Following his visit to Notre Dame this past weekend, John Gay III provided Irish Sports Daily with a quote that was quite revealing.
“If I had a kid, I would want my kid to go there,” Gay told us.
The 2027 Florida safety followed his own advice and on Wednesday, publicly announced his commitment to Notre Dame.
Gay chose the Irish over schools like Texas Tech, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Purdue and Indiana among others.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder gives Notre Dame nine current commits in the Class of 2027 and joins cornerbacks Ace Alston and Xavier Hasan to give the Irish three in the secondary.
He also effectively replaces California safety Khalil Terry, who publicly announced his decommitment earlier this week.
His first trip to South Bend was illuminating as he quickly got a feel for both the program and the people inside it.
“They were saying I would be a piece of their defense and that my versatility would be great,” Gay told Irish Sports Daily following his visit to South Bend this past weekend.
That message, combined with what he experienced around the facility, stood out.
“They’re great people actually,” he said of the coaches. “They’re bigger than football. They teach you life lessons. Everything is not just about football. Everything is about life and beyond football and just life in general.”
The Chaminade-Madonna standout spent time with multiple members of the staff during the visit and also connected with players, something that helped solidify his comfort level within the program.
The Hollywood, Fla., native had been active on the visit trail this spring with stops at Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Georgia, California and Alabama, but indicated the trip to Notre Dame would be his final unofficial visit.
That timing accelerated his process and led to a quick decision.
“I feel like if I go up there, I’m going to be in great hands.”
He will…and he will.
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