Not long after Kennedy Urlacher received a scholarship offer from Notre Dame in January, the Irish became the first program to solidify visit plans with the three-star safety recruit.
Urlacher, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher, ended up making visits to other schools prior to making his way to Notre Dame on April 15, but the Irish remained in the No. 1 spot in his recruitment.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Kennedy Urlacher made that clear Monday by announcing his verbal commitment to Notre Dame. He chose the Irish over fellow finalists TCU, Penn State, Miami, Kansas State and Illinois.
“Really the main thing that sets it apart, every school on that list you’re going to get big-time football but they have a great network over there and the education is great over there, too,” Urlacher told Rivals.
“That campus is awesome. I really enjoyed it. It just felt like the place to be.”
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Rivals ranks Urlacher as the No. 27 safety in the 2024 class. He recorded 34 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery as a junior last season at Chandler (Ariz.) High.
"If there's one word that describes Kennedy Urlacher's game it's opportunistic,” said Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney. “I saw him in person last year in San Diego and in that game alone he had a fumble recovery returned 95 yards for a touchdown and numerous big hits.
“He's a headhunter for sure coming from the safety position, and he learned that physical nature from his dad, Brian, who had more than 1,300 tackles in his NFL career. He loves to hit, he loves to find the ball and put the offensive guy on the ground, and he's good in the box.
“I do wonder a little bit about his speed in the open field and covering deep balls from his safety spot, but I'm not too worried about it because Urlacher is a very talented and smart player who's not afraid to get physical."
Notre Dame pulled the trigger on an offer for Urlacher when head coach Marcus Freeman and safeties coach Chris O’Leary visited his school in January. It was Freeman’s last stop in Arizona that day.
“That made me feel real special,” Urlacher previously told Inside ND Sports.
Miami ended up hosting Urlacher for his first visit in March. Then he made his way to Kansas, Kansas State, Notre Dame and TCU, in that order, in April.
Urlacher became the second son of a Pro Football Hall of Famer to commit to Notre Dame’s 2024 class. Four-star recruit Bryce Young, the son of former San Francisco 49er Bryant Young, committed Saturday to his father’s alma mater.
The Irish are hot with recruits without NFL bloodlines too. Since April 21, Notre Dame has added five commitments in the 2024 and 2025 classes: three-star outside linebacker Cole Mullins, three-star wide receiver Isiah Canion, Young and Urlacher in the 2024 class and four-star defensive tackle Davion Dixon in the 2025 class.
Mullins, who was recruited by the Irish as a defensive end, was the first to start the commitment spree April 22. Dixon became the first 2025 recruit to commit to the Irish.
Urlacher became the first safety commitment in Notre Dame’s 13-player 2024 class. The Irish are still in pursuit of four-star recruit Dejuan Lane, three-star recruits Davis Andrews, Paul Mencke Jr. and Marquis Gallegos and unrated recruit Oliver Miles III as potential safety additions to join Urlacher.
Notre Dame will likely try to add at least three safeties in the class after two signed and enrolled at Notre Dame from the 2023 class: four-star recruit Ben Minich and three-star recruit Adon Shuler.
The Irish remain ranked No. 5 in the Rivals team rankings for the 2024 class after Urlacher’s commitment. But Notre Dame could leap No. 4 Georgia and No. 3 LSU if four-star wide receiver Micah Gilbert picks the Irish during his commitment announcement Tuesday. Michigan (15 commits) and Ohio State (13 commits) sit in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively.
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