2023 LB Troy Ford Jr. Impressed with First Notre Dame Visit

2023 Calvary Day (Ga.) linebacker Troy Ford Jr.‍ . was offered on St. Patrick's Day and Notre Dame immediately became a top school. 

The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder made the trip to South Bend this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed himself on the multi-day visit. 

"It went amazing," Ford told ISD. "It was more than I could ask for. Notre Dame surpassed my expectations. It was crazy." 

The four-star prospect arrived on campus on Friday with his father and girlfriend and was immediately impressed. 

"We got off the plane and went directly to campus," stated Ford. "When we first drove in, the sight was unreal. It looked like the campus was massive. We toured around the facilities, academic buildings and saw the historical monuments. It was just a really cool experience on Friday." 

Ford was able to catch up with Marcus Freeman on Saturday and loved finally getting to meet Notre Dame's defensive coordinator face-to-face.

"Meeting him was fun," explained Ford. "He said he was glad to have me up there and he's a really funny guy. It was fun to talk to him and hoped I enjoyed my trip. 

"I told him I wanted to come back and he told me I could come up at any time." 

As for the game, Ford was blown away by the atmosphere inside Notre Dame Stadium and he was dialed in on the Irish linebackers when the ball was in play. 

"It was crazy," Ford said. "We sat right in front of the student section and they were going crazy the whole time. The game was amazing. I loved watching the linebackers and they made some big plays. It was a great experience." 

The Georgia native also saw a good fit if he were to choose Notre Dame. 

"I see a good fit with the linebackers," Ford explained. "They blitz and jump into coverage. That's exactly what I do at my school and that's what I'm most comfortable with right now." 

Ford isn't in a rush to make a commitment as he's taken plenty of visits this fall with more on deck as he figures out what he's looking for in a program. 

"I visited Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and then Notre Dame," said Ford. "I have a few more visits like UCF and then I'm going back to a few schools.

"I'm trying to feel it all out right now. I'm talking to a lot of other prospects and seeing how they're doing stuff. I'm learning a lot as I go along about the schools and everything that comes with recruiting." 

Ranking
ISD: 90 (four-star)
247: 90 (four-star)
Rivals: 5.5 (three-star)
ESPN: N/R

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