2026 Safety Jermaine Santana-Diaz Enjoys First Notre Dame Trip
Not all of Jermaine Santana-Diaz’s college trips thus far have been great, so he wasn’t sure what to expect when he arrived in South Bend this weekend for Notre Dame’s spring game.
But, the 2026 Texas safety left feeling great about the Irish.
“I got to speak to them more,” the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder told Irish Sports Daily afterward. “They just seemed real genuine.”
The Ridge Point High School standout landed an offer from Notre Dame - his first - last month.
Santana-Diaz took a tour of campus after eating lunch.
“It was great,” he said. “I liked the Golden Dome. I like the traditional feel. You see it in the movies and that's how it is when you're actually there. It just felt real. Other schools say it's this and it's not really that.
“A big thing about me was their faith because I know they're a Catholic school. I'm Christian, so it ties in together. That really did help with where I would want to go. The way they treated me really opened my eyes.”
While in town, Santana-Diaz was able to connect with Notre Dame GM Chad Bowden, who he’s been talking to throughout, while also meeting head coach Marcus Freeman, defensive backs coach Mike Mickens and linebackers coach Max Bullough.
“They were glad that I came,” he said. “They didn't get to speak to me as much because it was game day and that the next time I come we'll definitely build that relationship more.
“They said, 'Next time, we're definitely going to be able to talk more and stuff.’”
But the Missouri City, Texas native definitely felt like a priority for the Irish and has already penciled in his return date.
“I'm going to come for the Invasion camp,” he said. “I just think that would be a good time to come up.”
The offer from the Irish certainly caught the attention of other schools across the country.
“I definitely got a lot more colleges and coaches and player personnel guys following me since then.”
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