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Basketball MBB: 2025 four-star SG Derek Dixon talks Notre Dame contact, interest

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Notre Dame men's basketball is approaching the 2025 recruiting class with a heavy focus on prioritizing in-state talent, but that isn't stopping the coaching staff from looking at blue-chip talent elsewhere.

I talked with Notre Dame 2025 shooting guard prospect Derex Dixon on Wednesday. Although the Irish haven't extended an offer, Dixon told me he's in steady contact with Notre Dame assistant coach Mike Farrelly.

"Coach Farelly has been the main one reaching out through both calls and texts," Dixon told Inside ND Sports. "He has been to multiple of my games and says he loves the way I play and my abilities on the court. Coach Farelly seemed really excited to recruit me, which I really appreciate. [Head] Coach [Micah] Shrewsberry had a lot of success at Penn State so I'm excited to see what he can do at Notre Dame."

According to Rivals, Dixon is a four-star recruit and ranked No. 91 overall in the 2025 recruiting class.

"I would say I'm a versatile player and have a wide variety of abilities on the court," Dixon said. "I think a system of fast pace and a coach who has confidence in me would be great."

Dixon plays on the grassroots basketball circuit with Team Takeover and attends Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga College High. He is teammates with 2025 center target Christian Gurdak on both teams.

The 6-foot-4, 185-pound recruit told me he's interested in growing his relationship and an offer would mean a lot. He said he's in no rush to cut down his list of schools and would seriously consider the Irish even if their offer came later in his recruitment.

Dixon has 16 offers including Kansas State, Maryland, Penn State, Syracuse, Virginia, Villanova and Xavier. He also took an unofficial visit to Pittsburgh last October.

Here are a few highlights of Dixon (No. 3, gray uniform) in the Nike EYBL Session 3 this past spring.

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Recruiting Notre Dame 2025 LB target Dominik Hulak eager ahead of July visit

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I spoke with Notre Dame 2025 linebacker target Dominik Hulak on Wednesday. He camped at Notre Dame in June and plans to return on July 30 for its cookout recruiting event.

Hulak attends Elmhurst (Ill.) IC Catholic Prep and is rated as a three-star by Rivals. He is ranked as the No 19 inside linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class.

In June, Hulak worked out as linebacker for defensive coordinator Al Golden and graduate assistant Max Bullough but also spent some drills as a defensive lineman for defensive line coach Al Washington.

Hulak had all positive things to say about how genuine Bullough and Washington were with their instruction last month. Hulak said his trip for Notre Dame's upcoming cookout will be steered more toward relationship building and finding his vibe with the coaching staff.

"I definitely want to get closer with Coach Bullough, Coach Washington and Coach Golden," Hulak told Inside ND Sports. "I've talked to [recruiting coordinator] Chad Bowden. He's been a main part of my recruiting with Notre Dame so I've been close with him and Coach Golden especially. I definitely want to get back down there and learn more about them, the program, the football team [and] more education wise too. That hasn't been like a thing yet over there so I want to get down there and learn more about schooling-wise [and] how everything would go."

This month's visit will be Hulak's third time on campus after visiting for spring practice and camping last month. Hulak already has his eye on a fourth visit for Notre Dame's game against Ohio State on Sept. 23.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound defender reports seven offers from Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Louisville, Purdue and Wisconsin. Hulak is also receiving interest from programs like Ohio State and Stanford.

Hulak visited Iowa and Purdue this summer and detailed his Hawkeyes visit with Go Iowa Awesome. He told me Iowa's made a really good impression on him thus far. In addition to Notre Dame, Hulak also has plans to visit Wisconsin on July 29.

Hulak said proximity to home is important to him and his family, as well as how much effort coaches' put into recruiting him.

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Basketball MBB: Watch Demetrius Jackson take Notre Dame men’s basketball freshmen through workout

Former Notre Dame men's basketball point guard Demetrius Jackson is in the gym with Irish freshmen Braeden Shrewsberry, Markus Burton and Carey Booth.

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Jackson played for the Irish from 2013-16 and spearheads player development and basketball training for "Elevate with Eleven."

Burton previously told Inside ND Sports about his relationship with Jackson. Both committed to the Irish after attending nearby high schools Mishawaka (Ind,) Marian and Mishawaka (Ind.) Penn.

"Demetrius is like a bigger brother to me," Burton said in May. "I talk to him every day. He's one of my mentors. He's always been there for me. He's helped me with my Notre Dame recruitment and he works me out a lot. I can't ask him for much more and I appreciate him."

Shrewsberry, Burton and Booth can be seen on slides 2-3 and 5-9 of Jackson's Instagram post and in additional posts from the Elevate with Eleven account.

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I'm back

I'm back this week after a vacation stint, which wrapped up with a few days in Galena, Ill. @Charleston Bowles and @Eric Hansen did a great job of carrying the coverage while I was gone. Unfortunately there wasn't a ton of good news on the recruiting front.

As I start to plan out our coverage for this week, what would you like us to prioritize. What are you most interested in right now?

Recruiting Q&A: Mount Tabor HC Tiesuan Brown discusses ND 2025 S target JaDon Blair

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Notre Dame is scheduled to host several 2025 targets for its July 30 cookout recruiting event including 2025 safety target JaDon Blair. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound defender received an offer from the Irish in April after a phone call from safeties coach Chris O'Leary. After his offer, Blair expressed his excitement to Inside ND Sports and highlighted Notre Dame's recent track record of developing Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton.

The 2025 recruiting cycle figures to be a crucial measuring stick for O'Leary and Blair is one of the early names to know at the position.

Before Blair visits Notre Dame later this month, I had a phone call with Winston Salem (N.C) Mount Tabor head coach Tiesuan Brown on Tuesday afternoon to learn a little bit more about the three-star recruits' makeup.

"The main thing about JaDon, man, he's a hard worker," Brown said. "In the classroom, on the field, in the weight room, he's going to do all the right things. He's not going to be late, he's going to be on time. He is your typical leader just by how he carries himself. He carries himself as a professional. He knows his goals, knows where he wants to get to and he's going [to] work hard to get there. I'd let that young man date my daughter, that's the type of guy he is."

JaDon's father, Jay, spent time on the practice squad for the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals after playing at East Carolina from 1998-2002. Brown said the family understands the recruiting process and emphasizes academics as much as football.

As a freshman, JaDon actually played quarterback on Mount Tabor's junior varsity team. However, Brown said he had a conversation with JaDon and told him if he wanted Power-Five offers, switching to defense would be best.

Brown said he believes JaDon is best at safety despite some thinking he may transition to linebacker. He detailed how he deployed Blair on Mount Tabor's defense last season.

"With his size, I kind of treat him like Kam Chancellor," Brown said. "I'll walk him down in the box to the strong side a lot of times and he can make a lot of plays in the box. I spin him to the middle of the field and he's long and rangy back there. I see a huge improvement from last year to this year as far as his movement. It's more fluid. He's coming out his backpedals a lot faster. He's taking great angles and I'm looking for him to have a huge season this year. The tackling part, I think that comes easy. He's a physical football player and [when] you come across that middle, he's going to let you know."

JaDon's visit later this month will be his first to Notre Dame. Rivals ranks him as the No. 25 safety in the 2025 recruiting class.

Heading into his junior season, JaDon holds 15 total offers including Notre Dame, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami (Fla.) and Penn State. He camped with the Nittany Lions last month.

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Recruiting ***Join us Tuesday at 7 p.m. EDT for Football Never Sleeps***

@Charleston Bowles and I will go live on YouTube on Tuesday at 7 p.m. EDT for the next edition of "Football Never Sleeps."

We'll discuss Notre Dame's remaining top targets in the 2024 class, early interest being expressed by 2025 targets, what needs must be addressed in those two classes and answer questions from viewers.

We hope you join us live with questions or submit some ahead of time. Hit the bell to set a reminder to get notified when we go live.

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If you'd like to submit questions, make sure you click through so you're watching on YouTube's site or in the YouTube app if you're on mobile. You can do so by clicking the headline at the top of the embedded video above. So where it says "Football Never Sleeps: ..." Or there should be spot that says "Watch on YouTube" in the bottom left.

Then to submit questions, there's a chat box to the right of the video on desktop or below the video on mobile.

Click here to subscribe to Inside ND Sports on YouTube.

Recruiting Q&A: Coaches of FIST Football Academy talk 2025 DE target Joseph Reiff

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2025 defensive end Joseph Reiff is one of many recruits expected to attend Notre Dame's July 30 cookout recruiting event. The Irish offered the Elmhurst (Ill.) York product after their Evaluation Camp II in June.

I caught up with Coach Kevin Sabo and Coach Benjamin Salomon on Tuesday afternoon. They've trained Reiff at FIST Football Academy since his eighth-grade year and offered insight before he makes his second visit to campus this summer.

Sabo focuses more on training offensive linemen but has spent plenty of time around Reiff, since the 6-foot-5, 235-pound defender actually began his training as a two-way lineman.

"Joseph has always had attention to detail and great respect for the game," Sabo told Inside ND Sports. "He is a true student and soaks in knowledge like a sponge. Joseph comes in with a smile and shows everyone in the room a tremendous amount of respect. He is a high motor kid that goes 100% every session."

Defensive line coach Al Washington monitored Reiff closely during camp last month and gave him extensive coaching in between drills. Salomon spearheads defensive linemen training at FIST Football Academy and said Reiff has all the tools to succeed at the Power-Five level

"His frame and body control will make him a nightmare in B gaps, even on the edge in the boundary," Salomon said. "He can plug in very nicely to any scheme. The amount of space he can consume in his first couple of steps will be a nightmare for offensive lines."

It's still early in his recruitment, but Reiff has an opportunity to grow his relationship with Washington later this month.

"Joe is a high character, high work ethic kid," Salomon said. "He is very bright and will lead by example. He has the kind of personality that inherently inspires those around him to step up their game. Joe embodies Notre Dame culture ... it would be a great fit."

Reiff has three offers from Iowa, Notre Dame and Purdue. He's also receiving interest from programs including Illinois, Iowa State, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern and Wisconsin.

He is not yet ranked or rated by Rivals.

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Recruiting New feature on Rivals prospect profiles

Rivals launched today a new feature on the profiles for current and former prospects: career highlights.

The career highlights feature shows a timeline of events that have occurred throughout a prospect's career. It appears below the FutureCast section and you can scroll left and right to see the highlights.

Click through below to check it out on CJ Carr's profile:

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It also includes transfer information like on Sam Hartman's profile:

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Ohio State, Duke: Heating Up

Ohio State seemed too much to expect last year. Now they come to ND with a new and lesser QB, two new OTs, and two new starters on the DL. Of course they are talented, but experience matters, especially at QB and the OL. This will be ND's 5th game, Ohio State's 4th. ND's strongest opponent will have been NCSt (plus Navy's D). Ohio St, Indiana. Advantage ND. If ND's O is going to click in '23, it will have to have clicked by this game. ND wins or it is a long year.

Duke and Mike Elko, and oh yeah, Riley Leonard, a very good QB. Still, ND has too many Jimmies and Joes for even Elko to cope with.
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Recruiting Adam Gorney | Respect My Decision Podcast: Justin Scott's OSU decision in depth


Scott's high school coach, Matt Miller, chats with Rivals national director of recruiting Adam Gorney.
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