Notre Dame Building a Roster Stacked with NFL Pedigree ahead of 2025 season

The Fighting Irish may have bid farewell to over 40 players since their College Football Playoff title game loss to Ohio State, but Marcus Freeman and his staff are reloading with pedigree-rich talent. Notre Dame just secured a major legacy commitment for the Class of 2026 in Devin Fitzgerald, a three-star wideout and the son of Arizona Cardinals icon Larry Fitzgerald.

The younger Fitzgerald chose the Irish over high-profile suitors like Clemson, Stanford, and UCLA, continuing Notre Dame’s trend of landing "Plan A" prospects with NFL bloodlines.

For years, even through the closing stages of the Brian Kelly era and into the early Marcus Freeman tenure, it always felt like Notre Dame was knocking on the door in recruiting but never quite barging in. The Irish routinely found themselves in pole position for elite talent, only to fall short in the final stretch. Whether it was Deuce Knight, Keon Keeley, or Peyton Bowen, Notre Dame was often the second choice than a priority.

But Freeman is rewriting the script.

This isn't about walk-ons with big last names or legacy handouts. Notre Dame is locking in Plan A, top-of-the-board, blue-chip recruits, many of whom carry NFL DNA. Jerome Bettis Jr. is now in the fold, son of Hall of Famer Jerome "The Bus" Bettis. So is Kaydon Finley, the four-star wideout and son of Super Bowl-winning tight end Jermichael Finley, who chose the Irish over Texas, Arizona State, and Texas A&M.

The pipeline of NFL pedigree doesn't stop there. South Bend has become the future home for Elijah Burress (son of Plaxico Burress), James Flanigan (son of former Bears DT Jim Flanigan), CJ Carr (grandson of Michigan legend Lloyd Carr), Bryce Young (son of Hall of Famer Bryant Young), and Thomas Davis Jr. (whose father, Thomas Davis Sr., played 16 years in the NFL).

The latest splash? Devin Fitzgerald, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound receiver from Brophy College Prep in Phoenix, Arizona—son of future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald—committed to Notre Dame over finalists Clemson, Stanford, and UCLA. That came just one day after Kaydon Finley's pledge, giving Freeman and his staff two massive recruiting wins in 48 hours.

Notre Dame is flipping the narrative in the 2026 recruiting cycle, and doing so with authority.

The Irish are no longer chasing elite talent; they're becoming the destination. Top-tier prospects like Joey O'Brien, Ian Premer, and Kaydon Finley are trending toward South Bend, and these aren't just quality additions, they're potential difference-makers. These are the types of recruits that elevate a class from solid to championship-caliber.

So, what’s fueling this shift in Notre Dame’s favor? It’s a perfect storm: on-field success, a renewed push in the NIL space, a sharper, more aggressive recruiting blueprint, and the undeniable charisma of Marcus Freeman at the helm.

Simply put, the Irish are catching fire. Recruiting is hitting a level not seen in years, and the summer surge in momentum has fans and coaches buzzing. And while Freeman's tenure has already delivered its fair share of excitement, there’s a growing sense that the best chapters are still ahead.

Freeman will be eager to tap into the pedigree and polish that Fitzgerald brings from years of learning under the wing of his Hall of Fame father. As Notre Dame gears up to land another premier weapon for the offense, all eyes remain on the quarterback battle between CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey, both vying to take over the reins from Riley Leonard this offseason.