Luke Starcevic Sees Strong Fit At Notre Dame As Decision Nears
Luke Starcevic may not need much more time to make a decision and Notre Dame has positioned itself firmly in that conversation.
The 2027 North Dakota prospect returned to South Bend this weekend, continuing to build on an already strong impression of the program.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder spent time with offensive line coach Joe Rudolph, assistant offensive line coach Rob Delaney and head coach Marcus Freeman while also getting around players and watching practice.
The visit reinforced what Notre Dame offers beyond football.
“They talked a lot about academics and how the Notre Dame degree is highly thought of,” Starcevic said. “Football doesn’t go on forever. It ends for everybody at some point and at the end you need something to fall back on.”
That message resonated as the Kindred High School standout evaluates what will matter most in his decision.
“When you have that degree and the connections that Notre Dame brings, it’s very important for your future,” he said.
Notre Dame also continues to stand out in a unique way within his recruitment.
While several programs are evaluating him as a defensive lineman and some as a tight end, the Irish may be the only remaining contender looking at him as an offensive lineman.
Still, what position he ends up at is unlikely to play a major role in his final decision. Instead, the focus remains on fit and the people within each program.
“I don’t really have a preference,” Starcevic said. “I’m open to anything. At the end of the day, I just want to make my decision based off of the people and how I would fit in at each place and wanting to be around the right type of guys.
“I think if I trust the coaches and believe in them as much as they believe in me, that at any position I could succeed how I want to. As long as I’ve got the right guys around me.”
Fortunately for the Irish, they seemed to have checked that box when it pertains to both staff members and players.
“They’re great people,” Starcevic said of the coaches. “That’s very clear to me and my family. We think very highly of them and every conversation we had was good.”
Those feelings extended to the locker room as well.
“They were great,” Starcevic said of the players. “A lot of really good dudes and they all had good things to say about the coaches. I could definitely see myself fitting in there.”
Starcevic plans to take a couple more visits, including stops at Kansas State and Oregon and potentially one more, before making a commitment.
“I hope to be ready to make a decision and go into official visit season already committed somewhere,” Starcevic said.
He believes he’s on track to do exactly that.
“I think I feel comfortable with my options and have a good feel for a lot of places,” he continued.
The Irish certainly appear to be right in the running.
“I’m very high on them. Top tier football, top tier academics, just a top tier program.”
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