What to know about 2025 defensive recruits officially visiting Notre Dame in June
Only vacancies at linebacker and safety remain in Notre Dame football’s 2025 defensive recruiting class. To make progress toward filling them, the Fighting Irish will welcome two prospects at each position on campus for an official visit in about two weeks.
Three of those targets will be in town when most of the Notre Dame defensive class is also in South Bend from June 7-9. With those visits just around the corner, Blue & Gold breaks down what to know about each uncommitted defender officially visiting Notre Dame next month.
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Winston-Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor S Jadon Blair
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 151 overall player, No. 15 safety nationally and No. 5 prospect in North Carolina in 2025
Notre Dame official visit date: June 11-13
After spring official visits to Louisville and Virginia Tech, four-star JaDon Blair will spend his June checking out Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State and South Carolina. He’s been to South Bend three times previously, Penn State on five occasions, South Carolina two other times, and Florida and Michigan once each.
The Irish have the No. 7 and 36 safeties in the 2025 class verbally committed in Ivan Taylor and Ethan Long. Still, Notre Dame covets the 6-foot-4, 180-pound Blair.
Of the schools he either has or will officially visit, only Virginia Tech (Knahlij Harrell) and South Carolina (Damarcus Leach) have safeties committed. Despite Blair having the opportunity to be featured in other classes, the buzz is the Irish have the edge in his recruitment.
San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra Catholic LB Madden Faraimo
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 79 overall player, No. 8 linebacker nationally and No. 5 prospect in California in 2025
Notre Dame official visit date: June 7-9
Four-star Madden Faraimo has official visits scheduled to Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas and Washington as he aims to lock in a commitment before his senior season. Oregon and Southern California are also finalists for the 6-3, 225-pounder. He’s previously unofficially visited each one of those schools.
Faraimo had a fantastic trip to South Bend last month, which solidified the Irish as one of the favorites. It also gave him plenty to consider going into official visits. Notre Dame would love to add Faraimo to a linebacker class that contains three-star Ko’o Kia and four-star Anthony Sacca.
Like Notre Dame, Ohio State has a three-star (Eli Lee) and four-star (Tarvos Alford) committed. However, Oregon (Nasir Wyatt), Southern California (Matai Tagoa’i), and Texas (Elijah Barnes) have only one linebacker declared. While Washington has none, Faraimo’s high school teammate, offensive lineman Jake Flores, is pledged to the Huskies.
Montvale (N.J.) St. Joseph Regional DB Jahmir Joseph
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 181 overall player, No. 22 cornerback nationally and No. 4 prospect in New Jersey in 2025
Notre Dame official visit date: June 7-9
Four-star Jahmir Joseph is down to Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford and South Carolina despite schools like Ohio State and Auburn still looking to get involved. The Irish initially began recruiting the 6-foot, 185-pound Joseph as a cornerback, but three four-star commits at the position changed his designation to safety. When he arrives on June 7, it will be his first time in South Bend.
Joseph has been to Penn State the most of any school, unofficially visiting three times ahead of his June OV. The Nittany Lions only have one cornerback (Xxavier Thomas) committed in their defensive backfield. Joseph is also fresh off a trip to Georgia, which has no defensive backs in its 2025 class.
South Carolina has a 2025 corner (Shamari Earls) and a safety in Leach. Stanford has two players each at those respective positions (cornerbacks Lonnie McAllister and Chris Garland and safeties Omari Gaines and Donte Utu). Joseph has not reported an unofficial visit to Palo Alto, Calif., but was in Columbia, S.C., last month.
Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy LB Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 75 overall player, No. 5 linebacker nationally and No. 10 prospect in Florida in 2025
Notre Dame official visit date: June 7-9
Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, the younger half-brother of former Irish linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, recently reshuffled his official visits in favor of a Big Ten/Midwest flavor. Owusu-Boateng was originally supposed to go to Georgia, South Carolina and Stanford. However, the four-star canceled those trips to head to Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and USC instead.
The Irish made a major move in Owusu-Boateng’s recruitment when he visited for the first time on Jan. 20. Apparently, the other schools he is visiting impressed him, too, since he dropped his previous OVs for his current ones after seeing them all this spring.
As previously noted, Notre Dame and Ohio State have two thumpers in their respective 2025 classes. USC has one and Michigan has none.
The post What to know about 2025 defensive recruits officially visiting Notre Dame in June appeared first on On3.
