2027 Williamson (Ala.) linebacker Ellis McGaskin made his first trip to Notre Dame on Friday and it didn’t disappoint.
The four-star prospect had high expectations heading into the visit and left blown away by the Notre Dame program.
“It was a great experience,” said McGaskin. “It was the first time I’ve been up here and it exceeded my expectations. It’s crazy.”
Notre Dame always impresses with its facilities and tradition, but what stood out most to McGaskin was the way the people around the program embraced him.
“Everybody coming together and showing me I was a priority - everybody was showing love from the supporters, the parents, the coaches and I even got to connect with Coach Freeman,” stated McGaskin. “As much as he was moving around, it meant a lot.”
The Irish offered 6-foot-1, 205-pounder on Pot of Gold Day and Freeman made sure to spend time with McGaskin, which left a positive impression.
“He said he watched my film and he was impressed with me as a person,” McGaskin said. “I was impressed with him also.”
It wasn’t just the fact that Freeman made time for McGaskin, but he made time for other recruits during the camp and at the BBQ following Irish Invasion.
“I was very impressed with him,” McGaskin explained. “A lot of coaches don’t make time to connect with recruits. He went out of his way to make sure he was connecting with every recruit who was there.
“During the camp, the first thing he walked up to was the linebackers. He made sure if a kid messed up in a drill and coached them outside of the drill.”
While Freeman made a strong impression, linebackers coach Max Bullough has been building a relationship with McGaskin for months and it’s clear the bond is strong.
“My relationship with Coach Max Bullough is through the sky,” stated McGaskin. “I couldn’t wait to come up here and connect with those guys. They showed me another world.”
“Outside of being a coach, he’s a loud guy and someone you would love being around. That’s the type of coach I’m looking for.”
McGaskin also had the opportunity to connect with fellow 2027 linebacker Cooper Witten during the trip, which included a fun moment meeting Cooper’s father, Jason Witten.“He’s pretty cool,” McGaskin said of Witten. “I actually met his dad and I was kind of nervous. He’s a great kid. Me and him on the same defense would be dangerous.”
LSU is the only set visit on McGaskin’s summer schedule, but it appears Notre Dame may have set a bar for him moving forward.
“The things I’ve seen, I love,” McGaskin stated. “So far, I haven’t been anywhere like it.
“It’s definitely a place I could see myself. I could call this place home.”
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