Spring game visitor storylines: Could Notre Dame log a surprise commitment for third straight year?

The Notre Dame football recruiting beat has learned to keep their social media notifications on this time of year. In the last two, the Fighting Irish have pulled off unprompted pledges from high school sophomore recruits during Blue-Gold Game weekend.

On April 23, 2022, West Bloomfield (Mich.) High defensive lineman Brandon Davis-Swain made a surprise visit to South Bend. It was more or less a pit stop on his way to attend a high school football camp in Indianapolis the next day. But before he left campus, Davis-Swain verbally committed to defensive line coach Al Washington. 

Last April, then-Miami Belen Jesuit defensive lineman Davion Dixon was hardly on campus for a few hours before giving the Irish their first 2025 commit the night before the spring game. 

Both stunning declarations left questions about whether they would stick and sign with Notre Dame. In Davis-Swain’s case, he did not. The Irish parted ways with him in December 2022 after he visited opposing programs the next football season. 

As for Dixon, a three-star recruit and No. 64 defensive lineman nationally in 2025, despite initially saying he would still consider other schools and reeling in offers from Georgia and Ohio State, the Miami Palmetto product has remained fully locked in with Notre Dame.

Could there be another surprise commitment this year? That is one of three storylines Blue & Gold will be monitoring entering Saturday

Is there a surprise commitment candidate on the Notre Dame visitor list?

It is tough to say exactly. Although my colleague Mike Singer made a bold prediction that Dixon would end up in the class last year at this time, Singer took a much more reserved approach in Thursday’s visitor preview. Instead, he left me to reveal one of my hunches. 

Earlier this week, I told Singer I thought Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy could be this year’s Davis-Swain and Dixon. No inside information. Just suspicion … even if it was slightly informed.

Golden called Notre Dame his dream offer when it extended one to the 6-foot-4½, 246-pounder on Pot of Gold Day. That is enough for me to have social media notifications on for him this weekend.

The Irish would also be thrilled to add him to the 2026 class. According to the On3 Industry Ranking, Golden is the No. 266 overall player, No. 27 defensive lineman nationally and No. 55 prospect in Florida in 2026. 

Another name worth monitoring for eventual commitment this weekend or in the future is Indianapolis Warren Central defensive lineman JJ Finch. On Tuesday, Singer logged a prediction for Finch to commit to Notre Dame after he visited campus for the second time within one week. 

If Finch, the No. 24 defensive lineman and the top prospect in Indiana in 2026, makes it back to South Bend again Saturday, putting him on commit watch is only fair. Finch is not on our visitor list, but it would be unsurprising if he made the 150-mile trip back to campus. 

Can Notre Dame build momentum for Jayvan Boggs? 

Last year, the Irish picked up a silent pledge from Charlotte (N.C.) Christian wide receiver Micah Gilbert during his first trip to campus. The four-star recruit publicized it on May 2. Notre Dame appears to have more work in Jayvan Boggs’ recruitment going into his first visit.

On Wednesday, the 6-foot, 200-pound pass catcher from Cocoa (Fla.) High revealed his Top 7 schools. Boggs, a former Ohio State commit, has a more focused group with officials set to UCF (May 31), USC (June 7), Georgia (June 14) and Missouri (June 21). 

If Notre Dame wants to be on Boggs’ official visit schedule, it will make an effort to impress him this weekend. One reason 2025 class four-star quarterback commit Deuce Knight is coming to campus Saturday is to recruit Boggs personally. Knight will surely look to build momentum for the standout Sunshine State rising senior.

The On3 Industry Ranking considers Boggs the No. 211 overall player, No. 26 wide receiver in America and No. 33 recruit in Florida in 2025. He arrived in South Bend on Friday for his unofficial visit. 

Will Notre Dame further distance itself from the competition building in Deuce Knight’s recruitment? 

Alabama and Ole Miss have not stopped recruiting Lucedale (Miss.) George County’s Knight since he secured his spot in Notre Dame’s class on Sept. 18. Both the Tide’s Kalen DeBoer and Rebles’ Lane Kiffin visited the 6-4½, 200-pound southpaw during the NCAA recruiting contact period. 

In March, Knight logged an outstanding multiple-day unofficial visit to Notre Dame. Adding another one on Saturday will only help keep Knight’s mind off other schools despite their recurring pushes for him.

“Coach Freeman says if you’re away from something a long time your mind will start to sway. They want to get me up there as much as they can so my mind don’t sway,” Knight told The Athletic on March 19. 

Knight will return to South Bend for an official visit from June 14-16. Surely, SEC schools will continue to compete for the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 7 quarterback in the class. However, as his recruitment currently stands, all signs indicate him inking with the Irish in December. Another successful trip on Saturday would only add confidence to that.

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