2025 Notre Dame OL Commit Will Black Ready For Best Season Yet

It’s scary to think about how good Will Black‍ could be as the 2025 Notre Dame offensive line commit begins his senior season at Choate Rosemary Hall. 

“I've gotten a lot better from before I came to America and from last year,” says Black, who played in his native Canada until transferring to Choate before last season. 

“I'm just excited to play one more high school season with my team and see what we could do. I think we can win it all again this year.”

Black helped Choate to an undefeated 9-0 record last season, claiming the Founders League and NEPSAC titles. 

And now, the 6-foot-7, 295-pounder says he’s better at “everything really.”

“I would say my knowledge of the game, just learning how to read defenses and what I'm doing and everyone else on the offensive line is doing,” he continues. “That was a big thing with my transition to Canada from Canada to America. Everything from the pass game to the run game, I've just become more physical and my hands have gotten a lot better. My feet have gotten better.”

Black arrived at the Connecticut prep school with great fanfare. He’d already garnered loads of major scholarship offers based on his tape from Canada and camp workouts. But he now acknowledges that he was at least a little unsure of himself.

“When I came down I didn't really know what to expect,” he says. “I didn't really know how good I was yet because I had just been playing against Canadian football players. 

“I guess I would say I wasn't super confident when I came down, but I built my confidence pretty fast. I learned that I was pretty good and that I could compete with kids from the States and kind of dominate. I built my confidence with the last season, so I'm pretty confident going into this season.”

Black, who committed to Notre Dame over schools like Michigan, Penn State and Alabama among several others in December, does feel some additional pressure heading into this season.

“I went from a three-star last season to a five-star, so I have a lot of pressure to fulfill that and prove to everyone that I actually am that good,” he says.

He also knows he’ll be getting the best shot from every opponent as they try to prove themselves against him.

“100 percent,” he says. “I'm super excited for that.

“I think it's going to be fun.” 

Black was last in South Bend for his official visit in June.

“It was really good,” he says. “It was really fun. It was good to just build my relationship with Matty and Owen and as well as the other offensive linemen that are already there. Like Anthony (Knapp) and Sam (Pendleton), Chris (Terek, a bunch of those guys. So that was good. 

“Then, just getting to know the coaches better and just feeling more comfortable there. It was really fun.”

Choate starts late, but plays all of its games on Saturday afternoons. Black might have time to get back to South Bend for the home opener against Northern Illinois, but that may be the only open Saturday until November.

“Our first game is September 21st, so I might be able to get it to a game before that, but if not, then probably not.”