5-star OT Will Black signs with Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Wallingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall five-star offensive tackle Will Black has signed with Notre Dame.

The 6-foot-7.5, 283-pounder is the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2025 On300. He ranks No. 26 overall and No. 6 at the OT position in the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Black was an under-the-radar pickup for Marcus Freeman and the Irish when he announced his commitment on Dec. 21, 2023. This February, On3 was the first to tab Black as a five-star prospect, bumping him up to No. 6 overall. His stock continued to rise as he dominated competition at the high school level.

Freeman and OL coach Joe Rudolph struck a chord with Black throughout his recruiting process. Those budding relationships helped him pull the trigger on his pledge last winter.

“I’ve built a great relationship with the coaches (Rudolph and Freeman) and I really believe in them and think they can develop me into the best player I can be,” Black told On3. “Notre Dame is known for  producing offensive linemen. The academics at Notre Dame are great and set you up for life after football. They have a great culture at Notre Dame and I believe I’m a great fit there.”

Black headlines the top-15 recruiting class that’s set to head to South Bend.

Will Black Scouting Summary

On3’s scouting and rankings team writes this of Black as a prospect:

“Highly coordinated athlete with the frame, balance and movement skills to develop into a premier left tackle. Measured in at 6-foot-7.5, 283 pounds with 34.25-inch arms and 9.75-inch hands at the On3 Elite Series prior to his senior season. New to football, picking up the game at the beginning of high school. Looks like a true top athlete in the combine setting, running an electronically timed 4.90 second 40-yard dash along with a shuttle in the 4.5 second range prior to his senior season. Plays with eye-popping bend for such a tall lineman. Gets low in his stance. Able to get underneath the pads of defenders and runs his feet to create a push. Plays with outstanding balance. Shows encouraging vision with the radar to identify defenders not in his direct line of sight. A smooth, light-footed mover in pass protection with the ability to redirect with ease.

…Drops his weight to anchor on contact. Will need to continue getting stronger in his upper body. Showed his rare athleticism as a senior, catching a pass and running for a touchdown from around 50 yards out. Moved to the United States to attend boarding school prior to his junior season. Has a hockey background. Older for the class after reclassifying upon moving to the US. Should be able to add weight and maintain his top shelf athleticism. The overall physical tools and technical skills along with the relative lack of experience point to a very promising upside as the top offensive tackle in a very strong cycle at the position nationally.”