BREAKING | 2024 DE Loghan Thomas Has Committed to Notre Dame

May has been a very productive month for Notre Dame on the recruiting trail and it just got better as 2024 Katy Paetow (Texas) defensive end Loghan Thomas‍ has committed to the Fighting Irish. 

The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder is fresh off his second multi-day unofficial visit to South Bend and committed to the staff before leaving campus. 

Thomas was not only impressed with the Notre Dame program on both visits, but Al Washington sealed the deal with defensive coordinator Al Golden, Nick Sebastian, Marcus Freeman and Chad Bowden. 

“The relationship I had built with Coach Washington and Coach Golden since they started recruiting me,” Thomas told ISD before his announcement. “And then what Notre Dame has to offer me on and off the field is something special and unique.” 

Thomas will have plenty of opportunities to rush off the edge, but the academic path Notre Dame has for him sold him on spending the next few years in South Bend. 

“I’m typically pretty smart in the classroom and I also wanted to be challenged,” Thomas explained. “I wanted to go somewhere where they care about education because it can take me far after football. Football isn’t forever.”

Getting back to Notre Dame for a couple of days was also important to Thomas. The Texas native wanted to make sure he felt the same way as he did during his four days on campus earlier this spring. 

“I wanted to make sure what I felt the first time was real,” stated Thomas. “It was really about spending time with the coaching staff and getting them to get to know me a little bit more to build that relationship.”

The strong relationship built with the staff led to an early commitment, but also a special moment when Thomas delivered the news to Freeman and Washington. 

“It just felt like family and home at Notre Dame,” said Thomas. “Since day one, it has all felt genuine. I told Coach Washington first and then I told Coach Freeman later in a meeting. They both asked me if I was being serious. Coach Washington gave me a big hug and picked me up. Coach Freeman was sitting there in shock.” 

Katy Paetow head coach, David Hick Sr., believes Thomas is a perfect fit for Notre Dame for all the reasons his star picked the Irish. 

“He is probably one of the hardest working kids that you'll ever meet and he's so humble,” Hicks said. “You can always tell those special kids, they're very humble, they don't let anybody outwork them. He has that lunch pail mentality.”

The blue-collar work ethic is something Notre Dame’s staff has embraced, but they’ve also looked to enhance the athleticism and speed on the roster, which Thomas also provides. 

“He is a super duper athlete,” says Hicks. “What people don't realize is he's probably a 10.8 100-meter kid. He runs the second leg of the 4x100 and he does that all playing defensive end and with a 40-inch vertical. It's crazy the things that he can do athletically.”

Thomas will return to Notre Dame on June 9th and he’ll have his recruiting hat on as he’ll be looking to recruit more top talent to South Bend. 

“I’m going to try and get all the guys over here.” 

Film Don’t Lie | DE Loghan Thomas 

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