Commit Rankings - Offense
2024 Commit Rankings - Defense

2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

———————

Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and our premium message board! Click on the link below for more.

BECOME A MEMBER

Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!

Join the Irish Breakdown community!
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes
Follow me on Twitter: @RiseNDraft
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook

Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter