2028 GA DE Merrick Ham Lands "One Of Kind" Offer From Notre Dame

Merrick Ham‍ doesn't remember exactly what he said when he was informed he had an offer from Notre Dame.

His mother remembers the look on his face, though.

The 2028 Georgia defensive end earned the offer following a standout performance at Irish Invasion and his excitement was impossible to miss.

"I honestly don't remember," Ham told Irish Sports Daily when asked about his reaction. "I remember I was hyped up. My mom said she knew just by looking at me."

The offer came from defensive line coach Charlie Partridge at the conclusion of the camp.

"He pulled me over after camp,” Ham explained. “He was like, 'Man, you had a heck of a camp and now you have an offer.'"

For Ham, the offer carried significance beyond adding another national program to an already impressive list.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder already held offers from Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, Nebraska, Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt among others. Notre Dame, however, comes with family ties.

Ham's uncle is former Notre Dame offensive lineman Paul Duncan, who played for the Irish under Charlie Weis.

"I have a lot of family ties up here," Ham said. "It's a great program. It's Notre Dame. It's one of the best."

Duncan's experiences helped shape Ham's view of the Irish long before he arrived in South Bend.

"He said he loved it up here," Ham said of his uncle. "He said it was one of the best places."

Friday marked Ham's first trip to Notre Dame and the visit lived up to expectations.

"I loved campus," Ham said. "Obviously all the things, Touchdown Jesus and the Grotto. It's really cool. It's really unique to Notre Dame. It definitely stood out."

The visit also provided an opportunity to work directly with Partridge, who left a strong impression.

"I thought it was awesome," Ham said. "He brings an NFL level to it. He definitely knows what he's talking about and really feels like a player's coach."

Ham also spent time with Marcus Freeman as Notre Dame began laying the foundation for a relationship.

"It was just getting to know him and him getting to know me," Ham said. "Just starting to build a relationship."

The next step will be a return trip this fall.

Ham plans to attend Notre Dame's showdown game against Miami and hopes to get a better feel for what campus looks like when students are in town and game day traditions are in full swing.

"I want to see what the campus feels like when there are people on it and classes and everything," Ham said. "Really just get a feel for the community and then obviously see the stadium jumping."

The Marietta standout is nearing the end of his summer travel schedule. A trip to Vanderbilt was next on the agenda and he may camp at Ohio State, but most of his offseason evaluation process is complete.

It’s still early, but it’s obvious Notre Dame has already carved out a unique space in his recruitment moving forward. 

"Oh, it's one of a kind. I really love it. I could definitely see myself up here in a few years."

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