Marcus Freeman came so close to glory last season, leading the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to their first National Championship appearance in over a decade.
However, his success with the team doesn't stop on the field. The Notre Dame head coach has continued to dominate off the field as well, continuously bringing in some of the top recruiting classes in the nation.
This offseason was no different for Freeman and the Fighting Irish as they recruited the No. 2 class in the country. The highlight of the draft class? The show-stopping defense that will be joining Notre Dame this fall.
The entire recruiting class has 21 total commitments, 20 of which are blue-chip prospects (rated as a three-star or higher). The defensive commitments include some of the most highly coveted players in the country.
Notre Dame has the No. 2-ranked recruiting class, and it's LOADED with talent on defense😲
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) June 20, 2025
17 of their 19 total commits rank as blue-chip prospects. https://t.co/YGONcLE9b6 pic.twitter.com/tLcYohje4f
Notre Dame Fighting Irish recruiting class of 2025
- Rodney Dunham, five-star EDGE
- Joey O'Brien, four-star safety
- Khary Adams, four-star cornerback
- Ebenezer Ewetade, four-star EDGE
- Javian Osborne, four-star running back
- Tyler Merrill, four-star interior offensive lineman
- Jonaz Walton, four-star running back
- Gregory Patrick, four-star interior offensive lineman
- Ayden Pouncey, four-star safety
- Noah Grubbs, four-star quarterback
- Thomas Davis Jr., four-star linebacker
- Ben Nichols, four-star interior offensive lineman
- Grayson McKeogh, four-star offensive tackle
- Bubba Frazier, four-star wide receiver
- Chaston Smith, four-star cornerback
- Sullivan Garvin, four-star interior offensive lineman
- Kobe Clapper, four-star linebacker
- Tiki Hola, three-star defensive lineman
- Dylan Faison, three-star wide receiver
- Preston Fryzel, three-star tight end
- Charlie Thom, unrated offensive tackle
The success clearly doesn't end with the defensive unit. Freeman also brought in a dozen offensive stars, including an onslaught of interior offensive linemen. Quarterback Noah Grubbs and targets Bubba Frazier, Dylan Faison, and Preston Fryzel will beef up the Fighting Irish's air-raid offense while running backs Javian Osborne and Jonaz Walton add even more firepower to the ground game.
To put it lightly, Notre Dame is set to be good for years to come, and that is largely thanks to the recruiting work put in by Freeman and his staff.