Four-star EDGE Christopher Burgess commits to Notre Dame football over Michigan and Ohio State

One of Chicago’s best has chosen to play his college football in South Bend. Simeon Career Academy four-star EDGE Christopher Burgess announced his verbal commitment to the Notre Dame football program. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Burgess revealed his Fighting Irish pledge during Saturday’s All-American Bowl game in San Antonio. 

“What it really came down to was life after football,” Burgess told On3’s Chad Simmons about his decision to pick the Irish. “That Notre Dame degree carries a lot of weight. It sets you up for life. You can get any job, you can work anywhere in the world and the alumni is always going to be there. The degree is what set Notre Dame apart at the end for me. What Notre Dame offers is different.”

Burgess’ commitment comes after a highly competitive recruitment that began 19 months ago with Akron and Illinois scholarship offers. Thirty-one other Power Five programs have offered Burgess since then, including Alabama, Michigan and Ohio State. The Irish ultimately beat out the Buckeyes to secure a commitment from the top 130 overall recruit.

In addition to being the No. 130 overall player in the 2025 class, Burgess is also the No. 9 EDGE rusher nationally and the No. 5 prospect in Illinois, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He is similarly ranked in On3’s own player rankings as the No. 129 overall recruit, No. 8 EDGE and No. 3 prospect in the state.

Notre Dame offered Burgess during its Pot of Gold Day recruiting event on March 17. About 65 recruits in the 2025 class reported new Irish offers during the St. Patrick’s Day-themed recruiting event. He is also among 18 EDGE rushers with a Notre Dame offer in his class. 

A group of five Irish coaches made Burgess a top priority. Defensive line coach Al Washington, defensive line assistant Nick Sebastian, defensive coordinator Al Golden, director of recruiting Chad Bowden, and head coach Marcus Freeman all played major roles in Burgess’s recruitment. 

Burgess is one of three Chicago area players committed to the Irish in the 2025 cycle. They also added previous pledges from two prospects in Elmhurst, Ill., a Chicago suburb: York Community defensive lineman Joseph Reiff and IC Catholic Prep linebacker Dominik Hulak. 

Notre Dame’s 2025 class is up to 12 commits with Burgess’ pledge.

Christopher Burgess showed he liked Notre Dame early in his college recruitment 

Notre Dame normally waits until St. Patrick’s Day of a recruit’s sophomore year to extend them a scholarship. But Burgess expressed intrigue in the Irish five months before Notre Dame formalized its interest in the standout D-line recruit. 

Burgess traveled to South Bend on Oct. 15, 2022, when the Irish hosted Stanford. He returned to campus on March 25, eight days after he reported his Notre Dame offer. Since then, he has made it to every major Irish recruiting event.

The On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 3 defensive lineman in Illinois was in South Bend for the Blue-Gold Game (April 22), Irish Invasion camp (June 4), Grill & Chill cookout (July 30) and Ohio State game (Sept. 23). Burgess’ mother accompanied him on his trip to Notre Dame when the Irish hosted the Buckeyes. It was the only college visit she had attended. 

No school hosted Burgess more than Notre Dame. He reported five visits to Michigan and four to Illinois and Ohio State. Wisconsin hosted him twice. He visited Purdue, Michigan State, Iowa, Tennessee and Colorado one time. Burgess never saw Alabama, which was a finalist in his recruitment. 

Burgess just three seasons into his football career

Despite being among the most coveted EDGE rushers in the 2025 recruiting class, Burgess did not begin playing football until his freshman season. 

Still, he drew Power Five interest immediately. His father took him to college football camps before his freshman year. By the time his sophomore season began, the offer from the Illini had come. 

Georgia, Ole Miss, Missouri, Auburn, Washington, Texas A&M, Southern California, Miami, Oregon, Florida and LSU are among the schools that offered him before Saturday’s announcement. 

Burgess had high expectations for his junior season. However, an injury limited him to just six games — only three of which he played healthy. In the final three outings, he played with a club on his right hand. Still, he had 24 tackles, 8 for loss, 5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries and a pass breakup in 2023. 

As a junior, the Chicago Public League named Burgess to their All-Public League First Team. It was his first time earning a spot on the list. 

Burgess is just the third recruit Notre Dame has signed from the CPL in the internet recruiting era (since 2002). The Irish previously inked Chicago Hubbard four-star running back Robert Hughes (2007) and Chicago Morgan Park four-star quarterback Demetrius Jones (2006).