Chicago Pass Rusher Christopher Burgess Continues Strong Connection With Al Washington

Chicago (Ill.) Simeon defensive end Christopher Burgess was one of several talented players at the Notre Dame "Grill and Chill" recruiting event this weekend. It was the third time Burgess has been on campus in recent months as the Chicago native has continued to be very high on the Irish, with a lot of credit going to the uniqueness of the program.

"I’ve been to campus a few times and it’s an impressive experience every time,,” Burgess told Irish Breakdown. "There is just something different being out there.”

On this recent trip back to campus, Burgess was once again able to develop deeper relationships with the coaching staff. So far, those bonds have been important for the talented defender.

"My favorite part of the trip was continuing to build relationships with the coaches,” Burgess explained. "Coach (Al) Washington and I have really been developing a good relationship. He’s a really cool guy.

"All the recruits on campus seemed cool as well,” he added. “Coaching staff seems to be recruiting (those) kind of guys.”

One thing that has been super consistent is the coach’s pitch to Burgess. There has never been a question of just how much the staff wants him to be Irish, which was again reiterated on Sunday.

"The coach's message was that they need and want me badly,” he stated. "I’m a top priority and it feels good to know that. I think I’m a great fit anywhere because I can play anywhere in the front seven. That’s included at Notre Dame.”

The 6-4, 240-pound pass rusher was a huge part of a 12-1 Simeon squad that finished off the season with a 33-30 victory over Fenwick. That talented squad outscored their opponents by a 512 to 197 point margin. Burgess was among the more talented players on the roster, including wide receiver Malik Elzy who Notre Dame recruited a bit during the 2023 cycle.

The toolsy Burgess is continuing to get his footing in terms of the recruiting landscape. He has been blowing up recently, attracting attention from some premier programs in college football. Some of his top offers so far include Notre Dame, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Florida, Michigan, Miami, USC, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Washington, Nebraska, Colorado, Auburn, Iowa, Ole Miss, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Louisville, Boston College, Purdue and Indiana among others.

Burgess has also seen his recruiting ranking begin to skyrocket with the recent attention. Both On3 and Rivals now have him pegged as a four-star recruit. On3 ranks him highest, sitting as the No. 114 overall player and No. 10 defensive end in the 2025 recruiting class.

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