Published Jul 29, 2023
Notre Dame visitors preview: In-depth look at list for Grill & Chill event
Charleston Bowles  •  InsideNDSports
Recruiting Writer
Twitter
@cbowles01

Before Notre Dame and its coaching staff continue training camp next week, the Irish are hosting their last busy recruiting weekend of the summer with Sunday's Grill & Chill cookout.

From 2024 commits CJ Carr and Cam Williams to 2025 targets Justin Thurman, Owen Strebig and Christopher Burgess Jr., Notre Dame plans to welcome talent from the 2024, 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes from every side of the ball.

Here is a breakdown of targets, prospects and commits scheduled to visit this Sunday.

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2025 running back Justin Thurman

For the second time this summer, running back Justin Thurman is scheduled to visit the Irish and spend more time with running backs coach Deland Mccullough since earning an offer in May.

At 6-foot, 183-pounds, Thurman excels at beating defenders with his agility and speed. He impressed with his athletic testing and 40-yard dash during Notre Dame's June's Evaluation Camp I.

Thurman, a four-star according to Rivals, is ranked as the No. 26 running back in the 2025 class.

Before his junior season begins with Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit, Thurman holds 20 total offers including Notre Dame, Auburn, Florida, Iowa, Kansas and Tennessee.

2025 running back Daniel Anderson

Anderson, who was unranked at the time of receiving his Notre Dame offer last month, is now a four-star prospect and the No. 159 overall player in the 2025 class.

McCullough saw enough from Anderson during Irish Invasion to extend an offer. Therefore, this trip projects to be more steered toward relationship-building and seeing if there's a fit for Anderson in Notre Dame's long-term plans. It also should give Anderson a better look at Notre Dame's athletic facilities and campus atmosphere.

The 5-11, 195-pound running back attends Bryant (Ark.) High and holds offers from Notre Dame, Long Island, Mississippi State and Tennessee.

2025 wide receiver Talyn Taylor 

The Chicago area is loaded with Notre Dame targets in the 2025 class and Taylor is one of the highest-rated among the group. The 6-1, 180-pound four-star wide receiver is ranked as the No. 26 overall player and No. 6 wide receiver in the 2025 class

Earlier this summer, Taylor took unofficial visits to Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee and left each campus feeling great. In May, Taylor told Inside ND Sports he felt like a priority from the Irish staff.

Wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey has laid his plans out for the Geneva (Ill.) High product and this weekend is about furthering Taylor's belief in Notre Dame's offensive future. He may be intrigued enough to return for a game day visit this fall.

Taylor is up to 21 offers including Notre Dame. Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Miami (Fla.), and Tennessee.

2025 wide receiver Jerome Bettis Jr.

This Notre Dame legacy recruit visited for the Blue-Gold Game and is expected back on campus this weekend. Bettis Jr. has previously visited for the Blue-Gold Game and one game each during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Bettis is rated as a three-star according to Rivals but made several highlight plays above his rating at Rivals Camp Series in Atlanta during the spring.

At 6-2, 191-pounds, the Atlanta (Ga.) Westminster product reports 14 total offers including Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Missouri and Texas A&M.

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2025 athlete James Flanigan

Another Notre Dame legacy recruit visiting this Sunday is Flanigan. Fresh off trips to Stanford and Michigan, Flanigan's recruitment is seeming to pick up heading into his junior season.

The Irish already have 2025 four-star tight end Nate Roberts committed but are still pushing for the 6-5, 226-pound Green Bay (Wisc.) Notre Dame De La Baie Acad recruit.

Despite being listed at tight end, the Irish are recruiting him as an athlete capable of playing tight end and defensive end. He'll hold more discussions with offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Gerad Parker and defensive line coach Al Washington this weekend to see what their plans are for him.

Flanigan, the No. 7 tight end in the 2025 class, has nine total offers including Note Dame, Illionis, Michigan, Penn State, Stanford and Wisconsin.

2025 offensive tackle Owen Strebig

Offensive line coach Joe Rudolph is pushing aggressively for Strebig and will host the four-star recruit on his second trip to Notre Dame of the summer this weekend.

Strebig, the No. 77 overall player in the 2025 class, is coming off his Miami visit but the Irish feel good about the early position they've put themselves in.

The 6-8, 295-pound offensive tackle has built an initial connection with head coach Marcus Freeman and may be one to watch for a verbal commitment after this weekend.

Strebig attends Waukesha (Wisc.) Catholic Memorial and reports 20 total offers including Notre Dame, Florida, Florida State, Iowa, Penn State, UCLA and Wisconsin.

The Badgers and head coach Luke Fickell are strong contenders but Strebig's preexisting relationship with Rudolph is a good sign for Notre Dame.

2025 offensive tackle Matty Augustine

After earning an offer in June, Augustine plans to be back on campus this weekend. He's had a busy July, picking up offers from Alabama, Florida, Miami (Fla.) and Tennessee. He has 25 total offers.

The 6-7, 285-pound offensive tackle attends Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick with 2025 safety Ethan Long, who is also making the trip for Sunday's cookout.

Augustine, who underwent a change of heart in high school between different sports, was closely monitored by Rudolph in June and will have an opportunity to learn more about Rudolph's personality off the field this weekend. Expect senior offensive analyst Kevin Reihner and offensive line graduate assistant Rob Delany to help in Augustine's recruitment this weekend.

2025 offensive guard Rowan Byrne

Similar to Augustine, Byrne camped with the Irish in June and picked up an offer shortly thereafter. The three-star recruit spoke glowingly after his offer and put Notre Dame on his top list along with Michigan and Wisconsin.

The 6-6, 295-pound offensive tackle attends New Rochelle (N.Y.) Iona Prep and is ranked as the No. 28 offensive tackle in the 2025 class.

He's coming off a trip to Ohio State this week where he received an offer from the Buckeyes and offensive line coach Justin Frye. Byrne is high on the Irish and could jump at the opportunity of becoming their first offensive line commit in the 2025 class, but he may let his recruitment play out into his junior season and next spring.

Bryne has 20 total offers including Notre Dame, Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers and Wisconsin.

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2025 defensive tackle Jarquez Carter

Carter visited UCF on Friday and Florida State on Saturday but is expected to make his first trip to Notre Dame on Sunday.

The 6-2, 266-pound defensive tackle attends Newberry (Fla.) High and is unranked by Rivals currently.

Carter was offered in May and will be formally introduced to Notre Dame, Washington and the rest of the campus and coaching staff this weekend.

Heading into his junior season, Carter has 10 total offers including Notre Dame, Miami (Fla.), Penn State, South Florida and UCF.

2025 defensive end Brandon Caesar

The 6-4, 235-pound Caesar visited Notre Dame for the Blue-Gold Game and returns for the first time this summer on Sunday.

The Irish and Washington reeled in multiple defensive end commits in the 2024 class and are looking to build upon that momentum in the 2025 class, and Caesar possesses intriguing athletic tools from a wrestling background.

Like Augustine and Long, Caesar will be accompanied by his Cleveland (Ohio) Heights high teammate and athlete target Marquise Davis.

Caesar is not currently ranked by Rivals but reports 19 total offers including Notre Dame, Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin and USC.

2025 defensive end Christopher Burgess Jr.

Like Taylor on the offensive side of the ball, Burgess Jr. is one of the top talents from Chicago in the 2025 class and Notre Dame is in heavy pursuit.

This will be the 6-4, 241-pound recruits' third visit to campus after seeing the Blue-Gold Game and camping at Irish Invasion. Even if he's not ready to commit, the Irish getting the Chicago (Ill.) Simeon defender back on campus and furthering their bond is pivotal for what looks to be a highly-contested recruitment.

Burgess' stock has risen throughout the year but Freeman and Washington have connected with Burgess and told him everything he wants to hear. He's coming off an Ohio State visit and holds 32 total offers including Notre Dame, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State and Purdue.

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2025 defensive end Joseph Reiff

Continuing the Illinois trend, Joseph Reiff of Elmhurst (Ill.) York is expected to be at Notre Dame on Sunday.

After putting together a consistent workout for Washington and the defensive line staff, Reiff walked away from Notre Dame's Evaluation Camp II with an offer last month.

He's not as highly touted as other guys in attendance, but Reiff could be in line for a big junior year. Reiff's visit indicates he's interested in the Irish and if all goes well, Notre Dame could jump out to the front of his recruitment.

Reiff's offseason training with FIST Football Academy has propelled his skill set and recruitment. The 6-5, 235-pound recruit holds five offers from Notre Dame, Iowa, Louisville, Northwestern and Purdue.

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2025 defensive end Gabe Kaminski 

Kaminski is another Illinois recruit that Notre Dame is targeting and set to welcome to campus on Sunday. The 6-3, 225-pound recruit attends La Grange Park (Ill.) Nazareth Academy, the same school that produced former Irish defensive back Julian Love.

Notre Dame hosted Kaminski in the spring and will have a chance to further its position in his recruitment before his junior season.

Kaminski, a four-star according to Rivals, is ranked as the No. 10 weakside defensive end in the 2025 class. In Notre Dame's defensive system, Washington sees Kaminski's fit as a vyper end.

Kaminski has 11 offers including Notre Dame, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Tennessee, USC and Wisconsin.

2025 linebacker Dominik Hulak

Hulak originally was thought to be visiting Wisconsin on Saturday but instead plans to visit Iowa. Nonetheless, he's still expected to make his Notre Dame trip.

Earlier this month, Hulak detailed his interest in the Irish and thoughts on the potential fit of playing defensive line.

Rivals list Hulak as an inside linebacker but the 6-3, 235-pound defender participated in defensive lineman drills during Notre Dame's Evaluation Camp I in June. Defensive coordinator Al Golden and Washington are targeting Hulak at vyper.

"It was a great experience, especially being able to see how the coaches are on and off the field," Hulak said. "I was able to see how they coach, their coaching style and what they want me to improve on ... being able to see how they see me on the field in their defense."

Hulak has seven offers from Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Louisville, Purdue and Wisconsin. He's also receiving interest from programs like Ohio State and Stanford.

2025 athlete Marquise Davis

Davis is listed as a running back by Rivals but Notre Dame views the Cleveland (Ohio) Heights high product as an athlete. It remains to be see if Davis prefers playing running back or linebacker at the next level, but the Irish like his overall talent.

The four-star recruit is ranked as the No. 187 overall player in the 2025 class.

At 6-1, 195-pounds, Davis will likely need to add weight if he plays defense in college. His athleticism and speed could make him a difference-maker on either side of the ball.

Notre Dame is battling Kentucky, Ohio State and Penn State for Davis, who reports 20 total offers. He visited the Irish for their Blue-Gold Game in April.

2025 cornerback Mark Zackery

After hosting him on a visit in June, Notre Dame and cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens are expecting to once again host Zackery on Sunday.

The 6-foot, 160-pound four-star cornerback went from being unranked to being tabbed as the No. 171 overall player in the 2025 class earlier this month.

Proximity to home figures to help Notre Dame in Zackery's recruitment, but the Indianapolis (Ind.) Ben Davis defender is open to listening to all schools. The Irish have separated themselves early due to Zackery's comfort with Mickens and Freeman, but Michigan and Ohio State also feel confident in their chances. He reports 27 total offers.

Since Notre Dame only has two current 2024 commits, Karson Hobbs and Leonard Moore, getting Zackery back on campus is a great sign for the Irish. Nothing is set but Zackery has previously hinted at returning for Notre Dame's game against Ohio State in September.

Zackery is also a rising basketball recruit and may jump on Notre Dame men's basketball radar with an impressive junior season this winter.

2025 safety Ivan Taylor

Taylor is an NFL legacy recruit and the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor. After his performance at Irish Invasion, Taylor landed an Irish offer and immediately expressed interest in returning to campus.

The 5-11, 170-pound recruit is listed at cornerback but safeties coach Chris O'Leary is acting as his primary recruiter. There's still traction to gain on his recruitment but the Irish getting him back on campus for the second time this summer is a good indication of how they feel about his talent and his mutual interest in return.

Rivals has Taylor rated as a four-star prospect. He is ranked as the No. 125 overall player in the 2025 class. Entering his junior season, Taylor has 12 total offers including Notre Dame, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Penn State and USC.

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2025 safety Ethan Long

Long visited Notre Dame in April but left without an offer. However, that call came later in the spring from O'Leary and now the Irish are expected to see Long again this weekend.

During his two-day visit around Notre Dame's Evaluation Camp III in June, Long spent extensive time with Freeman and O'Leary.

“Coach O'Leary and I bonded so much over two days it made my relationship with him much stronger and made me trust him to develop me over my years,” Long said. “When he relates me to Kyle Hamilton, it really makes me feel good and want to work with him.”

Long, the No. 1 player in Connecticut, is a four-star according to Rivals. The 6-2, 188-pound recruit has grown up visiting Notre Dame to watch his cousin and former Irish walk-on wide receiver and team captain Austin Webster.

With 18 offers reported, there is plenty of competition for Long from Duke, Ohio State and Penn State. Long visited the Buckeyes on Friday but Notre Dame gets the final chance to build on its connection with the Greenwich (Conn.) Brunswick product before his junior season begins. If he were to commit, Long would be a strong first safety to nab in the 2025 class after O'Leary's performance in the 2023 and 2024 classes.

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2025 safety JaDon Blair

For Blair, Sunday's expected visit will be his first time ever on Notre Dame's campus.

O'Leary is looking to grab multiple safeties in the 2025 class and the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor product seems to be a top target on his list. Blair comes from a football family and has impressed Mount Tabor head coach Tiesuan Brown this offseason.

The three-star recruit is ranked as the No. 25 safety in the class and prides himself on hard work and taking football seriously on and off the field.

Irish fans shouldn't expect any fireworks from Blair after this weekend, but his trip to campus should help us learn how realistic it is for him and Notre Dame to stay in contact in the next year.

As a sophomore at Mount Tabor, Blair had 44 tackles including two for loss. Blair holds 15 total offers including Notre Dame, Louisville, Miami (Fla.), Maryland, Penn State, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. He camped with the Nittany Lions in June.

In addition to those targets, Notre Dame also plans to host a few prospects that don't have scholarship offers but there's mutual interest between both sides. 2025 four-star defensive tackle Julian Marks and 2025 four-star athlete Brock Schott each boast a national offer list and may leave Sunday with an Irish offer added.

2025 defensive tackle Julian Marks

2025 athlete Brock Schott

2025 defensive end Caden O'Rourke

2025 defensive end Israel Oladipupo

2026 defensive end Lamari Carter-Hall

Carter-Hall does not yet have a Rivals profile. He is a defensive end in the 2026 class and attends Aurora (Ill.) Christian School.

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There are also several Irish commits in the 2024 and 2025 classes expected to be on campus. 2024 safety Taebron Bennie-Powell plans to return to campus for the first time since he committed to the Irish in June, and 2025 defensive tackle Davion Dixon is set to come back after visiting for the Blue-Gold Game. Dixon has added eight offers including Georgia, Miami (Fla.) and Ohio State since verbally committing to Notre Dame in April.

2024 quarterback CJ Carr

2024 wide receiver Cam Williams

2024 offensive tackle Styles Prescod

2024 defensive tackle Sean Sevillano Jr.

2024 linebacker Bodie Kahoun

2024 safety Taebron Bennie-Powell

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2024 cornerback Karson Hobbs

2025 defensive tackle Davion Dixon

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