North Carolina Safety JaDon Blair Could See Himself In The Notre Dame Defense

Dynamic 2025 safety JaDon Blair sees similarities between himself and a former Irish star

One of the more highly anticipated visitors later this month is 2025 Winston Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor star safety JaDon Blair. It will be Blair’s first trip to South Bend, having already solidified plans to come for the recruiting cookout on July 30th.

In a recent interview, Blair gave the Irish Breakdown staff a deeper look into his recruitment and what he is really looking for. Notre Dame is a school that appears to fit Blair’s criteria and he is excited to develop the relationship even further going forward.

"Of course I want to go to the NFL,” Blair explained. "If you’re a major college football player, you have those dreams of playing in the league. Obviously development is big but more than anything, I want to find a place where I'm comfortable with people who are genuine. I’m not a believer in the transfer portal. I want to find a long term home.”

It’s early but Notre Dame is standing out to the North Carolina standout. It’s the authenticity that is really shining through.

"Notre Dame is definitely one of the schools high on my list so far,” he said. "Coach (Chris) O’Leary really seems like a great guy, I’ve had the chance to talk to him a couple of times on the phone. I’m excited to get around those guys and see the relationships grow.”

We have heard Kyle Hamilton’s name mentioned by safety recruits over the last couple of recruiting classes. While now new, it is interesting to hear from a player with such a unique build as Blair. In a lot of ways, his game is pretty reminiscent of the former Irish star.

"Seeing what Kyle Hamilton did there is definitely a big deal,” Blair stated. "Seeing what he did at Notre Dame, and now with the (Baltimore) Ravens, he’s a great player who I have studied a little bit in the past. It’s really big for me because there aren’t a lot of guys who play the safety position and are the same size as me. I can really envision how I would fit into that defense.”

Blair has spent this off-season focusing on the season at hand. Of course he’s perfecting his craft at the safety position but also, Blair is looking to make his impact felt on both sides of the football.

"After this season, recruiting sites may have to list me as an athlete,” Blair joked. "I’m going to be playing a lot of wide receiver and I expect to have a big season. It’s just another chance to help my team where they need me. I’m a safety, first and foremost, but I’m going to show just how talented and versatile I am.”

It should be no surprise that Blair has a chance to be a two-way star with the athleticism he possesses. With so much talent, this recruitment is sure to be a tough one. It’ll be a grind but the North Carolina native has already made his timeline well known.

"So my plan right now is next June to drop a top eight school list, then later in July cut it down to a top four schools then make my decision that summer,” he explained. "I really don’t want to rush the process. When junior year starts, I’ll have the chance to really get to talk to the coaches all the time and really develop relationships. I’m big on relationships.”

Notre Dame remaining consistent and building those bonds will be huge. 2025 will be a big cycle from a safety recruiting perspective and Blair is already high on that list coming into his first visit to campus.

Blair has received a flurry of interest from several notable programs thus far. Some of the top programs who have extended offers so far include the Fighting Irish, Penn State, Miami, Florida State, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Virginia, Duke, West Virginia, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech among several others.

On3 is especially high on the North Carolina star. Blair is rated as the No. 26 overall player and No. 2 safety in the 2025 recruiting class. That ranking also has Blair pegged as the No. 3 player in the state of North Carolina, an area that Notre Dame has made an impact in recently.

The 6-4, 180-pound athlete was a substantial producer from his safety position. He finished his sophomore campaign with 44 total tackles, two tackles for loss, an interception and two pass breakups.

Blair was also used on the offensive side of the football, although that was rare. He completed seven of twelve passing attempts for 70 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, he also carried the ball for 28 yards on four carries.

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