2028 TE J.C. Wessel Nearing Top 8 Ahead Of Notre Dame Return

J.C. Wessel‍ is getting closer to sorting out his recruitment, and Notre Dame will get its chance to make an impression right in the middle of it.

The 2028 Florida tight end will release a top eight in the next two weeks. 

But before he does so, he will be back in South Bend on Nov. 7 for the Irish’s showdown against Miami, a third trip this year after visiting for spring practice and earning his offer at Irish Invasion this summer.

The communication with the Irish has been steady.

"We've been contacting each other usually once a week, just checking on the games and stuff, but it's been great," Wessel told Irish Sports Daily.

Offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Mike Denbrock usually reaches out before games, and Wessel talks plenty with assistant tight ends coach Harris Bivin about school and life away from football. His impression of the staff goes far beyond recruiting.

"They're the best people I've ever met," he said. "They're super focused, super driven. They know what they want and they're going to work as hard as they can to get it. They've always believed in me and each other and everyone else."

Wessel transferred to The Bolles School from Frederica Academy this offseason, and the staff's message through the move has stayed simple.

"The stuff I'm going through now is going to be a big step up for me when I get to college, so it's going to help me a lot more," he said.

The 6-foot-6, 225-pounder holds offers from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Texas, LSU, Florida, Miami and Texas A&M among others. He has already taken fall visits to Georgia, Florida, Miami and Alabama. 

Notre Dame will be about fit as much as anything.

"I already know the academics and the coaches and the players, and so I just want to get a feel of the campus and the feeling of playing there so I can really know what it's going to be like whenever I go to college and decide on where I want to go," he said.

Vanderbilt and Ohio State will get visits after Notre Dame. Wessel is eyeing a decision around April or May so he can lock in on his senior season, and he and his circle have already settled on what will decide it.

"My family and I kind of narrowed it down to three things, and that's education, football and then just the environment," he said.

"If I surround myself with good people and I have good education and good football, then that's the best stuff you could have, especially if you're trying to make it to the NFL."

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