Deuce Knight becomes Notre Dame's highest-ranked commit in new Rivals250

While quarterback Deuce Knight has generated plenty of discussion on the status of his verbal commitment to Notre Dame in the past few weeks, Knight’s recruiting ranking continues to rise.

In the Tuesday update of the Rivals250 for the 2025 class, Rivals moved Knight up 21 spots to No. 31 overall. That makes him Notre Dame’s highest-ranked commitment in its class of 22 pledges. If he remains in that position by the end of the recruiting cycle, Knight would be in the conversation to receive a fifth star.

Knight, whose impressive offseason included a strong performance at the Rivals Five-Star in late June, made unofficial visits to Auburn and Ole Miss in late July. However, he’s yet to withdraw his commitment to the Irish.

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Knight wasn’t the only Notre Dame commit to make a big leap in the first Rivals250 update since May. The biggest came from four-star cornerback Dallas Golden. Golden moved up 83 spots to No. 71 overall. Golden, who also climbed the cornerback rankings from No. 15 to No. 9, showed his talents at the Rivals Five-Star as well.

Notre Dame continues to have five Rivals100 commitments in the 2025 class, because Golden jumped into the top 100 and offensive tackle Owen Strebig dropped out of it. When Notre Dame signed five Rivals100 recruits in the 2024 class, it was the first time the Irish hit that number since 2013.

Strebig and outside linebacker Anthony Sacca dropped the most spots of Notre Dame’s commits in the Rivals250. Strebig fell 37 spots to No. 101 overall as the No. 12 offensive tackle. Sacca sank 28 spots to No. 100 overall as the No. 9 outside linebacker.

A pair of Notre Dame commits moved into the Rivals250: tight end James Flanigan and safety JaDon Blair. Flanigan, ranked at No. 245 overall as the No. 10 tight end, was in the Rivals250 last fall, but he returned for the first time since being dropped out of it in December. Blair, at No. 247 overall and the No. 25 safety, made his Rivals250 debut Tuesday.

Notre Dame now has 10 commitments in the Rivals250 for the 2025 class. One Notre Dame commit fell out of the Rivals250: defensive end Joseph Reiff, who was previously ranked No. 233 overall as the No. 15 strongside defensive.

Here’s a complete rundown of all 10 Notre Dame commits in the latest Rivals250 for the 2025 class.

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Now: No. 31 overall, No. 2 dual-threat quarterback

Previously: No. 52 overall, No. 1 dual-threat quarterback

Now: No. 41 overall, No. 2 SDE

Previously: No. 37 overall, No. 2 SDE

Now: No. 49 overall, No. 7 offensive tackle

Previously: No. 62 overall, No. 7 offensive tackle

Now: No. 71 overall, No. 9 cornerback

Previously: No. 154 overall, No. 15 cornerback

Now: No. 100 overall, No. 9 outside linebacker

Previously: No. 72 overall, No. 9 outside linebacker

Now: No. 101 overall, No. 12 offensive tackle

Previously: No. 64 overall, No. 8 offensive tackle

Now: No. 233 overall, No. 22 offensive tackle

Previously: No. 224 overall, No. 23 offensive tackle

Now: No. 241 overall, No. 24 cornerback

Previously: No. 247 overall, No. 23 cornerback

Now: No. 245 overall, No. 10 tight end

Previously: Outside Rivals250, No. 10 tight end

Now: No. 247 overall, No. 25 safety

Previously: outside of Rivals250, No. 30 safety

As Notre Dame works to put together a new list of wide receiver targets, the two remaining targets on the defensive side of the ball remained in the Rivals100: linebackers Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Madden Faraimo.

Owusu-Boateng was promoted to a five-star recruit on Monday. He moved up 10 spots to No. 18 overall as the No. 1 outside linebacker in the 2025 class. Faraimo, a four-star recruit, moved up one spot to No. 56 overall as the No. 5 outside linebacker.

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