Notre Dame visit a priority for 2025 top 150 DL London Merritt
London Merritt’s recruitment has not become any easier for Notre Dame since it entered it on May 4. If anything, the Fighting Irish face much stronger competition for the 2025 four-star defensive lineman after he dropped his top 12 about four weeks after his offer.
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Merritt totals 34 Power Five scholarship offers but is down to Notre Dame, Alabama, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, LSU, North Carolina, Ohio State, Southern California, Tennessee and Texas A&M.
Because college coaches are not permitted to contact 2025 class recruits until Sept. 1, Atlanta Woodward Academy’s Merritt has not communicated much with the Irish coaching staff. So, he relied on his past experiences with one of their former players to affirm their spot in his recruitment.
Merritt attended Marist School from seventh to ninth grade. Marist was home to former Notre Dame All-America safety Kyle Hamilton, who Merritt idolized during his youth. Hamilton favored the Irish for several reasons, and Merritt is starting to figure those out for himself.
“I know they have a great school and football program,” Merritt told Blue & Gold. “There’s a lot of good things that make them check the box for me.”
The On3 Industry Ranking — a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services — considers Merritt the No. 64 overall player, No. 5 defensive lineman and No. 11 prospect in Georgia. He has a 93.25 rating.
In On3’s own rankings, he’s the No. 128 overall player, No. 10 defensive lineman and No. 18 prospect in Georgia. On3 gave him a 91 rating.
His On3 NIL Valuation annual value is $58,000.
Merritt making visiting Notre Dame a priority
While Notre Dame is already considered one of his top 12 schools, Merritt said he needs to visit campus and build a connection with the coaching staff for ND to remain one of his favorites. And he hopes that takes place later this month.
Merritt and his Woodward Academy teammate, 2025 wide receiver Jerome Bettis Jr., were supposed to visit Notre Dame together in June. However, that trip fell apart. He’s eager to make it to South Bend on his own accord later this month with his family.
“As of right now, I don’t have too much information on Notre Dame,” he said. “But that’s what the visit is for — for me to learn. I’ll go up there, learn a lot more and ask questions. Boost the interest level.”
Merritt has made his fair share of visits elsewhere. He has seen Clemson, Florida State, LSU and Ohio State just last month alone. He’s previously been to Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Before this month’s possible Notre Dame visit, he intends to return to Alabama.
Although he doesn’t know much about the Irish, his previous visits to opposing schools will help guide him during his hopeful trip to Notre Dame.
“I want to spend time around my position coach,” he said. “We (need) to feel like we’re at home. It’s important for me to learn about him and for him to learn about my family. I’d also like him to show us around the campus and facilities.”
Now the next step for Merritt will be actually visiting.
“Notre Dame is in my top 12, so I got to take a visit up there,” he said. “Spend some time and show them some love.”
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