RECRUITING

National Signing Day 2004 proves a formality for Notre Dame football

Mike Berardino
South Bend Tribune

SOUTH BEND — All the heavy lifting for Notre Dame football and a top-10 recruiting class was completed well ahead of Wednesday’s National Signing Day.

In fact, 15 of the 23 high school seniors to sign their national letters of intent with Notre Dame on Dec. 20 were already in town as midyear enrollees by mid-January.

“Everything is happening earlier,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said on an in-house podcast taped on Dec. 20. “When I was getting recruited (as an Ohio State linebacker in the Class of 2004), the majority of guys committed on signing day or close to it. It was a big day.”

Analysis:Unpacking Notre Dame football’s 2024 recruiting class – and how good it can be

Although Notre Dame has added (running back Gi’Bran Payne) and subtracted (defensive back Brandyn Hillman) from their past two signing classes after the start of spring practice, no such drama appears on the horizon in the 2024 signing cycle.

More:Grading Notre Dame football 2024 recruiting class: How did the Irish fare?

“You’re offering kids earlier, they’re committing earlier, you’re evaluating earlier,” Freeman said on the December podcast. “Which can be a double-edged sword. We can’t crown a kid too early, and you can’t dismiss a kid too early. A lot of kids we offer are 15- and 16-year-olds.”

2024 Notre Dame football official signees

Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa

Kyngstonn Viliamu Asa at Ohio State, Notre Dame game Sept. 3, 2022.

Position: Linebacker | Hometown: Bellflower, Calif. (St. John Bosco)

Vitals: 6-foot-3, 233 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 41; position ranking: 4

Status: Signed

Logan Saldate

Palma High School's Logan Saldate (19) runs the ball against the Salinas High School defense inside the Rabobank Stadium in Salinas, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.

Position: Wide receiver | Hometown: Salinas, Calif. (Palma)

Vitals: 5-foot-11, 185 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 405; position ranking: 62

Status: Signed

Kennedy Urlacher

Angelo Matamoros (6) of the Centennial Coyotes attempt to move the ball past Kennedy Urlacher (4) of the Chandler Wolves during a game at Chandler High School's Austin Field on Oct. 6, 2023, in Chandler, AZ.

Position: Safety | Hometown: Chandler, Ariz. (Chandler High)

Vitals: 5-foot-11, 193 pounds

247Sports Composite: Three stars; national ranking: 641; position ranking: 61

Status: Signed

Aneyas Williams

Aneyas Williams at Ohio State, Notre Dame game Sept. 3, 2022

Position: Running back | Hometown: Hannibal, Mo. (Hannibal High)

Vitals: 5-foot-10, 207 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 289; position ranking: 19

Status: Signed

Teddy Rezac

Position: Linebacker | Hometown: Omaha, Neb. (Westside)

Vitals: 6-foot-3, 195 pounds

247Sports Composite: Three stars; national ranking: 705; position ranking: 52

Status: Signed

Leonard Moore

Leonard Moore waits for the snap for Round Rock. Round Rock won a district football game 42-13 at Manor on October 6, 2023.

Position: Cornerback | Hometown: Round Rock, Texas (Round Rock High)

Vitals: 6-foot-2, 177 pounds

247Sports Composite: Three stars; national ranking: 426; position ranking: 39

Status: Signed

Cam Williams

Position: Wide receiver | Hometown: Glen Ellyn, Ill. (Glenbard South)

Vitals: 6-foot-2, 191 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 47; position ranking: 12

Status: Signed

Kedren Young

Position: Running back | Hometown: Lufkin, Texas (Lufkin High)

Vitals: 6-foot, 217 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 118; position ranking: 10

Status: Signed

Brauntae Johnson

Position: Safety | Hometown: Fort Wayne, Ind. (North Side)

Vitals: 6-foot-3, 170 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 196; position ranking: 15

Status: Signed

Styles Prescod

Hamilton Southeastern's Styles Prescod poses for a photo Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis.

Position: Offensive tackle | Hometown: Fishers, Ind. (Hamilton Southeastern)

Vitals: 6-foot-6, 273 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 361; position ranking: 30

Status: Signed

Micah Gilbert

Position: Wide receiver | Hometown: Charlotte, N.C. (Charlotte Christian)

Vitals: 6-foot-2, 206 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 243; position ranking: 41

Status: Signed

Karson Hobbs

Position: Cornerback | Hometown: Cincinnati (Archbishop Moeller)

Vitals: 6-foot-1, 180 pounds

247Sports Composite: Three stars; national ranking: 630; position ranking: 57

Status: Signed

Peter Jones

Position: Offensive tackle | Hometown: Malvern, Pa. (Malvern Prep)

Vitals: 6-foot-5, 292 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 445; position ranking: 30

Status: Signed

Loghan Thomas

St.Edwards' Loghan Thomas makes a flying tackle of Hoban running back Xavier Williams during the Eagles' 14-7 win over the Knights on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, in Akron, Ohio, at Dowed Field. [Phil Masturzo/ Beacon Journal]

Position: Edge | Hometown: Lakewood, Ohio ( St. Edward)

Vitals: 6-foot-4, 196 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 216; position ranking: 20

Status: Signed

Jack Larsen

Position: Tight end | Hometown: Charlotte, N.C. (Charlotte Catholic)

Vitals: 6-foot-3, 233 pounds

247Sports Composite: Three stars; national ranking: 472; position ranking: 29

Status: Signed

Anthonie Knapp

Position: Offensive tackle | Hometown: Roswell, Ga. (Roswell High)

Vitals: 6-foot-4, 266 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 330; position ranking: 26

Status: Signed

Guerby Lambert

Position: Offensive tackle | Hometown: West Roxbury, Mass. (Catholic Memorial)

Vitals: 6-foot-6, 280 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 46; position ranking: 4

Status: Signed

Sean Sevillano Jr.

Clearwater Academy International defensive lineman Sean Sevillano Jr. during practice Tuesday at McMullen Park in Largo.

Position: Defensive lineman | Hometown: Clearwater, Fla. (Clearwater Academy International)

Vitals: 6-foot-1, 339 pounds

247Sports Composite: Three stars; national ranking: 527; position ranking: 63

Status: Signed

Bodie Kahoun

Position: Linebacker | Hometown: Roanoke, Va., (Patrick Henry)

Vitals: 6-foot-2, 214 pounds

247Sports Composite: Three stars; national ranking: 491; position ranking: 44

Status: Signed

Taebron Bennie-Powell

Lakota West defensive back Taebron Bennie-Powell (3) walks to his position during a high school football game with Oak Hills Highlanders Friday, Sept. 9, 2022.

Position: Safety | Hometown: West Chester, Ohio (Lakota West)

Vitals: 6-foot-1, 180 pounds

247Sports Composite: Three stars; national ranking: 617; position ranking: 41

Status: Signed

Bryce Young

Position: Defensive lineman | Hometown: Charlotte, N.C. (Charlotte Christian)

Vitals: 6-foot-7, 241 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 73; position ranking: 11

Status: Signed

CJ Carr

Saline quarterback CJ Carr runs the offense against Lake Orion during first-half action at Saline High School on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.

Position: Quarterback | Hometown: Saline, Mich. (Saline High)

Vitals: 6-foot-3, 197 pounds

247Sports Composite: Four stars; national ranking: 68; position ranking: 6

New Notre Dame enrollee CJ Carr throws a pass during practice Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend.

Status: Signed

Cole Mullins

Position: Edge | Hometown: Hoschton, Ga. (Mill Creek)

Vitals: 6-foot-4, 239 pounds

247Sports Composite: Three stars; national ranking: 671; position ranking: 44

Status: Signed

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Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for NDInsider.com and is on social media @MikeBerardino.