Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1526412
46 SEPT. 14, 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED FOOTBALL RECRUITING ROUNDUP Quarterback Deuce Knight, HHHH, 6-4½, 208, Lucedale, Miss. (George County) Running Back Daniel Anderson, HHH, 5-11, 190, Bryant, Ark. (Bryant) Justin Thurman, HHH, 6-0, 180, Tampa, Fla. (Jesuit) Wide Receiver Jerome Bettis Jr., HHH, 6-3, 185, Atlanta (Woodward Academy) Jace Brown, HHH, 6-2, 195, Downey, Calif. (Warren) — UCLA commit Elijah Burress, HHH, 6-0, 170, Wayne, N.J. (DePaul Catholic) Jalen Cooper, HHHH, 6-1, 160, Cibolo, Texas (Steele) — SMU commit Antavious Richardson, HHH, 6-2, 170, Greenville, Ga. (Greenville) — USF commit Tight End James Flanigan, HHHH, 6-5½, 245, Green Bay, Wis. (Notre Dame de la Baie Academy) Offensive Line Matty Augustine, HHH, 6-7, 265, Greenwich, Conn. (Brunswick School) Will Black, HHHHH, 6-7½, 283, Wallingford, Conn. (Choate Rosemary Hall) Owen Strebig, HHHH, 6-7, 295, Waukesha, Wis. (Catholic Memorial) Defensive End Christopher Burgess Jr., HHHH, 6-4, 240, Chicago (Simeon) Dominik Hulak, HHH, 6-4, 240, Elmhurst, Ill. (Immaculate Conception) Defensive Tackle Davion Dixon, HHH, 6-3, 305, Miami (Palmetto) Joseph Reiff, HHHH, 6-5, 250, Elmhurst, Ill. (York Community) Gordy Sulfsted, HHH, 6-5, 235, Cincinnati (St. Xavier) Linebacker Madden Faraimo, HHHH, 6-3, 225, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (JSerra Catholic) Ko'o Kia, HHH, 6-2, 190, Honolulu (Punahou) Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, HHHH, 6-0½, 200, Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy) Anthony Sacca, HHH, 6-2½, 225, Philadelphia (St. Joseph's) Cornerback Dallas Golden, HHHH, 6-0, 188, Tampa, Fla. (Berkeley Prep) Cree Thomas, HHH, 6-1, 170, Phoenix (Brophy College Preparatory) Mark Zackery, HHHH, 5-10½, 160, Indianapolis (Ben Davis) Safety JaDon Blair, HHHH, 6-4½, 195, Winston-Salem, N.C. (Mount Tabor) Ethan Long, HHH, 6-2, 185, Milford, Conn. (Brunswick School) Brandon Logan, HHH, 6-0, 180, Fort Wayne, Ind. (Snider) Athlete None Star ratings are from On3 as of Sept. 5; Commitments in bold italics Class Of 2025 Scholarship Offer Master List 2025 Master List Changes Prospects Committed: None. Prospects Decommitted: None. Prospects Removed: None. RECRUITING NOTES • The Notre Dame football program received encouraging news Sept. 2 when Davison (Mich.) High four-star offensive lineman Ben Nichols told the program he would attend the home opener against Northern Illinois Sept. 7. He shared the news with Blue & Gold Illustrated later in the day. Nichols is On3's No. 11 interior offensive lineman and No. 171 overall player in the 2026 class. Irish offensive line coach Joe Rudolph offered the 6-foot-5, 315-pounder on Pot of Gold Day. Since then, Nichols, the No. 2 junior in Michigan, has risen near the top of Notre Dame's offensive line wish list. He is one of the most coveted players at his position, with offers from Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee and 14 other schools. When Blue & Gold Illustrated was in Detroit to cover Nichols' junior de- but against Warren (Mich.) De La Salle at Wayne State University Aug. 29, Nichols said he wanted to return to South Bend for the Florida State game Nov. 9. However, four days later, he decided he would like to see the Irish in action in Week 2 first. "I want to see the type of offense they run and their schemes," he said. "Also, I will pay attention to the sideline to see how the coaches and the players communicate." Nichols also hopes to visit Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee this season. • Notre Dame's Week 11 game against the Seminoles is shaping up to be the biggest recruiting weekend of the season. On Sept. 2, another big-time recruit was added to the expected visitor list. Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star linebacker Nathaniel Owusu- Boateng told On3 director of recruiting Chad Simmons he would return to South Bend Nov. 9. Owusu-Boateng is On3's No. 24 linebacker and No. 275 overall player in the 2025 class. His interest in seeing the Irish in person comes after he watched them beat Texas A&M 23-13 in Week 1 on TV. "I saw an electric defense playing in an electric atmosphere," Owusu- Boateng told On3. "Notre Dame played multiple linebackers, and all of them had a great game." Owusu-Boateng, the No. 37 senior recruit in Florida, is the younger half- brother of former Irish linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. The former Butkus Award winner, Owusu-Koramoah, played for the Irish from 2017-20. • Another key recruit who plans to be in town for the Florida State game is San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra Catholic three-star edge Simote Ka- toanga. He is On3's No. 28 prospect in California and No. 23 edge nationally. The 6-5, 240-pound Katoanga earned an offer from the Irish June 17 after participating in one of the program's high school football camps. Katoanga is a teammate of Irish 2025 class four-star prospect Madden Faraimo, who is On3's No. 12 linebacker and No. 121 overall player in his class. He has not announced a Notre Dame return visit while he mulls a commitment between the Irish, Southern Cal, Texas and Washington. — Kyle Kelly ON3 INDUSTRY 2025 TEAM RECRUITING RANKINGS As of Sept. 5 1. Ohio State 26 2. Alabama 21 3. LSU 25 4. Georgia 22 5. Auburn 23 6. Texas 19 7. Tennessee 24 8. Oregon 15 9. Texas A&M 20 10. Oklahoma 23 11. Florida State 13 12. Notre Dame 22 Rk. School Commits Rk. School Commits Fort Wayne (Ind.) Snider three-star safety Brandon Logan is the most recent recruit to commit to the Irish, locking in his spot in the class Aug. 10. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER