Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM APRIL/MAY 2026 41 BY KYLE KELLY Lathan Whisenton's Notre Dame football commitment moved as fast as his blazing 4.45-second 40-yard dash. When Blue & Gold Illustrated spoke to him March 22, following his first trip to South Bend, the four-star running back out of Waco (Texas) Midway first mentioned the "cons" of campus. The differences in weather and en- vironment compared to what he had grown accustomed to all sounded detri- mental to his Fighting Irish recruitment. I f W h i se n to n wa s i n te re s te d i n playing for Notre Dame then, he did not show his hand. Apparently, all he needed was a good night's sleep. When Rivals' No. 12 running back and No. 171 overall player nationally in the 2027 class woke up March 23, the outcome of his recruitment started to become clearer. The thoughts he shared March 22 no longer mattered. His pri- vately held opinion began to percolate into a family decision later that night. The opportunity to attend and play college football for Notre Dame was un- beatable. The cons? The pros clearly outweighed them. "On Monday night [March 23] after school, it was time to evaluate stuff with my family," Whisenton told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "We all agreed that Notre Dame is the best and smart move for me, man. The weather — II talked to a bunch of Texas guys there, and they said they adapted to it. So, I could adapt to it, too. "What Notre Dame gives to a per- son is way more worth it than just the weather." The reason the climate became such a hot topic stemmed from the schools Rivals' No. 20 junior in Texas consid- ered before making it to South Bend. Previously, all 26 of his unofficial visits elsewhere were to programs located in the South. Ultimately, Whisenton chose to play for the Irish over Florida and Texas Tech. He visited Gainesville, Fla., about 10 days before making it to Notre Dame, and the program in Lubbock, Texas, was long considered the favorite entering the spring. The Irish beat out both be- cause of what they could offer on and off the field. "I feel like Notre Dame has the full package," he said. "It has elite football. Top-tier education. The culture there is great. It makes you want to push your- self. That's what it has, and I found it." According to Whisenton, he started to get the sense Notre Dame was home during the visit. He credited his time with head coach Marcus Freeman, of- fensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider for tipping the scales. "To be honest, when I visited the campus and sat down with the coaches, it felt real," he said. "I can just see my- self there — not just as a player, but as a person, too." Denbrock's vision for Whisenton's role in the Irish offense was a major factor in his decision to shut down his recruitment. In 2025, the Lone Star standout rushed for 1,502 yards and 24 touchdowns on 165 carries. He believes in his ability to produce under Den- brock's direction. "Just the confidence he has," Whisen- ton said. "He's so sure in his style. That made me more confident in their of- fense. At the end of the day, the offense scores points and touchdowns. I feel like I could go far as a player in that system." So what changed from when Blue & Gold Illustrated previously spoke to Whisenton the day after his visit concluded? "I was a little tired," he said. Now, his Notre Dame commitment has rejuvenated him, and he is full steam ahead with the Irish. "I just feel like it complements me as a person," Whisenton said. "The rela- tionship me and Coach Seider have is really special." ✦ COMMITMENT PROFILE LATHAN WHISENTON FILM ANALYSIS "Lathan Whisenton has a strong combination of size and speed. He's well built, around 6-foot, 200 pounds. He carries that weight with very good speed for the position, having run in the 4.40s in a combine setting with strong track times. His personal record is a 10.54 in the 100-meter race, so the straight-line speed is certainly there. "I'd describe his running style as a one-cut runner. He's looking to get downhill or get outside as quickly as possible, where he can use his speed to pull away from defenders. He's not going to dance a lot in the backfield. He's at his best going downhill. "Whisenton shows quality power. He'll lower his shoulder and run through contact. You see the strengths in his running style on special teams as well. He ran back a couple of kick returns for touch- downs last year. "He might remind Notre Dame fans of Jadarian Price; there are some similarities there. Whisenton registered as a better athlete — or at least had better speed — at the same stage of his high school career. From a play-style perspective, there are similarities." — Rivals director of scouting and rankings Charles Power Texas Speedster Joins Fighting Irish Backfield Whisenton, seen here with his parents and Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, verbally committed to Notre Dame four days after his first time visit- ing campus March 21. PHOTO COURTESY LATHAN WHISENTON "I feel like Notre Dame has the full package. It has elite football. Top-tier education. The culture there is great. It makes you want to push yourself. That's what it has, and I found it." WHISENTON