Notre Dame adds four-star vyper end Loghan Thomas to its 2024 DE haul
Loghan Thomas’ second visit in three months to Notre Dame this past weekend initially reinforced his decision to proceed with a June official visit to South Bend and offer a vague before-the-season decision timeline for his ultimate college choice.
On Tuesday, the 2024 four-star weakside defensive end from Katy, Texas, decided to get specific on that latter and on Wednesday, he verbally committed to Notre Dame.
“It really feels like family up there,” Thomas told Inside ND Sports Sunday after his multi-day visit.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound rising senior from Paetow High School in Katy becomes the 16th member overall in Notre Dame’s No. 3-ranked 2024 class, its sixth Rivals250 recruit and its third defensive line commit, just hours after four-star defensive tackle Owen Wafle decommitted earlier on Wednesday.
Ends Bryce Young and Cole Mullins remain members of the Irish D-line contingent.
Thomas chose Notre Dame over fellow finalists Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Arizona.
An intermittent member of Paetow’s 4x100-meter relay team in track, Thomas’ national profile skyrocketed in early January after taking home MVP honors at the All American Bowl National Combine in San Antonio.
The Irish offered a scholarship less than a week later.
“What stands out most about Thomas' game is that he plays with relentless energy coming off the edge and he has get-off like he was shot from a cannon,” Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney assessed.
“It doesn't take him long to get up to full speed, and his aggressive nature allows him to blow by offensive tackles. He will need to continue to add weight to his frame, but with his length and motor, he's going to bring special things to Notre Dame's defensive line.”
Rivals ranks Thomas as the nation’s 162 prospect in his class regardless of position, the No. 9 weakside defensive end nationally and the No. 30 prospect in Texas.
The Irish hope to continue to add three more prospects to their 2024 defensive line haul, namely five-star defensive tackle Justin Scott, along with three-star interior lineman Sean Sevillano Jr., and another defensive end. Rivals250 defensive end prospects Mylachi Williams and Elijah Rushing both have scheduled official visits to ND in June.
Sevillano has set an official visit date for June 9-11. Scott, meanwhile, dropped a top five of ND, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and Miami on Wednesday afternoon on Twitter and hinted a decision could be coming soon.
He has official visits scheduled in June for the four finalists besides ND and has said he hopes to get back to ND's campus in an unofficial capacity next month.
Thomas, whose official visit is set for June 9-11, is projected to play vyper end in Notre Dame’s defensive scheme, the position recently vacated by All-American and New Orleans Saints second-round NFL Draft choice Isaiah Foskey.
Senior Jordan Botelho will head into training camp in late July at the top of the new depth chart at that position, with converted sophomore linebackers Junior Tuihalamaka and Joshua Burnham vying for rotational roles.
Thomas’ skill set matches perfectly with what defensive coordinator Al Golden and D-line coach Al Washington ask their vypers to do.
“He can stand up, he can play with his hand down,” Gorney said. “He can track players to the sideline and he can drop in coverage and play in space.”
All that intrigued Thomas, but what piqued his interest the most?
“The people,” he said. “What they stand for and who they are.”
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