Initial visitors list: Notre Dame to host several top recruiting targets for Ohio State game
South Bend, Ind., will be home to one of the biggest college football recruiting visitor weekends this season when No. 9 Notre Dame takes on No. 6 Ohio State on Saturday night.
Blue & Gold has already confirmed that 21 recruiting targets will be on campus for the Fighting Irish primetime clash against the Buckeyes. Here’s which Notre Dame football recruiting targets we expect in town for this rivalry game.
Recruits sorted by class and then On3 Industry Ranking
Notre Dame football 2024 class recruiting visitors for the Ohio State game
Three-star S Davis Andrews
6-foot-4, 190 pounds | American Fork (Utah) High | No. 705 overall player, No. 71 safety and No. 5 prospect in Utah
The Irish are battling Utah, UCLA and BYU for Davis Andrews, who will visit Notre Dame for the third time Saturday. He officially visited on June 6, less than two months after checking out campus for the Blue-Gold Game on April 22.
Notre Dame looked like the clear-cut leader for Andrews entering the football season. However, after a return visit to Utah for the Aug. 31 Florida game, the schools out West have tightened this race.
Andrews plans to make a The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) mission, delaying his enrollment until 2026. Still, coach Marcus Freeman showed him he was a priority by stopping by his high school on Jan. 25.
RECENT STORY: Davis Andrews update: Where the 2024 S target stands with recruiting, Notre Dame
Notre Dame football 2025 class recruiting visitors for the Ohio State game
Four-star WR Talyn Taylor
6-1, 165 | Geneva (Ill.) Community | No. 71 overall player, No. 12 wide receiver and No. 3 prospect in Illinois
One week after visiting Georgia, Talyn Taylor will make the about 140-mile trip to Notre Dame for the third time. His first visit was on March 25, eight days after he reported his Irish scholarship offer. Taylor is one of 12 targets visiting this weekend that also attended Notre Dame’s “grill & chill” recruiting event on July 30.
RECENT STORY: How Notre Dame WR target Tayln Taylor evaluates distance with differing visits on the docket
Four-star OT Owen Strebig
6-7, 295 | Waukesha (Wisc.) Catholic Memorial | No. 75 overall player, No. 9 offensive tackle and No. 1 prospect in Wisconsin
Since Notre Dame offensive line coach Joe Rudolph offered Owen Strebig on March 21, he has visited Notre Dame three times in four months. His first trip was on April 15 before returning on June 22. He last visited for the “grill & chill.”
RECENT STORY: Why Notre Dame could be a strong fit for elite OT Owen Strebig and his family
Four-star EDGE Christopher Burgess
6-4, 230 | Chicago Simeon Academy | No. 114 overall player, No. 12 EDGE and No. 5 prospect in Illinois
If there is a big event involving Notre Dame football, Christopher Burgess is often there. Since picking up his offer on Pot of Gold Day, he’s been back on campus for times, including for the Blue-Gold Game, the June 4 Irish Invasion and the “grill & chill.”
RECENT STORY: How Notre Dame D-line coach Al Washington prioritized Christopher Burgess during Irish Invasion
Four-star LB Christian Jones
6-3, 215 | Omaha (Neb.) Westside | No. 138 overall player, No. 12 linebacker and No. 1 prospect in Nebraska
After defensive coordinator Al Golden discovered 2024 linebacker commit Teddy Rezac during a stop by his and Christian Jones’ high school in May, Jones will return the favor by making his first Notre Dame visit. This will be a big one with in-state school Nebraska out in front for his verbal commitment.
RECENT STORY: Top 150 LB Christian Jones ready to join Notre Dame commit Teddy Rezac for game day visit
Four-star LB Anthony Sacca
6-2½, 215 | Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep | No. 149 overall player, No. 14 linebacker and No. 3 prospect in Pennsylvania
Penn State legacy Anthony Sacca, the son of former Nittany Lions quarterback Tony Sacca, returns to Notre Dame for his second visit. His first visit was for the Blue-Gold Game. Sacca was the second recruit the Irish offered in the 2025 recruiting cycle.
RECENT STORY: Anthony Sacca update: Latest on the important Notre Dame LB target ahead of visit
Four-star CB Mark Zackery
6-0, 155 | Indianapolis Ben Davis | No. 172 overall player, No. 19 cornerback and No. 1 prospect in Indiana
Mark Zackery reshuffled his game-day visit schedule to get to Notre Dame for Saturday’s Ohio State game. It will be his fourth trip to campus. He also attended last year’s Clemson game and the “grill & chill.” Zackery’s second visit took place on June 12.
RECENT STORY: Everything four-star CB Mark Zackery said about his Notre Dame football recruitment
Four-star safety JaDon Blair
6-4, 180 | Winston-Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor | No. 186 overall player, No. 15 safety and No. 1 prospect in North Carolina
Jadon Blair first visited Notre Dame for the “grill & chill” recruiting event. Now, the potential On3 five-star recruit gets back into town for the biggest game on the Irish slate. Blair is a top-of-the-board recruiting target.
RECENT STORY: Four-star safety JaDon Blair raves about Notre Dame trip: ‘It’s the most fun visit I’ve been on’
Four-star LB Marco Jones
6-4, 215 | Danville (Calif.) San Ramon Valley | No. 200 overall player, No. 20 linebacker and No. 19 prospect in California
Like Christian Jones (no relation), Marco Jones will also visit Notre Dame for the first time on Saturday. He has 17 Power Five scholarship offers. Saturday’s visit will be Jones’ first unofficial college recruiting visit to a Midwestern school.
RECENT STORY: Four-star LB Marco Jones explains why he has his eye on hitting Notre Dame for a visit
Four-star WR Cooper Perry
6-2, 180 | Scottsdale (Ariz.) Notre Dame Preparatory School | No. 225 overall player, No. 33 wide receiver and No. 1 prospect in Arizona
Cooper Perry rivals Marco Jones for the longest travel inteirary to get to Notre Dame for the Ohio State game. Saturday should complete a long-awaited return for Perry, who has been itching to return to campus since his March 24 visit.
RECENT STORY: Four-star WR Cooper Perry raves about Notre Dame staff, updates recruitment
Four-star EDGE C.J. May
6-4, 225 | Highland Home (Ala.) High | No. 233 overall player, No. 20 EDGE and No. 14 prospect in Alabama
An SEC-heavy recruitment did not stop C.J. May from visiting Notre Dame on June 12. He returns on Saturday for his second visit and already has Irish quarterback commit Deuce Knight in his ear ahead of it.
RECENT STORY: Four-star EDGE CJ May explains why he included Notre Dame in his top 10 schools
Four-star OT Matty Augustine
6-7, 265 | Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School | No. 292 overall player, No. 22 offensive tackle and No. 1 prospect in Connecticut
Notre Dame trends for Matty Augustine after he visited for the “grill & chill.” This will be his third trip to South Bend. He previously visited for spring practice on April 14 before camping and getting an offer at the “Lineman’s Challenge” on June 3.
RECENT STORY: Key OT target Matty Augustine on what keeps bringing him back to Notre Dame
Four-star OL Rowan Byrne
6-6, 290 | New Rochelle (N.Y.) Iona Preparatory School | No. 307 overall player, No. 23 offensive tackle and No. 1 prospect in New York
It would not be surprising if Rowan Byrne’s Notre Dame football fandom kicked in during this marquee matchup. He grew up a fan and was overcome with emotion after earning an Irish scholarship offer during the program’s Evaluation Camp I on June 15. He returned to campus the next month for the “grill & chill.” Saturday’s his fourth Notre Dame visit.
RECENT STORY: How top OL Rowan Byrne’s recruitment turned into a Midwest battle after Notre Dame return visit
Four-star OL Michael Roeske
6-7, 280 | Wautoma (Wisc.) High | No. 316 overall player, No. 25 offensive tackle and No. 3 prospect in Wisconsin
Michael Roeske made a previously unreported visit to Notre Dame on May 25 and reeled in a full-ride scholarship offer from the Irish. This will be his second trip t0 campus as Notre Dame battles in-state Wisconsin, whom he’s seen seven times.
RECENT STORY: Why Notre Dame is a realistic option for four-star Wisconsin OT Michael Roeske
Three-star S Ethan Long
6-2, 185 | Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School | No. 344 overall player, No. 29 safety and No. 2 prospect in Connecticut
A teammate of Augustine and a Notre Dame legacy, Ethan Long will return to South Bend for the fourth time as a recruit. He was a “grill & chill” attendee and worked out at Notre Dame’s Evaluation Camp III on June 22. He also visited with Augustine on April 14. Long is a cousin of former Irish wide receiver and captain Austin Webster
RECENT STORY: Stud safety Ethan Long gets a taste of team chemistry during latest Notre Dame visit
Three-star Vyper Dominik Hulak
6-3, 225 | Elmhurst (Ill.) Immaculate Conception Catholic Prep | No. 406 overall player, No. 39 linebacker and No. 11 prospect in Illinois
Dominik Hulak became a priority target for Notre Dame after visiting for the “grill & chill.” That was his third visit to campus after participating in the Evaluation Camp I. His first visit was on March 25 for spring practice.
RECENT STORY: Dominant 2025 EDGE Dominik Hulak has ‘awesome’ time at Notre Dame’s ‘grill & chill’
Three-star RB Daniel Anderson
5-11, 190 | Bryant (Ark.) High | No. 418 overall player, No. 38 running back and No. 4 prospect in Arkansas
Daniel Andreson returns to Notre Dame for the third time after he received a full-ride scholarship offer from Deland McCullough at the Irish Invasion on June 4. He was one of several recruits that returned for the “grill & chill.” And he could be the next Irish commit.
RECENT STORY: 2025 RB Daniel Anderson details what he learned from Deland McCullough during latest Notre Dame visit
Three-star WR Jerome Bettis Jr.
6-3, 185 | Atlanta Woodward Academy | No. 449 overall player, No. 64 wide receiver and No. 49 prospect in Georgia
The Irish are also out in front for legacy Jerome Bettis Jr. ahead of his fifth campus visit as a recruit. He was already on campus this season for the Tennessee State game on Sept. 2. However, that was technically not in an official recruiting capacity. The Bettis family is longtime friends with TSU coach Eddie George.
RECENT STORY: Why 2025 WR Jerome Bettis Jr.’s latest Notre Dame visit was so important
S Jayce Cora
6-4, 180 | Naples (Fla.) Lely | No current On3 Industry Ranking rating
Notre Dame safeties coach Chris O’Leary offered Jayce Cora on Aug. 1, the first day college coaches could contact college recruits permissibly. Cora reports Power Five scholarship offers from Louisville, Illinois and West Virginia.
This will be his first Notre Dame recruiting visit.
DL Joseph Reiff
6-5, 230 | Elmhurst (Ill.) York Community High | No current On3 Industry Ranking rating
Joseph Reiff participated in Notre Dame’s Evaluation Camp II and left with a full-ride scholarship offer from defensive line coach Al Washington. He then returned for the “grill & chill” recruiting event. Reiff’s father played at Northwestern. The younger Reiff has six Power Five offers.
RECENT STORY: Why Notre Dame is near the top of suburban Chicago DL recruit Joseph Reiff’s radar
Notre Dame football 2026 class recruiting visitors for the Ohio State game
QB Noah Grubbs
6-3½, 210 | Lake Mary (Fla.) High | No current On3 Industry Ranking rating
Notre Dame quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli offered Noah Grubbs after his performance in the Evaluation I camp. Saturday will be his second trip to campus. Grubbs is one of five quarterbacks the Irish have offered in the 2026 recruiting cycle.
RECENT STORY: Notre Dame offer a moment 2026 QB Noah Grubbs will never forget
The post Initial visitors list: Notre Dame to host several top recruiting targets for Ohio State game appeared first on On3.
