WATCH: The Notre Dame recruiting update with Singer and Kelly (Sept. 5)

In a weekly YouTube live show at Blue & Gold, recruiting writers Mike Singer and Kyle Kelly give the latest on Notre Dame’s recruiting efforts.

The bulk of the show is at the beginning, when Kelly and Singer break down the Notre Dame targets who visited Texas A&M this past Saturday. What was the impact of those prospects seeing the Fighting Irish win the big road contest, and what’s the latest in those respective recruitments? Singer and Kelly discuss that, plus break down their recent road travels.

It is not a show to miss for Fighting Irish fans. Watch it in the video player above!

The show aired live on the Blue & Gold YouTube page Thursday at 10:30 a.m. ET. Watch a replay of this week’s show in the video player above.

Also, make sure to subscribe to the Blue & Gold YouTube channel for more video coverage of Fighting Irish football and recruiting.

On3 five-star and Notre Dame pledge Will Black commits to playing in All-American Bowl

On Aug. 12, Wallingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall offensive tackle and Notre Dame commit Will Black posted on social media that he was invited to play in the 2025 All-American Bowl.

Exactly two weeks later, he accepted that invitation. Black will play in the prestigious postseason all-star game in San Antonio, Texas Jan. 11, 2025. The game can be viewed live on NBC or Peacock at 1:00 p.m. ET.

The Irish have two other commits who are expected to play in the All-American Bowl in Chicago Simeon EDGE Christopher Burgess and Lucedale (Miss.) George County quarterback Deuce Knight.

More details on Will Black

When Black committed to Notre Dame in December 2023, On3 ranked the 6-7.5, 283-pounder as the No. 202 overall recruit and No. 14 offensive tackle in the country. That was the highest ranking for Black according to the four major recruiting media websites at the time.

And then on Feb. 26, he saw his national stock erupt, earning five-star status as the No. 6 overall player and No. 1 offensive tackle in America. None of the other websites had Black in their national rankings at the time.

The others have caught up. Rivals and ESPN have bumped Black to a top-100 overall ranking, while 247 Sports currently has him at No. 178 nationally. On3 has him as its No. 2 overall recruit.

The On3 five-star prospect is locked in with his Notre Dame commitment.

“It’s a combination of a few things,” Black said why picking Notre Dame in an interview Blue & Gold before announcing his decision. “My relationship with the coaches is the best compared to any other school, plus meeting the players — the culture in the O-line room is great. I feel like I can fit in there really well.

“There’s a combination of great football — especially sending offensive linemen to the NFL — and great academics. A Notre Dame degree is one of the best in the country. It’s the right fit for me, and it’s where I’ll grow the best as a football player and student.”

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.

Black was recently named to On3’s “future freaks” list.

“Will Black‘s towering stature and ideal frame pair with top-shelf athleticism to make him one of the most physically-gifted offensive linemen in a historically loaded cycle at the position,” On3’s Charles Power said. “It wouldn’t be surprising to see Black maintain his sub-5.0 second speed at over 310 pounds after time in a college strength program.” 

About the All-American Bowl

As an NBC Sports-owned property, the All-American Bowl is part of a marquee lineup of elite events that includes the Olympics, the Premier League, and primetime’s #1 show for an unprecedented 13 consecutive years: Sunday Night Football. The All-American Bowl is annually the most-watched, most-talked about, and most-prestigious high school all-star event with more than four million unique television viewers and more than 20,000 fans in attendance. The history and tradition of the All-American Bowl is unparalleled, as it features: 594 draft picks; 93 Super Bowl champions; 247 Pro Bowl selections; and 18 Heisman finalists. For more information, visit nbcsports.com/college-football/all-american-bowl or follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram (@AABonNBC).