Richie Flanigan may have seemed destined to Notre Dame, but the 2027 Wisconsin defensive lineman still needed it to be the right fit for him.
In the end, it was, which is why Flanigan committed to the Irish a couple weeks back.
“Just everything Notre Dame is about,” Flanigan said of choosing the Irish over offers from schools like Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern, Duke and Stanford among others.
“The team culture and high academic standards are really the two key main factors that led me to commit.”
Flanigan got an early peek inside the program with his older brother, James, being recruited and ultimately signing with the Irish as a tight end in the Class of 2025. He was also well aware of the University from birth since his father, Jim, was a standout defensive end for the Irish back in the ‘90s.
“They just believe in Team before Me and everyone on the team is a great guy and they buy into Team Glory,” Flanigan said.
“Talking with the coaches and being in the locker room and meeting the guys from the team, you can tell that's what they stand for.”
Academics, as he said, also played a critical role in Flanigan’s decision.
“It sets you up for life after football,” the Notre Dame Academy standout said. “It doesn't matter how good you are, eventually there's going to be life after football and Notre Dame sets you up for that.
Flanigan let Irish defensive line coach Al Washington know before informing the rest of the staff.
“He was super excited,” Flanigan said.
Flanigan described himself as “super excited” to have the decision behind him.
“I'll be able to focus on finishing my season now instead of having to do all this recruiting stuff on the weekends,” he said.
He’s also fired up to get to know his fellow 2027 Notre Dame commits - including quarterback Teddy Jarrard, linebacker Ellis McGaskin and long snapper Sean Kraft - better and to continue building the class.
His family was also excited with his choice.
“It's super cool to be able to play at the place my dad played at and to be with my brother again,” he said. “Definitely something really cool.
“My dad was super pumped up. He was super excited for me and my brother, same thing. He's super excited for me.”
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 Black Notre Dame Fighting Irish Unstoppable Full-Zip Jacket
