Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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46 MARCH 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2025 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE edge Dominik Hulak is really twitched up and is in the On300 but could be drafted higher than where he's ranked. "Brandon Logan is another one. He wasn't the easiest eval from a source material and exposure standpoint, but he has so many positive indicators and is a very good player. Those are the three I'd hone in on, but there are several who this could apply to." Lemming: "I like Hawaiian line- backer Ko'o Kia a lot, and Dominik Hu- lak is like a Swiss-army knife. He could be really good with how quick to the ball he is. "Also, Nolan James. They have good backs coming back, so he'll have to wait his turn, but he's better than what his ranking was. I've seen him the past cou- ple years and like him a lot." Wiltfong: "Dallas Golden is such a great football player. I'm excited to see what he does in South Bend. He's made things happen in every facet at the prep level and has played in some big games. "Golden was at the top of Notre Dame's board, and we'll see if he over- plays his ranking." BGI: What is the strongest posi- tion group of Notre Dame's 2025 class? Power: "I'm going to go with the sec- ondary. [Safety] JaDon Blair has out- standing measurables and rare stature at safety — he's over 6-4 and a smooth mover. [Cornerback] Mark Zackery is a phenomenal football player, a guy who had a ton of two-way production and is a multi-sport star. He's projected to be a very good player in college. Dallas Golden is another cornerback who is an all-around good football player and brings great versatility to the program. "Those are the headliners along with Brandon Logan. He was a really strong in-state find for the Notre Dame staff — they unearthed a blue-chipper in their backyard. Logan checks a lot of boxes for what you'd want physically. "It's a big defensive back class, and certainly a strength of the entire class as a whole." Lemming: "I would say offensive line with the four they have coming in. They have great size. Herron will play on the interior, and I see Will Black playing left tackle, and Matty Augustine and Owen Strebig at right tackle. They have a lot of depth now at tackle." Wiltfong: "I think it's the second- ary, and you can make an argument for the offensive line because of Will Black. There's a lot of talent and versatility coming in for their defensive back class. "It was a point of emphasis this cycle with how many Notre Dame took, and they went out and landed some really good ones — Zackery, Blair and Golden in particular." BGI: Which position group could Notre Dame have done a better job with? Charles Power: "The biggest area for Notre Dame in terms of taking a next step is in the passing game. At quarter- back, they had to handle the decom- mitment of Deuce Knight fairly late in the process, and they have intriguing options at receiver. "Elijah Burress had a really good se- nior season and certainly has the pedi- gree [his father is Super Bowl champion Plaxico Burress]. But they need to stack talent at receiver to become a danger- ous offense and hold teams accountable through the air. "Upgrading the talent at receiver year over year is probably the biggest area of improvement from a positional per- spective." Lemming: "Defensive line or wide receiver. That's where they need the most help. With wide receivers, there are so many good ones out there. I think [wide receivers coach] Mike Brown will stand out in the 2026 class and land three or four big-time guys." Wiltfong: "Wide receiver — those guys will have to outplay what we think they are coming in. They have the chance to write their own script, and we'll see what they can do in South Bend. But it's not an electric, imposing group coming in. "And that's the biggest area of need when you look at Notre Dame's roster. From left to right, Dominik Hulak, Christopher Burgess Jr. and Joseph Reiff comprise a recruiting haul that will provide the Irish with much-needed depth along the defensive line. Hulak and Burgess, in par- ticular, have been cited as players that could make an impact. PHOTO BY KYLE KELLY "They have everything going for them — tradition and new facilities. They're putting players in the NFL — and those players are doing well in the league. Notre Dame has what it takes to win a national title." PREP FOOTBALL REPORT RECRUITING ANALYST TOM LEMMING