Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM MARCH 2026 71 2026 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY KYLE KELLY N otre Dame head coach Marcus Free- man singled out four-star corner- back Ayden Pouncey during his Dec. 3 national signing day news conference. And for good reason. In 10 games during the 2025 season for Winter Park (Fla.) High, Pouncey made 54 tackles and intercepted 7 passes, returning 5 of them for touch- downs. That was all while playing in Florida's top high school classification. And that's just on defense. "I'll tell you what, Ayden Pouncey is playing as well as any of the DBs when you watch what he does his senior year on film and what he's doing as a punt returner, as a corner, as a safety, on of- fense," Freeman said. On offense, Pouncey — who Rivals considers the No. 2 player in the Sun- shine State and No. 4 cornerback and No. 34 overall player nationally in his class — had 35 catches for 684 yards and 7 touchdowns. That production earned recognition from general manager Mike Martin during his news conference, too. "He's a super talented kid who can play multiple roles," Martin said. "He can be a corner. He can be a safety, punt returner. He's even played receiver." Teams tried to avoid punting to Pouncey because when they did, he returned them at least 40 yards. One went 67 yards for a touchdown. The next week, he took a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. Including his 202 rush- ing yards and 2 touchdowns, Pouncey crossed the goal line 16 times during his senior season. In an ultra-talented Notre Dame de- fensive back class, Pouncey has a port- folio that can't be overlooked. At the very least, Freeman hasn't forgotten it. "He's playing as well as anybody in that defensive back signee class," he said. ✦ Marcus Freeman Praises Ayden Pouncey's Prolific Senior Season AYDEN POUNCEY CORNERBACK 6-3 · 172 WINTER PARK H.S. ORLANDO, FLA. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE Industry ✪✪✪✪ 66 7 7 ✪✪✪✪ 34 4 2 ✪✪✪✪ 69 5 8 ✪✪✪✪ 181 17 28 STATISTICS • Posted 54 tackles (27 solo), 1.5 stops for loss, 1 quarterback hurry and 7 interceptions (five returned for touchdown) in 10 games as a senior in 2025 while helping Winter Park reach the Florida 7A playoffs. As a wide receiver on offense, he hauled in 35 passes for 684 yards and 7 touchdowns while logging 23 rushing attempts for 202 yards and 2 scores. Also had 5 kick returns for 180 yards and 1 touchdown plus 3 punt returns for 148 yards and 1 score. • As a junior in 2024, he had 20 tackles (17 solo), 1 quarterback hurry, 2 interceptions and 3 passes broken up in four games on defense. In six games on offense, he added 12 catches for 202 yards and 4 touchdowns. Also had a 73-yard kick return. • In six games on defense as a sophomore in 2023, he compiled 21 tackles (14 solo), 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery. NOTABLE • Name the Orlando Sentinel's Iron Man Player of the Year in 2025. • Received the Orlando Touchdown Club Player of the Week accolade in Week 2 of 2025. • Was an All-Metro Conference selection in 2023 and 2024. • His bother Jordan Pouncey committed to Notre Dame as a wide receiver in the 2017 class. However, he eventually decommitted, signed with Texas and spent the final three years of his college career at Florida. RECRUITMENT • Committed to the Fighting Irish on April 26, 2025. • Enrolled at Notre Dame in January. • Chose the Irish over LSU, Miami and Michigan. • Recruited by former Irish defensive backs coach Mike Mickens. • Visited Notre Dame five times, including his of- ficial visit on June 13, 2025. 2026 PROJECTION • Pouncey has the skill set to play cornerback and safety, and could eventually crack the rota- tion. At the very least, look for him to contribute on special teams. THEY SAID IT Rivals director of scouting and rankings Charles Power: "Pouncey is a coordinated, versatile defensive back who we could see playing cornerback or safety at Notre Dame. He lines up a lot at corner in addition to playing receiver for his high school, and the first thing you see on his tape is his smooth movement skills. He's an easy mover, changes direction well, and shows good break on the ball. "We really like his ball skills. He makes impressive grabs as a receiver, and his ability to locate the ball and make plays is a big positive. Pouncey can continue to improve on his top gear — especially if he projects at corner long term. He has solid speed and is a bouncy athlete. There's meat on the bone in terms of improv- ing his top-end speed when he gets to Notre Dame. "He fits the bill of what Notre Dame likes at de- fensive back. The Irish staff likes size, and Pouncey brings that." Among the most impressive marks from Pouncey's senior season is the fact that five of his 16 touch- downs were pick sixes. He also had receiving, rushing, kick return and punt return touchdowns. PHOTO BY KYLE KELLY