Notre Dame football: Braden Fiske down to three

According to Allen Trieu of 247Sports, Notre Dame football is a finalist to land Western Michigan transfer Braden Fiske. The other two schools the talented defensive lineman is choosing from are USC and Florida State.

If you ask me, Notre Dame should have this one in the bag, regardless of NIL money being tossed around. If it comes down to only NIL money, they’ll lose out quickly as they don’t throw NIL around like other schools. That said, if Braden is as focused on his NFL future as he says he is, Notre Dame unquestionably makes the most sense.

First and foremost, Fiske is from Michigan City, Indiana, just a short trip from South Bend for the rest of his family to attend games. The proximity and ability to be in your element as you prepare for your final season and for NFL draft stock to rise would help him in this case. Being close to home as he prepares for the next chapter of his life would be the best thing for him.

Not to mention, Notre Dame football has typically had more defensive success over the last couple of years. Florida State was ranked higher in total defense last year, but Notre Dame wasn’t far behind. Where the Irish do outrank the Seminoles and Trojans is when it comes to run defense and ability. The Irish were 44th in the nation, whereas the others were 62nd and 63rd, respectively. Even with the loss of Isaiah Foskey, joining a unit that is already in the top 50 in the nation would only help Fiske’s prospective NFL chances.

There are numerous reasons Notre Dame is the team to beat in the race for Braden Fiske, but that can quickly change in today’s college football landscape. USC is one of the most notorious teams for throwing around loads of NIL money, and Florida State isn’t far behind. With Notre Dame not typically willing to talk NIL until you’re on campus, that’s their one significant disadvantage. If Fiske trusts in his abilities and the process, while I’m biased, the choice seems pretty straightforward.

The Notre Dame football program is in a great position here, but they have to stay on top of things if they want to land the talented Braden Fiske. Bringing him in would be a championship-level boost to the defensive line.