It only took two campus visits and a third trip for Notre Dame's game against Ohio State on Saturday for 2025 running back Daniel Anderson to realize he was ready to call Notre Dame home.
On Saturday before the game began, the four-star recruit announced his verbal commitment to the Irish and running backs coach Deland McCullough while visiting for the showdown against the Buckeyes. Anderson chose the Irish over five other offers, from Arkansas State, Colorado, Long Island, Mississippi State and Tennessee.
"Anderson is a productive running back that accounted for more than dozen touchdowns from scrimmage during his sophomore season," Rivals national recruiting analyst Cole Patterson told Inside ND Sports. "He’s a physical back that uses his 5-foot-11 and near-200-pound frame to his advantage when running between the tackles. Anderson has the quickness to bounce it outside and outrun defenders on the second and third levels of the defense."
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According to Rivals, Anderson is the No. 15 running back and No. 171 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class. He also holds a 5.8 rating, which makes him an All-America candidate per the Rivals Football Team Recruiting Rankings Formula.
The Bryant (Ark.) High running back, who received his offer after Irish Invasion in June, is the third commitment the Irish have landed this week, after 2025 four-star quarterback Deuce Knight on Monday and 2024 four-star offensive tackle Guerby Lambert on Tuesday.
"He’s a multi-sport athlete that also competes in track, suggesting some developmental upside," Patterson said. "Anderson is a weapon out of the backfield, particularly on screens. He’s a well-rounded back that has a chance to complement fellow 2025 commit Deuce Knight well in the backfield."
With Anderson's commitment, Notre Dame's 2025 class consists of himself, Knight, four-star running back Justin Thurman and four-star defensive tackle Davion Dixon. The Irish sit No. 6 overall in the 2025 team rankings with 529 points.
Anderson also visited Notre Dame for its Grill & Chill recruiting event in July, where he got the full 4-for-40 breakdown from head coach Marcus Freeman.
"It would set me up for success in my future," Anderson said on attending Notre Dame after his visit. "He really went into depth and explained the percentage of graduates and the money that could be made going to Notre Dame as a graduate, and the money that could be made [after] leaving Notre Dame and the opportunities that it could bring."
In four games this season, Anderson has 27 carries for 136 rushing yards and one touchdown.
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