Making Moves | Notre Dame Football on the Recruiting Trail 5.15
Notre Dame’s coaching staff will make several key stops to see 2025 prospects and check on underclassmen on Wednesday.
Housekeeping Notes for the Spring Evaluation Period
- Head coaches can’t be on the road during this period, which means Marcus Freeman won’t be on the road.
- Coaches are allowed to talk to 2025 prospects at their schools.
- Coaches are not allowed to talk to 2026, 2027, etc. prospects in person.
- Colleges are only allowed one stop at the same high school during this period, which is new as the previous rule had been two visits during the spring.
Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock and Receivers Coach Mike Brown
Denbrock will head to Vegas to evaluate talent at multiple high schools as several programs will hold workouts.
Quarterbacks Coach Gino Guidugli
Guidugli will make a trip to Alabama on Wednesday as the Irish have hit the state hard over the last two weeks. He’s expected to make a stop at Thompson High School to check on 2027 quarterback Trent Seaborn. The 6-foot, 180-pounder went viral as an eighth grader for leading Thompson to a State Title - and by leading, Seaborn threw five touchdowns in the state final. As a freshman, Seaborn threw for over 2,500 yards and 27 touchdowns.
This spring, Seaborn visited Clemson, LSU, North Carolina and Texas.
Offers: Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Hawaii, Marshall, Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northern Colorado, Ole Miss, Oregon, Samford, SJSU, Troy, UAB, West Virginia and Wisconsin
Freshman Highlights
Running Backs Coach Deland McCullough
McCullough will head to Arkansas. It’s likely he makes a stop at Bryant High School to visit with 2025 running back commit Daniel Anderson. Anderson won RB MVP at the Under Armour camp in Dallas back in March. He checked in at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds and posted a 4.69 in the 40 to go with a vertical of 29 inches and a broad jump of 110.1 inches, which is a good sign Anderson is on his way to good health following missing almost all of his junior season with an injury.
Offensive Line Coach Joe Rudolph
We expected Rudolph to check on 2026 Hurricane High School (W.V.) offensive lineman Da’Ron Parks, who went on a big-time offer spree this spring. Central Florida, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and West Virginia hosted the 6-foot-5, 270-pounder this spring. Notre Dame stopped by to check on Parks in January, so it’ll be interesting if Rudolph is able to watch him workout on this trip.
Another stop we expect Rudolph to make is to check on 2026 Central Valley (Pa.) offensive lineman Brendan Alexander. The 6-foot-4, 295-pounder has quietly built an impressive offer list and is someone Notre Dame has tried to get on campus previously as he was invited to camp last summer.
Alexander made spring visits to Maryland Penn State, Pitt and West Virginia
Parks Offers: Alabama, Appalachian State, Bowling Green, UCF, Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky, Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville, Marshall, Miami, Miami (OH), NC State, Ohio State, Penn State, Pitt, SMU, Syracuse, Tennessee, Toledo, Troy, Virginia Tech and West Virginia
Alexander Offers: Akron, Arkansas, Boston College, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami (OH), Michigan State, NC State, Penn State, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin
Parks Sophomore Highlights
Alexander Sophomore Highlights
Defensive Coordinator Al Golden
Golden will check on 2026 Port Arthur Memorial (Texas) linebacker Tank King on Wednesday. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder visited for the Blue-Gold game in April and gave his visit high reviews (2026 LB Tank King Will Return to Notre Dame Following Weekend Visit). Notre Dame should be a player here if they want to be, especially if they get him back this summer or fall. King also made spring trips to Baylor, SMU, Texas and Texas A&M. He recorded a wingspan of 75.8 inches and a 24-inch vertical earlier this spring.
Fort Bend Marshall High School (Texas) is also expected to host Golden as he’ll check on 2026 linebacker Noriel Dominguez. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder also made the trip to South Bend this spring after being offered in March (2026 LB Noriel Dominguez Impressed by Notre Dame & Max Bullough). Dominguez made trips to Houston, Oklahoma, TCU and Texas A&M over the last couple of months. He also recorded an impressive 79.9-inch wingspan this spring, so it will be interesting to see if he grows a couple more inches as his future might be on the edge if he does.
Golden and Al Washington will be at Katy Mayde Creek (Texas) to check on 2026 linebacker Kosi Okpala, who is one of my personal favorites in the class. The 6-foot-1, 212-pounder plays with explosion and violence, which is always good to see. Okpala measured in with a wingspan of 79 inches this spring and also recorded a vertical of 26.8 inches. He made spring trips to Texas and Texas A&M.
2026 Bastrup (Texas) defensive lineman Tiki Hola will have Golden and Washington at his school as well. The 6-foot-3, 270-pounder visited Notre Dame in the fall and then returned this spring to watch practice. He’s been a frequent visitor to Texas as it’s close to home, so the Longhorns hold an edge, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Irish were running second. Hola also visited Oregon and Texas A&M in the spring.
King Offers: Alabama, Arizona, Baylor, UCF, Florida, Houston, Incarnate Word, Missouri, Nebraska, North Texas, Notre Dame, Penn State, SMU, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, UTEP, UTSA and Washington
Dominguez Offers: Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Cal, Central Florida, Florida, Houston, LSU, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Orgon, SMU, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas State and Texas Tech
Okpala Offers: Alabama, Baylor, Duke, Houston, Houston Christian, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Penn State, SMU, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Tulane, USC, UTEP and Yale
Offers: Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Baylor, Boston College, Georgia, Houston, Miami, Nebraska, North Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Oregon, SMU, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, USC, UTEP and UTSA
King Sophomore Highlights
Dominguez Sophomore Highlights
Okpala Sophomore Highlights
Hola Sophomore Highlights
Defensive Line Coach Al Washington
In addition to checking in with Hola, Washington is expected to head to Bellville (Texas) for a visit with 2025 defensive tackle DJ Sanders. The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder was an early Pot of Gold offer for Notre Dame, but the Irish haven’t gained much momentum with the four-star. A source tells ISD that Sanders has set four official visits to Baylor, Michigan, Texas and Texas A&M. Sanders is the cousin of former NFL receiver Emmanuel Sanders.
Another expected stop for Washington will be to Lorena (Texas) to see 2025 defensive lineman Jackson Blackwell. The Irish haven’t offered, but he’s a player who has started to get more attention following winning DL MVP at the Dallas Under Armour Camp. The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder also holds offers to play guard in college. Arizona hosted him on an official visit earlier this month and Blackwell is expected to take official visits to Baylor, Houston, Texas Tech and UTSA in June. Blackwell also holds an impressive 78.7-inch wingspan, a vertical of 25.5 inches and a shuttle of 4.64.
Washington is also expected to be at Duncanville High School (Texas) to check on 2026 defensive end Kevin Ford Jr. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder has built a national offer list over the spring and is a candidate to earn an offer from Notre Dame.
Sanders Offers: Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Florida, Houston, LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, SMU, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, USC, Utah and UTSA
Blackwell Offers: Arizona, Arkansas State, Baylor, Georgia Southern, Houston, Houston Christian, Nevada, SDSU, Texas Tech, Tulsa, UNLV and UTEP
Ford Offers: Arizona State, Baylor, UCF, Houston, Marshall, Miami, Nebraska, Nevada, North Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Penn State, SMU, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech and USC
Sanders Junior Highlights
Blackwell Junior Highlights
Ford Sophomore Highlights
Linebackers Coach Max Bullough
Bullough is expected to be in Vegas on Wednesday. One stop we expect him to make is to Desert Pines High School (Nev.) to check on 2026 linebacker Kenneth Goodwin. Notre Dame offered the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder on Pot of Gold Day and he returned the favor by visiting in April. Goodwin also took spring trips to Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, UCLA, UNLV and USC.
Goodwin Sophomore Highlights
Defensive Backs Coach Mike Mickens
Mickens will be doing area recruiting in Detroit.
Special Teams Coordinator Marty Biagi
Biagi will head back to Louisiana, which is an area he’s used to recruiting going back to his previous stop at Ole Miss. We expect him to be at Catholic High (La.) to check on 2026 safety Blaine Bradford, who is the cousin of Notre Dame linebacker Jaiden Ausberry. The four-star prospect camped at Notre Dame last summer and left very impressed with everything he experienced while on campus. It was a little surprising he didn’t return for a game in the fall, but he also was battling through an injury. Bradford continues to be high on the Irish, while also taking a hard look at LSU, Oregon and Texas.
Offers: Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia, Houston, Georgia, Marshall, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Stanford, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Tulane, USC and Vanderbilt
Sophomore Highlights
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish Carson Raglan Quarter-Zip
