One of the top linebackers in the 2025 recruiting class trimmed his list of schools to five on Thursday.
In a post via X/Twitter, four-star outside linebacker and Notre Dame football target Anthony Sacca announced a top five of Alabama, Duke, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
Notre Dame's recruitment of Sacca, led by head coach Marcus Freeman and defensive coordinator Al Golden, dates back to last March, when he reported an Irish offer on ND's annual Pot of Gold Day recruiting event. Sacca has visited Notre Dame twice in his recruitment, including for the Ohio State game last September.
"I mean, it was bittersweet at the end of the day," Sacca told Inside ND Sports after Notre Dame's 17-14 loss to Ohio State. "I was happy for Marv and Kyle, but they spoiled my plans to rush the field. I had a lot of fun at the game, and it was probably one of the best college football games I’ve ever been to."
Sacca attends Philadelphia St. Joseph's, the same school that produced former Buckeye wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, who has since transferred to Syracuse.
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Sacca — who transitioned to linebacker from safety earlier in his high school career — is the No. 53 overall player and No. 6 outside linebacker in the 2025 class. As a junior, Sacca had Sacca had 67-plus tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery for a touchdown for the Hawks, who went 13-1. Their only loss came by three points to national power Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy in the first week of the season. St. Joseph's continued on and won the Pennsylvania Class 6A state championship.
As part of national recruiting analyst Adam Friedman's East Spotlight Series last fall, Sacca was named one of the best linebackers he saw in 2023. Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Carlton Smith, two other Irish linebacker targets, were also mentioned.
"Sacca looks like he really put in a lot of work during the offseason and it showed on the field this year," Friedman said. "He’s gotten much stronger, added substantial mass to his frame, and he’s become a devastating tackler.
"Sacca can play in coverage and be very effective against the run. He has no problem taking on blockers and quickly dispatching them on the way to the ball carrier."
Sacca, who visited Alabama and Penn State last month, is a serious contender to visit Notre Dame in the spring before official visits begin in the summer. Notre Dame's top-ranked 2025 class includes just one linebacker, three-star commit Ko'o Kia.
Golden's ties to the Sacca family go back to his playing days. Sacca's father, Tony Sacca, played quarterback for Penn State from 1988-91, while Golden was a tight end for the Nittany Lions in those years. Anthony has previously said Tony has been an integral part of his football development.
While the NCAA recruiting dead period lasts until March 3, the quiet period from March 4 to April 14 will allow ND's coaching staff to make in-person evaluations strictly on campus. Then, Freeman, Golden and company can hit the road for the contact period from April 15 to May 25.
As things stand today, the Irish have put themselves in position to be in contention for Sacca, Owusu-Boateng and four-star outside linebackers Christian Jones and Brett Clatterbaugh. Notre Dame's efforts in California with four-star linebackers Madden Faraimo and Noah Mikhail will become clearer if either pays a visit to South Bend this spring.
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