'Unicorn' freshman safety raising eyebrows among Notre Dame coaches, analysts

Notre Dame’s newest ball hawk turns heads—and receivers helpless—in fall-camp stunner
MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Now that the Notre Dame football team has opened its fall camp, some players are struggling a bit, such as CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey. There are also defensive stars that are making a name for themselves. First, it was Tae Johnson, and now it's freshman safety JaDon Blair.

On Saturday, Blair stood out in practice in a way that coaches and analysts alike noticed. While the freshman is a ways down the expected depth chart for this season, if he continues to play the way he did this weekend, he could see a surge.

JaDon Blair’s interception and blanket coverage headline a standout Notre Dame footblal Saturday session

As On3's Jack Soble said, Blair has a body that is a "unicorn" because of his 6-foot-5 frame. He used that frame to lock down every receiver he covered, picking off a pass as well as knocking one down. While he didn't directly stop any other passes, he also didn't allow any receiver he was covering to catch a pass.

The interception was especially impressive, according to onlookers. Blair cut a horizontal route but just managed to jump in front of the receiver and swipe the ball out of the air with his long arms. The play was good enough that his teammates could be heard cheering raucously.

Blair's talent isn't a surprise. He was the No. 5 player in North Carolina and No. 11 safety in the 2025 class according to the Rivals Industry Rankings. He was a 4-star prospect who was a massive win for Marcus Freeman and his coaching staff when he signed on the dotted line.

Now officially a member of the Notre Dame football team, it's starting to look like he could make some real noise as a true freshman, even if he's still incredibly new to defensive coordinator Chris Ash's scheme.