Recruiting Intel: Where ND stands with 2025 targets following Grill & Chill visits
- By Tyler James
- The Insider Lounge
- 6 Replies
Notre Dame turned up the creativity for its Grill & Chill recruiting event Sunday on campus. The Irish made a push for some of its top targets in the 2025 class by giving them more than a typical campus tour and meetings with the coaching staff.
In addition to a grilling competition, the Irish recruiting staff organized a number of different games from more traditional — dodgeball, knockout, home run derby — to more unique — a blindfold donut game, a balloon cup game. Don't ask me the rules on the latter, but I've heard the games added a nice wrinkle to the event and created some competitive scenarios with a light-hearted feel.
Before I get into the visitors on Sunday, I'd be remiss if I didn't include some intel on four-star QB Deuce Knight, the top-dual threat quarterback in the 2025 class and Notre Dame’s top priority at the position. Knight spoke with Charleston Bowles following visits to Notre Dame on Thursday and Ole Miss on Friday, so don’t miss that story.
Coming out of the weekend, there’s some confidence coming out of Notre Dame that the Irish may have taken the lead in Knight’s recruitment. I’m not ready to make a Rivals FutureCast prediction for Notre Dame, but I’ve started to at least consider doing so for the first time.
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There were so many recruits who visited, so I don’t necessarily have a lot of information for each individual. But in gathering intel, these are the recruits I feel Notre Dame leads for at the moment:
RB Justin Thurman
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I still like my previous FutureCast prediction for Notre Dame with Thurman.
OT Owen Strebig
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I still like my previous FutureCast prediction for Notre Dame with Strebig.
OT Matty Augustine
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Notre Dame’s really surged for Augustine since he received an offer following his Lineman's Challenge performance at ND in June. The Irish are still sitting in a good spot following recent offers from Alabama, Florida and Miami.
WR Jerome Bettis Jr.
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It’s unclear who Notre Dame’s top competition is for Jerome Bettis Jr. as the Irish still appear to be the frontrunner for the son of the legendary former Irish running back.
WR Talyn Taylor
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Notre Dame has a proximity connection to Taylor, but I don’t think that’s going to be the biggest pull. The Irish are battling the likes of Georgia and UCLA, so how he can be used in ND’s offense will need to be a big selling point.
ATH James Flanigan
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Notre Dame’s evaluating Flanigan as both a tight end and defensive end these days. The Irish would be glad to have him and figure out his position later. Notre Dame continues to be in a good spot with the son of former Irish defensive lineman Jim Flanigan.
LB/DE Dominik Hulak
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The Irish have always been a top contender for Hulak, who Notre Dame started to consider as a potential vyper recruit. ND’s coaching staff gave him a look at the defensive end spot during an evaluation camp in June and liked what it saw. He’s high on the Irish too.
S Ethan Long
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Long made his third visit to Notre Dame since the start of April. He impressed at a Notre Dame camp in June and did so again during this past weekend’s visit. Notre Dame would love to have Long and Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick teammate Matty Augustine both in its 2025 class.
In addition to a grilling competition, the Irish recruiting staff organized a number of different games from more traditional — dodgeball, knockout, home run derby — to more unique — a blindfold donut game, a balloon cup game. Don't ask me the rules on the latter, but I've heard the games added a nice wrinkle to the event and created some competitive scenarios with a light-hearted feel.
Before I get into the visitors on Sunday, I'd be remiss if I didn't include some intel on four-star QB Deuce Knight, the top-dual threat quarterback in the 2025 class and Notre Dame’s top priority at the position. Knight spoke with Charleston Bowles following visits to Notre Dame on Thursday and Ole Miss on Friday, so don’t miss that story.
Coming out of the weekend, there’s some confidence coming out of Notre Dame that the Irish may have taken the lead in Knight’s recruitment. I’m not ready to make a Rivals FutureCast prediction for Notre Dame, but I’ve started to at least consider doing so for the first time.
Login to view embedded media
There were so many recruits who visited, so I don’t necessarily have a lot of information for each individual. But in gathering intel, these are the recruits I feel Notre Dame leads for at the moment:
RB Justin Thurman
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I still like my previous FutureCast prediction for Notre Dame with Thurman.
OT Owen Strebig
Login to view embedded media
I still like my previous FutureCast prediction for Notre Dame with Strebig.
OT Matty Augustine
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Notre Dame’s really surged for Augustine since he received an offer following his Lineman's Challenge performance at ND in June. The Irish are still sitting in a good spot following recent offers from Alabama, Florida and Miami.
WR Jerome Bettis Jr.
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It’s unclear who Notre Dame’s top competition is for Jerome Bettis Jr. as the Irish still appear to be the frontrunner for the son of the legendary former Irish running back.
WR Talyn Taylor
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Notre Dame has a proximity connection to Taylor, but I don’t think that’s going to be the biggest pull. The Irish are battling the likes of Georgia and UCLA, so how he can be used in ND’s offense will need to be a big selling point.
ATH James Flanigan
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Notre Dame’s evaluating Flanigan as both a tight end and defensive end these days. The Irish would be glad to have him and figure out his position later. Notre Dame continues to be in a good spot with the son of former Irish defensive lineman Jim Flanigan.
LB/DE Dominik Hulak
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The Irish have always been a top contender for Hulak, who Notre Dame started to consider as a potential vyper recruit. ND’s coaching staff gave him a look at the defensive end spot during an evaluation camp in June and liked what it saw. He’s high on the Irish too.
S Ethan Long
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Long made his third visit to Notre Dame since the start of April. He impressed at a Notre Dame camp in June and did so again during this past weekend’s visit. Notre Dame would love to have Long and Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick teammate Matty Augustine both in its 2025 class.