Preseason All-American safety Tae Johnson announces his Notre Dame commitment, June 24, 2023. (Photo: Chad Ryan)
Notre Dame’s work on the 2028 recruiting class is already well underway. The Irish have secured two early commitments and identified several of the nation’s highest-rated prospects as priorities, continuing the recruiting momentum Marcus Freeman has built since taking over the program. Although the cycle remains in its early stages, Notre Dame is once again competing with many of college football’s biggest powers for elite talent across the country.
Here’s a look at some of Notre Dame’s top targets in the 2028 recruiting class:
Darieon Prescott – The 6-foot-6, 220-pound edge rusher from Bolingbrook, Illinois, is a five-star prospect. Prescott is ranked as the No. 18 player nationally and the No. 1 player in Illinois in the 2028 class, according to 247Sports. Prescott recently released his top eight schools, which included Oregon, Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M, Miami, Ohio State, Georgia, and Notre Dame.
Kameron McGee – The 6-foot-3, 234-pound edge rusher from Chicago, Illinois, is a five-star recruit. McGee is ranked as the No. 26 player nationally and the No. 2 player in Illinois, according to 247Sports.
Grant Bowen – The 6-foot-4, 220-pound edge rusher from Elmhurst, Illinois, is a four-star prospect. Bowen is ranked as the No. 52 player nationally in the 2028 class and the No. 4 player in Illinois, according to 247Sports.
Jeremiah Figaro – The 6-foot-4, 205-pound edge rusher from Brookline, Massachusetts, is a four-star recruit. Figaro is ranked as the No. 282 player nationally and the No. 4 player in Massachusetts, according to 247Sports. He recently reclassified from the 2027 class to the 2028 class. Figaro is the nephew of former Notre Dame standout linebacker Cedric Figaro, who played for the Irish from 1984-87.
Lukas Prock – The 6-foot-2, 190-pound quarterback from Princeton, New Jersey, is a four-star recruit. Prock is ranked as the No. 69 player nationally and the No. 6 quarterback in the 2028 class, according to 247Sports. Prock recently released his final five schools, which included Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana, Florida, and Notre Dame. The Irish have made Prock a priority after quarterback Trey Tagliaferri was committed to Notre Dame for six days before decommitting and committing to Oklahoma instead.
Izayah Vickers – The 5-foot-11.5, 170-pound cornerback from Tallahassee, Florida, is a four-star recruit. Vickers is ranked as the No. 100 player nationally and the No. 11 cornerback in the 2028 class, according to 247Sports. Notre Dame has done a lot of recruiting in Florida recently, and the Irish will look to land another talented prospect from the state.
Adrian Woodward – The 6-foot, 165-pound cornerback from Jersey City, New Jersey, is ranked as the No. 86 player nationally and the No. 5 player in New Jersey in the 2028 class, according to 247Sports.
Amiir Woodward – The 5-foot-11, 165-pound cornerback from Jersey City, New Jersey, is ranked as the No. 81 player nationally and the No. 4 player in New Jersey in the 2028 class, according to 247Sports. Amiir and Adrian are brothers who recently transferred to Saint Peter’s Prep in Jersey City.
Jayden Beckley – The 6-foot, 285-pound defensive lineman from Jersey City, New Jersey, is a three-star prospect. Beckley is currently ranked as the No. 15 player in New Jersey and the No. 405 player nationally, according to 247Sports. Beckley also recently transferred to Saint Peter’s Prep in Jersey City.
King Pitts – The 6-foot-4, 270-pound athlete from Kapa’a, Hawaii, is a four-star recruit. Pitts is ranked as the No. 240 player nationally and the No. 2 player in Hawaii in the 2028 class, according to 247Sports.
There is still a long road ahead in the 2028 recruiting cycle, but Notre Dame has wasted little time identifying the players it believes can shape the future of the program. Under Freeman, recruiting has become one of the program’s defining strengths, with the Irish consistently battling many of the nation’s top programs for elite talent. Even in an era where the transfer portal plays an increasingly important role, Notre Dame continues to invest heavily in building through high school recruiting.
Much will change before National Signing Day, but the early foundation suggests the Irish are once again positioning themselves to compete for one of the nation’s top recruiting classes.