Signing day stunner: Notre Dame signs Top-150 four-star LB Madden Faraimo

The Notre Dame football program has pulled off a true national signing day stunner. At the start of his Wednesday news conference, coach Marcus Freeman announced that San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra Catholic four-star linebacker Madden Faraimo has submitted his financial aid agreement and signed with the Fighting Irish.

“Well, I think it was a unique one, right?” Freeman told reporters Wednesday. “One that came down to today. We talked last night, and his mind wasn’t made up. We talked this morning; his mind wasn’t made up. Sometime after his conversations with our coaching staff, myself, (general manager) Chad Bowden, he came to the realization that this was the place he wanted to be.

“It was funny; I was talking to him and said, ‘Man, choose hard, choose hard.’ That’s what we use around here. He said, ‘Coach, I chose God.’ And I thought that was a powerful statement, and speaks volumes about the young man and his family.

“It was one of those ones that came down to the last minute. Until the papers came in, you were still on pins and needles.”

Faraimo, the No. 77 overall player and No. 4 linebacker nationally and No. 6 prospect in California in the class per the On3 Industry Ranking, is just a few days removed from officially visiting nearby Southern Cal, the school that finished as a runner-up in his recruitment. He made well over a dozen trips to USC’s campus. The Trojans held the momentum going into signing day.

However, as On3 director of recruiting Chad Simmons reported on the On3 Recruits YouTube channel Wednesday at about 11:45 a.m. ET, it was never a foregone conclusion that Faraimo would end up signing with the Trojans.

“Going back to Madden, just a little bit, he’s a guy that is playing this thing extremely close to the vest,” Simmons said. “To my knowledge, coming in here today — and I haven’t heard anything on my phone since — is that he has not told anyone where he’s going. Or when he’s announcing.”

But things changed quickly. About 45 minutes later, at 12:32 p.m. ET, Simmons reported that USC was losing confidence. Freeman’s announcement that Faraimo had officially chosen and signed with the Irish came at about 1:05 p.m. ET.

“We know that Notre Dame has been in this from the get-go,” Simmons said. “We know that he has thought about committing to Notre Dame, once or twice throughout the last six to eight months. He’s been there in South Bend for a couple of games this season. …

“There’s a lot of talk. Is he not really a USC lean? Could he be leaning back to Notre Dame? But one thing I can say is, from someone connected there, that the buzz is not as positive around USC right now.”

SImmons’ connection was correct. Faraimo favored the Fighting Irish to close out his well-thought-out recruitment.

Details on Madden Faraimo’s Notre Dame football recruitment

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Faraimo officially visited Notre Dame the weekend of June 7-9. Then, he returned to campus on Sept. 28 for the Louisville game and Nov. 9 for the Florida State game. After every one of those trips, there was confidence coming out of South Bend that they could land his commitment. Still, Faraimo continued to delay his decision.

As Faraimo wrapped up his USC official visit, Simmons and On3 vice president of recruiting and transfer portal Steve Wiltfong submitted picks into the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) in favor of the Trojans. But Notre Dame ultimately won out when it mattered most Wednesday.

Faraimo’s recruitment has shades of another elite linebacker recruit from SoCal in the 2024 cycle. In July 2023, the Irish secured a verbal commitment from Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco product Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, the No. 43 overall player and No. 4 linebacker in the 2024 class. Viliamu-Asa pledged to the Irish over Ohio State and Southern Cal about five months before signing with Notre Dame.

For Faraimo, in addition to USC, he had Texas and Washington as finalists after officially visiting both schools during the summer. He held scholarship offers from 17 other Power Four programs, including Ohio State and Oregon, who made his Top 4 schools list in February.

About two months later, Faraimo unofficially visited Notre Dame for spring practice, which marked his second trip to campus. His first trip to South Bend occurred on June 10, 2023. However, it was a quick visit that did not give him the full picture of the Irish. His April 13 visit helped him overcome those hurdles, such as where he would live if he went to school at Notre Dame.

“It was really great to see,” he said. “That was one of my concerns, you could say, about Notre Dame. But that box is for sure checked now.” 

Faraimo then made it to South Bend for his June 9 official visit, which solidified the Irish as a contender for his commitment.

“I would say it has definitely changed now a little bit,” Faraimo told Blue & Gold in June while reflecting on his first trip to campus about a year prior. “I don’t know if it was (not) exactly my favorite or I wasn’t crazy high on them. But now, they are a top school for sure.” 

He proved as much by making two trips to South Bend during his high school senior season. The Florida State game Nov. 9 came one week before his playoff game. While it never produced an immediate commitment, it gave Faraimo a better sense of what it would be like to attend and play for Notre Dame.

“When I was at Notre Dame, I got a great sense of the history there,” Faraimo told Simmons. “It is prestigious. There are great people all over the campus that are involved there. The people make up that community.” 

Faraimo also pointed to the university’s faith-based education, player development and relationships as why he chose Notre Dame on Wednesday.

“Faith is so important to me,” Faraimo said. “That makes Notre Dame different from other schools. Then, Notre Dame has a proven track record of sending linebackers to the NFL. They have a great staff, and I really enjoy being around their coaches.”