Most recruiting conversations don't last two hours.
Ryan Peterson's first direct conversation with Notre Dame linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary did.
On the very first day he could directly contact 2028 prospects, Jean-Mary reached out to Peterson, one of the nation’s top linebackers in the class, and ended up offering the North Carolina product a scholarship.
“He called me on the phone and let me know,” Peterson said.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder and Jean-Mary spent a considerable time getting to know each other during that first conversation.
"We were on the phone for a little while," Peterson said. "We had a good conversation."
Jean-Mary's connections in the Charlotte area helped create an immediate comfort level with the Hough High School standout.
"He has a pipeline in Charlotte," Peterson said. "He knows my defensive coordinator very well. He's known my DC for 20 years."
The offer carried weight even for a prospect who already boasts one of the nation's most impressive offer sheets, which includes Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, Penn State, Florida, LSU and Oklahoma among others.
"It was a surreal moment," Peterson said. "You see guys play there and you know guys with big names play there."
The conversation also gave Peterson an opportunity to learn more about Jean-Mary.
"It seems like he's about business," Peterson said. "He knows when he can be laid back, but when he can also be stern.
"He seems like he's about business and just as a person, an overall great person. That's a coach who I want to be coached by."
While Sunday marked Peterson's first extended conversation with Jean-Mary, Notre Dame wasn't starting from scratch.
Before contact with the Irish linebackers coach began, Peterson had already established a relationship with Notre Dame recruiting assistant Tim Brown Jr. Peterson also has a personal connection to the program through former Irish defensive back Nick Reddish.
“We’ve got the same footwork trainer and we've just got a great relationship,” said Peterson. “So it meant a lot coming from that school."
Now the focus shifts toward getting to South Bend for an unofficial visit.
"Just getting on campus and seeing how everything is," Peterson said. "Seeing the buildings, seeing how everybody treats me and seeing my fit on the field and off."
A visit hasn't been set yet, but Peterson hopes to make it in the future.
When it comes to eventually choosing a college, the North Carolina standout already knows what will matter most.
"It's going to be about relationships and scheme fit," Peterson said.
As for the scheme itself, Peterson isn't concerned about finding the perfect system as much as how he’d fit in it.
"I feel like I can play any scheme," he said. "You can put me in a 3-4, 3-3-5, 4-2-5. At the end of the day, you can put me in a Bear front, you can put me wherever. I'm going to come play football regardless.
“Overall I just want to see how they're going to put me in the best position to make plays."
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