Making Moves | Notre Dame on the Recruiting Trail 1.25
Notre Dame will continue its aggressive schedule on the recruiting trail on Thursday as several key targets will have the coaching staff stop by their high schools.
All stops should be considered tentative as winter weather hits different areas of the country.
Head Coach Marcus Freeman and Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock
Freeman and Denbrock will begin their day in Florida as they’ll make a stop at Miami Palmetto High School to see 2025 defensive line commit Davion Dixon. The 6-foot-2, 310-pounder was in South Bend last weekend for Junior Day.
Sophomore Highlights
From there, Freeman and Denbrock will head to Atlanta to make a couple stops. One will be to powerhouse Buford to check on a number of prospects, but the significant name here is 2025 cornerback Devin Williams. The Irish were set to host Williams last weekend, but weather prevented him from making the trip. It was a blow, but the four-star prospect visited for camp and then for a game in the fall, so Williams does have a solid foundation of knowledge about the program.
Offers: Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Colorado, UConn, Duke, Florida, Florida International, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, LSU, Memphis, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi State, NC State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Pitt, South Carolina, South Florida, Tennesee, Texas, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and West Virginia
Junior Highlights
The final stop of the day will be at Woodward Academy to visit with 2025 receiver Jerome Bettis Jr. Bettis was in South Bend last weekend for another visit. All signs point to Notre Dame landing him, but the Atlanta native also doesn’t appear to be in a rush to make a decision.
Offers: Arkansas, Arkansas State, Boston College, Central Florida, Coastal Carolina, UConn, Duke, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Marshall, UMass, Missouri, NC State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Purdue, Texas A&M, Tulane and UAB
Denbrock will also make stops at McIntosh High School (Ga.) to see 2025 tight end Hollis Davidson. The 6-foot-6, 230-pounder has been a hot priority in the South and could be a name to watch for an offer. Fellowship Christian (Ga.) is another visit for Denbrock as he’ll see 2025 offensive lineman Josh Petty. The 6-foot-5, 265-pounder is one of the top offensive linemen in the class and the Irish did offer early, but Petty has yet to get to South Bend.
Davidson Offers: Arkansas, Auburn, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, Mississippi State, NC State, Notre Dame, Penn State, South Carolina, South Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Toledo, Tulane, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin
Petty Offers: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Boston College, Central Florida, Charlotte, Clemson, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Houston, Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, South Florida, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech
Davidson Junior Highlights
Petty Junior Highlights
Quarterbacks Coach Gino Guidulgi
Guidugli will be in the Northeast to watch two quarterbacks throw on Thursday. 2026 Darien (Conn.) quarterback Ben Rolapp is looking for his first offer, but it should come soon as he threw for 1,451 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2023.
The other stop we expect Guidugli to make is by a familiar place in Catholic Memorial High School (Mass.), which is the home of 2024 offensive line signee Guerby Lambert. 2026 quarterback Peter Bourque will throw for Guidugli on Thursday. Bourque threw for 2,032 yards and 18 touchdowns in the fall.
Rolapp Sophomore Highlights
Bourque Sophomore Highlights
Running Backs Coach Deland McCullough
McCullough will work his way around Atlanta and one stop we expect him to make is at Central High School to check on 2026 running back Jonaz Walton. The 5-foot-9, 205-pounder is the only running back in the class to report an offer from Notre Dame at this point in time.
Offers: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Notre Dame, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia and West Virginia
Sophomore Highlights
Wide Receivers Coach Mike Brown
Brown is yet another coach who will be in Atlanta on Thursday and it’s likely he’ll swing by Westlake High School (Ga.) to see 2025 receiver Travis Smith Jr. The four-star prospect has been a hot name on the recruiting trail. Dabo Swinney and Lincoln Riley were at his school earlier this week.
Offers: Arkansas, Arkansas State, Auburn, Austin Peay, Boston College, Central Florida, Colorado, Duke, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, Liberty, Louisville, Marshall, Maryland, Mississippi State, NC State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Tulane, UAB and Utah
Junior Highlights
Cedar Grove will be another visit for Brown as it's the home of 2026 receiver Devin Carter, who is a candidate to receive an offer from the Irish.
Offers: Alabama, Arkansas, Central Florida, Coastal Carolina, Florida A&M, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, LSU, Miami, Michigan, NC State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Penn State, Pitt, South Carolina, Tennessee, USC and Virginia Tech
Sophomore Highlights
Offensive Line Coach Joe Rudulph
Rudolph will have a busy day around North Carolina as he’ll make a couple key stops. We expect him at West Forsyth High School to check on 2026 offensive lineman Pierre Dean Jr. Another visit for Rudolph will be to South Garner High School, which is the home of 2026 offensive lineman Ekene Ogboko. Notre Dame is familiar with the program as they recruited Ogboko’s older brother, Nnamdi, in the 2024 class.
Providence Day will also host Rudolph as he’ll check on 2026 offensive lineman Leo Delaney, who has added seven offers in the last week. Rudolph will also likely check on the nation’s top player in the 2025 class in offensive lineman David Sanders, but that recruitment hasn’t gone anywhere for Notre Dame since offering.
All three 2026 offensive linemen could very well receive offers from Notre Dame in time.
Dean Offers: Appalachian State, Duke, East Carolina, Georgia, James Madison, Liberty, Louisville, Miami, NC State, North Carolina, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia Tech
Ogboko Offers: Appalachian State, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Duke, East Carolina, Florida, Georgia, James Madison, Maryland, NC State, North Carolina, Penn State, Rutgers, South Carolina, Syracuse, Tennessee and Virginia Tech
Delaney Offers: Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Liberty, Miami, NC State, North Carolina, North Carolina Central, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech
Dean Sophomore Highlights
Ogboko Sophomore Highlights
Delaney Sophomore Highlights
Defensive Line Coach Al Washington
If you guessed Washington was in the Atlanta area on Thursday, you’d be right. A couple of names we’re watching for Washington to check on are 2025 Prince Avenue Christian (Ga.) defensive lineman Christian Garrett and Greene County (Ga.) defensive lineman
Garrett Offers: Alabama, Appalachian State, Auburn, Boston College, Central Florida, Clemson, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, South Florida, Stanford, Tennessee, Troy, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest
Wynn Offers: Alabama, Auburn, UConn, Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee
Wynn Junior Highlights
Cornerbacks Coach Mike Mickens
Mickens will join Freeman at Buford to see 2025 cornerback Devin Williams.
Safeties Coach Chris O’Leary and Special Teams Coordinator Marty Biagi
O’Leary will continue is travels through Dallas, while Biagi will be in Houston again.
Want the latest scoop on the Fighting Irish? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD
Under Armour White Notre Dame Fighting Irish Infinite 5 Running Shoes
