4-Star Chicago Recruit Has Irish in Top 7 Schools

4-star defensive lineman McHale Blade out of Simeon High School (Chicago, Ill.) included Notre Dame in his top seven choices on Friday.

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman reacts against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Notre Dame got good news on Thursday when the College Football Playoff Committee decided to move to a straight seeding model this fall, rewarding the committee's top four teams with the top four seeds and a first-round bye, regardless of what conference they play in.

That wasn't the case last season, and since Notre Dame is an independent, the Irish weren't eligible for a top four seed or a first-round bye.

The positive word kept on coming on Friday when four-star defensive lineman McHale Blade, out of Simeon High School (Chicago, Ill.), included Notre Dame in his top seven schools.

Four-star Chicago Simeon DL McHale Blade names a top seven.

He has officials set with five with the final two in the works.

His comments on each program here:https://t.co/evEB2y6bKb pic.twitter.com/KbJuHfsw7I

— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) May 23, 2025

Blade, who's ranked fifth in the state of Illinois and 21st at his position in the nation, also included Wisconsin, Purdue, Illinois, Stanford, USC, and Michigan in his top seven. And unlike Illinois and Stanford, Blade has already scheduled an on-campus visit with the Irish.

🚨NEWS🚨 4-star EDGE McHale Blade has locked in 5️⃣ official visits, @ByKyleKelly reports‼️

Blade will announce his commitment on July 4.

Read: https://t.co/1VJbqnex9r pic.twitter.com/vyBo9bPsY4

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) May 23, 2025

Another advantage the Irish have over the other six schools is that Blade's teammate and partner in crime on Simeon's defensive line last year, Christopher Burgess Jr., signed with Notre Dame in December. Could Blade soon follow? We'll just have to wait and see.