2025 WR Jerome Bettis Jr. Goes In-Depth On Notre Dame Offer

By Christian McCollum

March 20, 2023

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Jerome Bettis Jr.‍ was literally speechless when Irish wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey told him he had an offer from Notre Dame.

“I was stunned,” says the 2025 Georgia wide receiver, who was informed of the news about a week before Notre Dame’s Pot of Gold rollout.

“I didn't even know what to say. I couldn't speak. He was on the phone like, 'Are you there?' Because I couldn't say anything. I was stunned. It was amazing. It was surreal to receive that offer from that school...I don't even know. Words can't describe it.”

Bettis Jr., is obviously the son of the Irish legend by the same name.

“Just being raised as a Notre Dame fan, growing up around South Bend, I've been down there multiple times as a kid and now as a recruit,” the Atlanta native says. “Having my dad actually go back and graduate from there and him shedding some more light on the school and all the great things about it, it's been great.”

Bettis Jr., says his father has reinforced everything he’s learned about what it means to be a Notre Dame man.

“It's just like the standard and the expectation of greatness at Notre Dame is like no other, and not only athletically, but academically as well,” he says. “I've seen it firsthand through him that the way Notre Dame men carry themselves is special.”

Stuckey has made a tremendous impression on Bettis Jr., who also has offers from Arkansas, Missouri, Boston College, Marshall, UAB UConn and UMass.

“I love him,” Bettis Jr. says. “I love Coach. He's great. I love Coach Stuckey. We've had some great conversations over these past couple weeks. Getting to know him has been great.”

The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder has talked with head coach Marcus Freeman a little bit and is looking forward to speaking to him more when he returns for the Blue-Gold Game next month.

“Now that I have the offer going back, I'm going to be a little more detail-oriented and look at how I would fit into a program like this,” he says. “It's already easy for me to imagine, but I just want to be reassured on some things and just learn a little bit more than I already know about Notre Dame.”

Bettis Jr., doesn’t have any other visits locked in, but Oregon has reached out and that’s one he’d really like to take as well.

“There are a couple more that I'm thinking about as of right now,” he says. “I'll just see how it goes and talk about it with my father and just consider all the options.”

Bettis Jr., has a good idea of what he’s looking for in a college.

“First and foremost, I want to make sure a school wants me for me and not necessarily like the legacy in my name,” he says. “Just seeing how well of a fit the school would be for me both athletically and academically. I don't want my decision to be just based off my career as a football player, but my life after that as well.”

Bettis Jr., acknowledges he wondered about Notre Dame’s motives for recruiting him at one point.

“Then, I got some reassurance on it and so now it's just a blessing,” he says. “I was a little scared that if they wanted me, they'd want me because of my father and him alone. But, I've been reassured by the recruiters and coaching staff over there that that's not the case and that they wouldn't have offered me if it wasn't for who I am as a player.

“That's just been great to hear from them. It's a blessing having him already been through this, especially with this school already, so I can have him guide me throughout everything.”

And Bettis Jr., feels comfortable saying the Irish are currently at the top of his list.

“It's safe to say they're my top school right now.”