Meet the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football class of 2025 commitments

Get to know the class of 2025 prospects committed to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in this feature from BlueandGold.com.

We have provided background info on each of the commits below (in chronological order from the newest pledge to the oldest) and will continue to update this article each time Notre Dame lands a new commitment.

Indianapolis Ben Davis CB Mark Zackery

Height: 6-0
Weight: 155
Commitment date: May 25, 2024
On3 Ranking: No. 108 NATL, No. 11 CB and No. 2 player from Indiana

Zackery held 32 total scholarship offers, including Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Purdue, Penn State, Tennessee and USC. On Jan. 15, those schools all made his Top 10. But after a March 23 trip to South Bend — his seventh Notre Dame unofficial visit — his choice school became crystal clear. He knew he wanted to pick the Fighting Irish, and it was just a matter of time before the multi-sport athlete committed to Notre Dame.

Zackery will arrive in South Bend next year after putting together one of the most decorated careers in Ben Davis High history. Last season, he led the Giants to a football championship in the state’s highest classification as a two-way player. On defense, he had 39 tackles (37 solo), 8 pass breakups, 4 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries and 2 forced fumbles in 14 games. On offense, he caught 53 passes for 823 yards and 8 touchdowns. The Indiana Football Coaches Association (IFCA) named him to their Top 50 All-State team for his efforts.

Zackery is also a standout basketball player. This past season, he averaged 11 points, 4.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game. On March 30, they fell in the state final, 65-56. As a sophomore in 2022-23, he helped his high school hoops team win the home a state title last year by 6.6 points, 2.1 assists and 1.8 rebounds per game.

Cincinnati St. Xavier DL Gordy Sulfsted

Height: 6-5
Weight: 235
Commitment date: May 19, 2024
On3 Ranking: No. 83 DL and No. 30 player from Ohio

When Sulfsted announced his commitment to Notre Dame May 19, he did so without the public knowing that he even held an offer from the Fighting Irish. Position coach Al Washington and Co. had been looking for an interior defensive lineman to add in the spring, and they evaluated him in-person during the spring evaluation period.

During his 12-game junior season, Sulfsted posted 41 tackles (6 for loss) and 2.5 sacks. He also plays basketball at St. Xavier and averaged 5.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game in 2023. In December, Sulfsted had a three-point make go viral and made SportsCenter’s Top 10. Sulfsted was named to the 2023 Ohio Southwest District first-team defense. He also made it on the 2023 Ohio Greater Catholic League (GCL) first-team defense and was honored as the GCL’s defensive lineman of the year. He was listed on the Ohio All-State third-team defense, too.

Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep DB Dallas Golden

Height: 6-0
Weight: 182
Commitment date: April 28, 2024
On3 Ranking: No. 124 NATL, No. 14 S and No. 21 player from Florida

Golden announced his pledge to the Fighting Irish over the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Florida State, Miami, Ohio State, USC. He held well over 30 scholarship offers. Notre Dame offered Golden back in Aug. 2022, making their pursuit of him span nearly two years. He visited campus three times, checking out the Blue-Gold Game in 2023, returning to campus to see the Irish blow out rival USC last October and again in January 2024 for the staff’s junior day recruiting event.

Golden’s junior season was sensational in all facets of the game. As an offensive weapon, he ran 205 times for 1,467 yards with 19 touchdowns and added 32 receptions for 394 yards with five more scores. He even threw a touchdown in 2023.

Defensively, Golden posted 9 tackles, 5 interceptions, 4 pass break ups and 1 blocked field goal. He also handled return duties, averaging 25.1 yards per kick return and 3.7 yards per punt return. He had a kickoff return long of 64 yards and punt return long of 33.

Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep LB Anthony Sacca

Height: 6-2.5
Weight: 225
Commitment date: March 30, 2024
On3 Ranking: No. 52 LB and No. 18 player from Pennsylvania

The son of former Penn State quarterback Tony Sacca (1988-91) received his offer from the Fighting Irish in December 2021, the same month that Freeman became Notre Dame’s new head coach. It only took two visits to South Bend for the 6-2 1/2, 225-pounder to commit to the Irish. He visited for the Blue-Gold Game last spring and was back on campus for the Ohio State game. Sacca took a pragmatic approach to his recruiting process. After talking things over with his family and high school coaches, they in March that Notre Dame would be the best place for him.

Sacca posted 67 tackles and 2 interceptions during his junior season, during which St. Joseph Prep had a 13-1 record and captured a second-straight Pennsylvania 6A state title. His team’s only loss on the year was a season-opening setback against Bradenton (Fla) IMG Academy, 17-14. St. Joseph Prep finished the season No. 8 in the MaxPreps national top 25. He earned 2023 MaxPreps High School Football Junior All-America second-team honors.

Atlanta Woodward Academy WR Jerome Bettis Jr.

Height: 6-3
Weight: 185
Commitment date: March 17, 2024
On3 Ranking: No. 142 WR and No. 89 player from Georgia

Bettis — the son of Notre Dame legend Jerome Bettis Sr. — announced his pledge to the Irish on Pot of Gold day, Marcus Freeman’s annual major recruiting initiative that falls on St. Patrick’s Day. The Irish staff recruited him hard, and their efforts paid off, as Bettis picked Notre Dame over offers from Arkansas, California, Duke, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Missouri, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and others.

During his 15-game junior season in which Woodward Academy reached the Georgia 6A state title game, Bettis hauled in 30 passes for 369 yards with 4 touchdowns. Bettis also played safety and posted 34 tackles (2 for loss) and 2 interceptions.

His father is one of the most beloved figures in Notre Dame football history. The elder Bettis played for the Irish from 1990-92 and ran for 1,912 yards with 33 total touchdowns on 337 rushing attempts. The 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee was selected in the first round, 10th player overall, by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1993 NFL Draft.

Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School OT Matty Augustine

Height: 6-7
Weight: 290
Commitment date: Feb. 20, 2024
On3 Ranking: No. 41 OT and No. 4 player from Connecticut

There were other schools in the mix, but Notre Dame and Wisconsin were at the top of Augustine’s list for much of his recruitment. He visited both schools in late January and in back-to-back weekends. Even going into his Jan. 27 visit to Wisconsin, he felt that Notre Dame was going to be the school he’d commit to, but he wanted one last trip to Madison to be able to compare the universities. Augustine was in awe of what Wisconsin had to offer and loved the surrounding city, but in his gut, he knew Notre Dame was the right fit for him. He informed the Notre Dame staff Feb. 7 that he’d be committing to the Irish, and 13 days later, he announced it publicly.

Augustine — who projects as a tackle at the next level — was named to the All-New England Preparatory School Athletic Council first-team and the New England Prep Football Conference first-team all-league for his efforts in 2023. He was a second-team all-league performer as a sophomore in 2022.

Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic WR Elijah Burress

Height: 6-0
Weight: 170
Commitment date: Feb. 10, 2024
On3 Ranking: No. 104 WR and No. 21 player from New Jersey

Back in October, Burress added an offer from Duke — his first scholarship — and he didn’t see any additional offers come his way until the calendar flipped to 2024. Cincinnati and East Carolina both offered him Jan. 9, and then two days later, Notre Dame entered the mix with a big scholarship. Toledo, Massachusetts, James Madison, Temple, Marshall and Buffalo have followed up with offers. He didn’t waste much time during his recruiting process, announcing to his pledge about a month after earning the Irish offer.

Burress is the son of Super Bowl XLII champion and former Giants and Steelers pass catcher Plaxico Burress — announced his commitment to Notre Dame on Saturday evening. According to NJ.com, he hauled in 29 passes for 439 yards with 5 touchdowns during his junior season. Burress is the No. 85 wide receiver nationally and No. 19 recruit in New Jersey in 2025, per On3.

Waukesha (Wis.) Catholic Memorial OT Owen Strebig

Height: 6-7
Weight: 295
Commitment date: Feb. 8, 2024
On3 Ranking: No. 25 OT and No. 2 player from Wisconsin

Strebig pledged to the Irish over Wisconsin, Southern California, Miami and Florida State. In late January, the 6-foot-7, 295-pound Strebig privately committed to the Irish, the same month Notre Dame offensive line coach Joe Rudolph stopped by his high school twice. He visited campus six times before picking the Irish. When Strebig signs with the Irish in December 2024, he will be just one of three players the Irish have added from the state in the internet recruiting era, which dates back to 2002. In 2022, offensive lineman Billy Schrauth from Fond Du Lac (Wis.) St. Mary’s Springs became the first. 

Strebig has a strong junior season in which he earned a spot on the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) Large School All-State Team for the first time. They also honored him with a spot on their All-Region (3-Large) Team. Catholic Memorial concluded the season 9-3 with a loss in the Division 4 semifinals. 

Honolulu Punahou LB Ko’o Kia

Height: 6-2
Weight: 190
Commitment date: Jan. 15, 2024
On3 Ranking: No. 49 LB and No. 2 player from Hawaii

In the 2021 class, Notre Dame signed linebacker Kahanu Kia, who played in a couple games for the Irish that year before going on a Mormon mission trip. Kahanu returned to the program earlier this year, and with that, the Irish earned a pledge from his younger brother, another violent linebacker prospect. The brothers are going to be able to play on the same team for the first time, and they may get to play three seasons together at Notre Dame.

During his junior season, Kia posted 73 stops (17 for loss), 8 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 7 pass breakups, 1 interception and 1 touchdown. He was named to the Hawaii 2023-24 Open Division Football All-Star team.

Their father, Nate Kia, played for the Utah Utes in the mid-90s. The elder Kia is currently Ko’o’s head coach at Punahou and was named the Hawaii 2023-24 Open Division Football coach of the year.

Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick School S Ethan Long

Height: 6-2
Weight: 185
Commitment date: Jan. 8, 2024
On3 Ranking: No. 50 S and No. 7 player from Connecticut

Long chose the Irish over four finalists: Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin. Six other Power Five programs offered the standout safety from New England. But as Long discovered, Notre Dame fit him best. He gives the Irish a long, rangy and versatile safety for the future of their secondary.

As a junior in 2023, Long had 56 total tackles, another 3 interceptions and 3 more forced fumbles in nine games. That output produced second-team All-League honors from the Northeast Prep Football Conference. He is a cousin of former Irish wide receiver and captain Austin Webster.

Chicago Simeon EDGE Christopher Burgess

Height: 6-4
Weight: 240
Commitment date: Jan. 6, 2024
On3 Ranking: No. 172 NATL, No. 16 EDGE and No. 7 player from Illinois

Burgess’ commitment came after a highly competitive recruitment that began with Akron and Illinois scholarship offers. Thirty-one other Power Five programs offered Burgess afterwards, including Alabama, Michigan and Ohio State. The Irish ultimately beat out the Buckeyes to secure a commitment from the Chicagoland recruit.

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. 

Wallingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall OT Will Black

Height: 6-7
Weight: 280
Commitment date: Dec. 21, 2023
On3 Ranking: No. 5 NATL, No. 1 OT and No. 1 player from Connecticut

He visited campus back in June and participated in the Notre Dame Lineman’s Challenge camp. The result of his efforts was him picking up an offer from the Fighting Irish. With his team playing on Saturdays, Black was unable to get out to South Bend for a game day. But he did get out to campus the weekend of Dec. 16 to watch a couple practices and hang out with the coaches — leading to his commitment.

For his efforts during his junior season in 2023, Black was named the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) lineman of the year. He was also named the Founders League lineman of the year and was listed on the All-Founders first-team offense. On3 ranks Black as a five-star recruit.

“He’s going to need to continue getting stronger in his upper body, but plays with a great base, has really even weight distribution and a strong anchor at over 280 pounds,” said On3’s Charles Power. “The junior film is very strong — in a projectable way. We see the skillset projecting to a high level in college football and ultimately professionally. There’s a ton to like about Will Black, he’s one that we’re really high on … he’s a huge get for Notre Dame.”

Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange DB Ivan Taylor

Height: 5-11
Weight: 163
Commitment date: Dec. 1, 2023
On3 Ranking: No. 120 NATL, No. 13 S and No. 20 player from Florida

It’s not common for Notre Dame to go into a public high school in Florida and land a highly coveted defensive back, but the Irish have had plenty of success adding the sons of former NFL players. Taylor fits this profile of both, coming out of West Orange in the Orlando area and is the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Ike Taylor. The elder Taylor played in the NFL from 2003-14 and is a two-time Super Bowl champion.

The four-star prospect visited South Bend four times — twice over the summer and twice for fall game day trips — and picked the Fighting Irish over offers from the likes of Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, USC and many others. During his 10-game junior season, Taylor totaled 50 tackles (6 for loss), 1 interception and 3 forced fumbles. He’s recorded 135 tackles and 5 interceptions during his high school career.

Phoenix Brophy Prep CB Cree Thomas

Height: 6-1
Weight: 170
Commitment date: Nov. 20, 2023
On3 Ranking: No. 53 CB and No. 4 player from Arizona

Notre Dame offered Thomas a scholarship back on Pot of Gold day for the 2025 class, and the Irish became an instant contender for the Arizona prospect. He visited campus in April, and Notre Dame took the lead for him at that point. Thomas visited camps twice in the fall and made his pledge to the Irish on Nov. 20, giving the Irish their first defensive back pledge of the 2025 class.

Thomas was named to the 2023 Arizona 6A Central All-Region first-team defense for his efforts as a junior. He’s recorded 37 tackles, 5 interceptions and 4 pass break ups this fall. Thomas comes from the same high school that produced Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison.

Elmhurst (Ill.) Immaculate Conception LB Dominik Hulak

Height: 6-3
Weight: 225
Commitment date: Nov. 10, 2023
On3 Ranking: No. 77 LB and No. 27 player from Illinois

Notre Dame was always going to be tough to beat for Hulak, a Chicagoland prospect who visited South Bend four times prior to his decision, with each trip occurring this calendar year. Hulak also was high on Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, visiting those three programs at least two times each. Hulak initially committed to Notre Dame as a linebacker, but that plan has already changed. He’ll come in to play Notre Dame’s weak side defensive end spot. 

During his sophomore season, Hulak had 57 solo tackles, 3 for loss, 2 pass breakups, 2 fumble recoveries and a sack. He even blocked a field goal.

Green Bay (Wis.) Notre Dame De La Baie Academy TE James Flanigan

Height: 6-6
Weight: 220
Commitment date: Oct. 21, 2023
On3 Ranking: No. 137 NATL, No. 8 TE and No. 1 player from Wisconsin

Notre Dame landed a prospect it badly wanted in the 2025 class when Flanigan announced that he’d play his collegiate football in South Bend. Flanigan’s father, Jim Flanigan, starred for the Irish defensive line in the early 1990s. After the Bears drafted him at No. 74 overall in the mid-90s, the elder Flanigan went on to have a nine-year NFL career. He won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2000.

The Fighting Irish offered him a scholarship during their St. Patrick’s Day-themed “Pot of Gold Day” recruiting event on March 17. He visited campus a few times, including seeing Notre Dame knock off USC 48-24. Wisconsin, Michigan and Stanford were programs he also considered closely.

Elmhurst (Ill.) York Community DL Joseph Reiff

Height: 6-5
Weight: 230
Commitment date: Sept. 24, 2023
On3 Ranking: No. 269 NATL, No. 21 DL and No. 8 player from Illinois

Notre Dame was also going to be tough to beat from the Chicagoland prospect, and a day after taking trip No. 3 to South Bend, Reiff had seen enough of the recruiting process and knew where he wanted call home for his days as a collegiate student-athlete. Reiff also held offers from likes of Iowa, Northwestern, Purdue, Louisville and Cincinnati. Iowa was the first school to offer him back on May 18.

His father, Joseph, played on the defensive line collegiately for the Northwestern Wildcats. Reiff had 21 solo stops, 7 tackles for loss and 3 sacks during his sophomore season in 2022.

Bryant (Ark.) High RB Daniel Anderson

Height: 5-11
Weight: 190
Commitment date: Sept. 23, 2023
On3 Ranking: No. 57 RB and No. 9 player from Arkansas

In May 2023, the Notre Dame staff invited Anderson to participate in their Irish Invasion camp the following month, and at that point, he held zero scholarship offers. He earned an offer from the Irish after showing out at the camp, and the likes of Arkansas State, Colorado, Mississippi State and Tennessee offered him in the ensuing weeks. Anderson visited Notre Dame in July and returned for the Ohio State game in September. About an hour before kickoff, the Arkansas back announced his pledge to the Irish.

During his sophomore season, Anderson totaled 74 carries for 856 yards and 11 touchdowns in Bryant’s undefeated, state-title winning season. And through four games of his junior season, he has 27 carries for 136 yards and a score.

Lucedale (Miss.) George County QB Deuce Knight

Height: 6-4.5
Weight: 180
Commitment date: Sept. 18, 2023
On3 Ranking: No. 54 NATL, No. 6 QB and No. 4 player from Mississippi

Notre Dame was always a top option for Knight, but Auburn, Tennessee and Ole Miss looked to be the teams to beat at various points of his recruitment. His parents always preferred him to land with the Fighting Irish, and when it came to crunch time as Bear Bachmeier was closing in on committing to Notre Dame, Knight came to the conclusion that he wanted to be the face of ND’s 2025 class. Knight announced his commitment to Notre Dame without any notice publicly, and he’s been actively recruiting for the Irish since.

During his sophomore football season, Knight completed 111 of 174 passes for 1,780 yards with 11 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He also added 488 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 54 carries.

Knight’s team finished 2-8 in 2022, but his individual performance earned him All-Region 4-5A first-team honors. The Mississippi Association of Coaches listed him as its 5A second-team all-state quarterback.

Knight played in 10 games as a junior — three with Nashville Lipscomb Academy and seven with George County. He started off there year in the Volunteer State, where threw for 627 yards and 2 touchdowns on 57 of 108 attempts, plus 35 carries for 154 yards and 3 scores.

After transferring back to George County, Knight completed 84 of 157 passes for 1,420 yards with 15 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He added 340 rushing yards with 8 touchdowns on 64 carries.

Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit RB Justin Thurman

Height: 6-0
Weight: 180
Commitment date: Aug. 1, 2023
On3 Ranking: No. 80 RB and No. 100 player from Florida

Notre Dame beat out the likes of Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, Louisville, Iowa, Purdue and Indiana when Thurman announced his commitment to the Irish just before the start of his junior season. Thurman picked up an offer from Notre Dame May 25, 2023 during a conversation with Irish running backs coach Deland McCullough, and he quickly set up a visit to get out to South Bend for a visit.

The four-star prospect had a two-day visit at Notre Dame in mid-June, which included participating in a recruiting camp where he impressed the Irish staff. The 6-0, 180-pounder returned to South Bend July 29 for another two-day trip, and by the end of the visit, he informed the Notre Dame coaches Saturday night of his decision to commit.

In a track event at Florida State in March, Thurman ran a 10.84 in the 100-meter dash. He’s reportedly been clocked in the 4.4 to 4.5 range in the 40-yard dash. His father, James, was a wide receiver at Florida A&M in the early 1990s.

Miami Palmetto DL Davion Dixon

Height: 6-3
Weight: 305
Commitment date: April 21, 2023
On3 Ranking: No. 95 DL and No. 133 player from Florida

Dixon announced his commitment the day before Notre Dame’s Blue-Gold Game in April 2023, and it was truly unexpected. It was Dixon’s second trip to South Bend, as he also camped for the staff last June. He’s picked up offers from Georgia, Ohio State and others since committing to the Irish, and the local Miami Hurricanes are in hot pursuit of him as well. Notre Dame will have competition to keep him locked in the class, but Dixon gets up to campus as much as he can, which is a great sign.

In 11 games in 2022, Dixon registered 70 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 24 quarterback hurries, 10.5 sacks and five pass breakups. He also had a forced fumble and a blocked kick.