Notre Dame lands a commitment from top safety target JaDon Blair

Winston Salem (NC) Mount Tabor On300 safety JaDon Blair announced his commitment to Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame on Friday, choosing the Irish over Michigan and Penn State among many others.

The 6-foot-4.5, 195-pound Blair becomes commit No. 22 for the Irish in the 2025 recruiting class.

“Really just that life after football aspect love shown through the process,” Blair said. “There wasn’t a dull moment, at least every day hearing from one of them. Chad (Bowden), Coach Al Golden, Coach (Mike) Mickens, Coach Freeman. I was hearing from someone every day and that was huge in me loving Notre Dame.”

The On3 Industry ranks Blair as the nation’s No. 15 safety and No. 157 prospect overall. We are higher on him at On3 slotting him at No. 8 and No. 85 respectively. He adds to a class that ranked No. 7 nationally prior to his pledge.

The Irish have won at least 10 games in six of the last seven seasons and Blair believes ND is on the cusp of even more.

“That’s the expectation with the class coming in and me joining the class,” Blair said. “The guys they already got there now are some really good dudes. In one or two years we will be a National Title contender and I believe that.”

Blair was one of ND’s top overall targets

As a junior Blair registered 56 tackles, four interceptions and a forced fumble and on offense turned 10 receptions into six touchdowns. He believes the Irish staff will get the best out of him on the next level.

“I love the way Coach MIckens coaches and teaches the defensive plays and how they run stuff,” Blair said. “I was in meetings and the way he coaches is so easy and so easy to pick up on. I’ve been a lot of places but Coach Mickens coaches the easiest and I feel I can get on the field fastest with the way he coaches and the terminology.

“Coach Golden is a mastermind the way he coaches the defense. How to strip the ball, how to tackle, what angles to take. He knows os many different things you can do inside football and I really trust what he’s doing as well.”

Blair took several visits to ND including his official visit on June 11.

“The people I got to talk to around the school and the business school,” Blair added. “I got to talk to (Tom) Mendoza. He’s the main guy. He’s thee guy of the school. That was huge for me getting to talk to somebody of that much power and influence of the school. I appreciated getting to talk to him. That’s why I said life after football and hwo they set you up networking with people in anything you can imagine.”

Other programs Blair strongly considered included Florida State, South Carolina and Virginia Tech.