2025 EDGE C.J. May decommits from Notre Dame football

Notre Dame football’s 2025 class defensive line board is expanding, and its verbal commitment list shrunk by one Sunday. Four-star EDGE C.J. May has announced his decommitment from the Fighting Irish.

May, the No. 224 overall player and No. 18 EDGE nationally per the On3 Industry Ranking, backed off his a pledge he gave Sept. 23 following increased interest from ACC and SEC schools. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound May made an unofficial visit to Auburn on Jan. 13. He returned to Notre Dame for the fourth time on Jan. 20.

May is the second recruit to decommit from the Irish in the 2025 cycle. On Aug. 15, four-star tight end Nate Roberts reopened his recruitment after initially pledging the the program on June 17. The 6-4, 230-pound Roberts is the No. 119 overall player, No. 5 tight end and No. 2 prospect in Oklahoma in 2025, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

“This has been on my mind for a few weeks,” May told On3’s Chad Simmons. “I started having second thoughts because of how far from home it is. I have the most respect for Coach Marcus Freeman and the staff at Notre Dame, but the more I thought about the fit, I just didn’t think Notre Dame was the best for me. 

“I’m from Alabama. I am in the country and I have to find the best place for me. When I make my decision, it has to be a place I can be happy at and live at for the next 3-4 years, so that is what I am looking for now.”

Following May’s recent trip to South Bend, the Highland Home (Ala.) High junior publicly acknowledged that coaches from Miami and Syracuse visited his school during the NCAA January recruiting contact period. Other programs had been in touch more regularly with the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 14 recruit in Alabama. 

“The schools trying to push harder than others are Louisville, and Texas A&M is pushing pretty hard since they offered the other day,” May told Blue & Gold on Jan. 5. “Michigan is trying to get me to bite on it. They haven’t offered me, but they’re trying to invite me to come up and visit. Auburn contacts me here and there. Ole Miss is pushing pretty hard.”

However, May told Blue & Gold on Jan. 25 that he did not plan to pay any opposing unofficial college recruiting visits in the future.

“As of right now, I don’t think so,” he said. “I want to keep (the Notre Dame) staff happy.”

May reports 17 Power Four offers, including Clemson, Georgia, Miami and Penn State.

Notre Dame 2025 class defensive line recruiting is still in good shape despite C.J. May’s commitment

Despite May’s commitment, Notre Dame has three other defensive line commits: Davion Dixon, Joseph Reiff and Christopher Burgess Jr.

Chicago Simeon Career Academy’s Burgess, a four-star, is the highest-ranked of the group. The On3 Industry Ranking considers him the No. 126 overall player, No. 9 EDGE in the country and No. 5 prospect in Illinois. Elmhurst (Ill.) York’s Reiff and Miami Palmetto’s Dixon are both three-star prospects and the No. 39 and 43 defensive linemen in the class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

The Irish are also well-positioned for Indianapolis Warren Central four-star EDGE Damien Shanklin, the No. 179 overall player and No. 16 EDGE in the class. Shanklin, also the No. 3 prospect in Indiana, visited for Notre Dame’s junior day on Jan. 20. It was his fourth visit to campus in as many months.

On Thursday, the Irish hosted 2025 EDGE Javeon Campbell from Frankfort (Ky.) Western Hills on an unofficial visit on Thursday. Campbell does not yet hold an On3 Industry Ranking rating. His college football recruitment sparked with a Minnesota offer last month. Cincinnati, Louisville, Purdue, Vanderbilt and West Virginia have also offered him.

In addition to Shanklin and Campbell, Notre Dame continues to target Nashville Ensworth’s Ethan Utley and Overland Park (Kan.) St. Thomas Aquinas’ Juju Marks, among others. Utley is the No. 104 overall player and No. 12 defensive lineman nationally, while Marks is No. 210 overall and No. 20 at the position.