Four-star EDGE, Irish legacy Bryce Young commits to Notre Dame football

Notre Dame football remains hot on the recruiting trail with new commitments, and four-star EDGE Bryce Young is the latest to verbal for the Fighting Irish.

The 6-6, 244-pounder out of Charlotte (N.C.) Christian announced his decision to pick the Irish exactly one week after visiting South Bend for the Blue-Gold Game.

“I don’t want to throw shade on other schools, but other places are very academic, and their football may not be as good or competitive,” Young said to Blue & Gold. “Notre Dame doesn’t compromise on football and you can get a great education. After football you’re set up for life, and you can compete for a national championship.”

Notre Dame became the first school to offer Young after the staff worked him out at a prospect camp last June. His recruiting process remained steady throughout the fall but blew up this calendar year, earning offers from the likes of Penn State, USC, Virginia, Iowa, Stanford, Michigan, Wisconsin, Miami and others.

The Irish offering Young first gave them an early leg up for him.

“Yeah that was pretty cool — knowing that they had trust in me before I had the [junior] tape,” Young said. “They believed in me so much.”

Notre Dame was the favorite throughout Young’s recruitment and closed on him last weekend.

“I love the program and everything they stand for,” Young recently told On3’s Jeremy Johnson. “I love Coach [Al] Washington. I’ve also built a great relationship with him.”

Washington led the Irish’s charge in Young’s recruitment, but credit also goes to head coach Marcus Freeman, defensive coordinator Al Golden and director of recruiting Chad Bowden for their efforts here as well.

His father is former Notre Dame defensive lineman Bryant Young, an Irish legend who was inducted in the NFL Hall of Fame in 2022.

Many assumed that Young would follow in his father’s footsteps and play for the Fighting Irish, but the elder Young never pushed his son in that direction. When they visit Notre Dame together, Mr. Young acts as a father visiting a school with his son and not as an Irish legend.

“He’s pretty quiet [during Notre Dame visits], but if he sees something that he experienced, then he’ll say something,” Young explained. “But he’s letting me go through the process and see what I think about it for myself.”

The rising senior recruit ranks as the nation’s No. 315 overall recruit and No. 21 EDGE per the On3 Industry Ranking. According to On3’s own rankings, he’s the No. 236 overall prospect and No. 22 EDGE in the land.

Notre Dame recruiting on a hot streak

On the Friday night prior to the Blue-Gold Game, the Irish picked up a surprising commitment from Miami Belen Jesuit Prep defensive lineman Davion Dixon, who is the first pledge for Notre Dame in the 2025 class.

And a couple hours before the Blue-Gold Game began, Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek class of 2024 pass rusher Cole Mullins picked the Irish. Young’s pledge makes it three new commitments for Washington and Co. on the defensive line in the span of eight days.

And on Thursday, Notre Dame earned a big pledge from Warner Robins (Ga.) High class of 2024 wideout Isiah Canion.

Young is Notre Dame’s 12th commitment of the 2024 cycle and third defensive line verbal of the class, joining Mullins and Princeton (N.J.) The Hun School interior lineman Owen Wafle.

The Bryce Young file

During his junior season in which he helped lead the Knights to a 10-3 record, Young recorded 92 stops, 6.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, 1 pass break up and 2 forced fumbles.

Young comes from the same high school that produced former Notre Dame defensive back Matthias Farley. The Irish also look to be closing in on a pledge from Charlotte (N.C.) Christian class of 2024 wide receiver Micah Gilbert, who is planning to announce his commitment Tuesday.

Young also runs track and has a personal-best time of 11.45 in the 100-meter race.

His father, Bryant Young, capped off his career with a first-team All-America selection in his final season. He then went on to play in the NFL for 14 years with the San Francisco 49ers.