One of the reasons Notre Dame is considered “Tight End U” is because the school identifies and pursues talent at the position early and often. That has been the case with J.C. Wesell, who received an offer from Marcus Freeman and Co. earlier this month.
Wessel took an unofficial visit to South Bend in June and impressed Mike Denbrock and the rest of the offensive staff enough to earn an offer. Denbrock and the Irish staff impressed him enough that Notre Dame already looks like one of the top teams he’s considering.
Notre Dame will have its work cut out for it to win the battle for J.C. Wessel. The 2028 class won’t be able to sign on the dotted line in over a year, but plenty of Power 4 programs are already in the mix. He already boasts more than 30 offers, including from teams like Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M, and many others.
The 4-star 2028 tight end from The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, is ranked No. 116 nationally, No. 5 at tight end, and No. 17 in Florida according to the Rivals Industry Rankings. Wessel’s pursuit by the Fighting Irish continues the program’s efforts to establish a kind of Florida Dame pipeline, bringing in several Sunshine State prospects.
After a great conversation with @MikeDenbrock and @HarrisBivin , I am blessed to receive an offer from @NDFootball !!! #fightingIrish@Marcus_Freeman1 @GinoGuidugli @CarterAuman @Ethos_SG @tswessel @BollesFootball @bolles_atp @DeshawnBrownInc @ChadSimmons_ @adamgorney… pic.twitter.com/ffRvf6QtwQ
— J.C. Wessel 2028 TE (@John1cannon) June 13, 2026
J.C. Wessel offer shows Notre Dame football’s early Tight End U push
It’s not hard to see why the young tight end already has so many teams coming after him hard. Wessel is equally as good on the gridiron and the hardwood. On the field, he finished his sophomore year with 18 catches for 330 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also contributed on the defensive side of the ball, finishing with 16 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and a sack.
Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 225 pounds, he has a physically imposing frame despite having a couple more years to grow. He has a high catch radius, strong hands, and the ability to break away from defenders when he catches the ball in stride. Already in his young high school career, he has made a number of highlight plays, skying over defenders and hauling in tough, contested catches.
J. C. Wessel has already taken two unofficial visits to South Bend. He’s also taken three trips to Georgia, two to Florida State, and two to Vanderbilt. As far as standing out from the pack, Notre Dame has managed to hold its attention and looks like it will be in the mix for the foreseeable future. The next step will be securing a return trip to South Bend as the 2028 cycle continues.
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