Pot Of Gold Recap: Notre Dame Adds Some Insane Defensive Line Talent To The 2025 Board

A look at the 2025 defensive lineman offered by Notre Dame during Pot of Gold

Defensive line recruiting is currently a very interesting, and questionable, affair. In his first season as a part of the program, Al Washington put together an extremely talented four-man class in the 2023 recruiting class. While the tools were great, there were obviously some clear misses in his first recruiting cycle.

So far in the 2024 cycle, there are a lot more questions than answers right now. It is going to be a big chance for Coach Washington to make an impact and showcase his impact as a recruiter.

On Friday, we also got some insight into the 2025 recruiting class and what defensive lineman that Notre Dame is targeting as a part of the Pot of Gold offer event. It is an extremely talented, and large, group put together by the staff.

THE NAMES TO KNOW

DEFENSIVE END

There are a ton of unique body types and play styles that the Irish staff is targeting at defensive end early on in 2025. There are also some key areas that the staff is prioritizing to tap into.

It all starts in Chicago, where Notre Dame is courting a couple of really talented players in Chicago (Ill.) Simeon Career Academy standout Chris Burgess, Oak Park (Ill.) Fenwick star Nathaniel Marshall and La Grange Park (Ill.) Nazareth Academy pass rusher Gabe Kaminski. Each player brings impact potential, in very different packages.

On film, there aren’t many more impressive football players on the board than Marshall. He boasts a big frame that is pretty reminiscent of 2023 Ohio State signee Jason Moore. His size, length and explosiveness can be overwhelming for opposing offensive lineman.

Speaking of physical traits, Burgess has a ridiculous amount of upside at the position. He is incredibly raw but the talent is easy to see. The long term is very high, with star potential if he hits his ceiling.

Kaminski might not have quite the raw tools of Marshall and Burgess but he is further along from a technical perspective. His hands are impressive, also possessing a good amount of bend to win around the corner. There is legitimate pass rush upside here as he continues to develop physically.

The list is dominated by a flurry of Southeastern products who bring tremendous upside to the table. Arguably the most notable name on that list is Savannah (Ga.) Christian Prep five-star Elijah Griffin. His game is extremely similar to former Clemson star Myles Murphy, who is strong, long and very explosive.

A couple other notable names on the board include Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Institute freak show Zahir Mathis and Virginia Beach (Va.) Maury standout Ari Watford. Both players are super long with a ton of potential.

The tackle radius and explosiveness that Mathis brings to the table is special. As is the power profile that Watford possesses.

VYPER

In Notre Dame’s system, the Vyper position is a hybrid edge role that has some qualities of a defensive end and some of a linebacker. With that in mind, the Irish staff is looking for athletes who bring versatility to the table. The two players who were offered during Pot of Gold are Jefferson (Ga.) High School pass rusher Kelan Butler and Atlanta (Ga.) Woodward Academy star London Merritt.

Butler is a twitched up athlete who is used all over the field for Jefferson. He can rush off the edge, from the interior or be brought from depth to create chaos. The Georgia star is the teammate of 2024 Notre Dame linebacker Target Sammy Brown.

Merritt brings some insane power and physicality to the Vyper position. His explosiveness also immediately pops off of the screen. While Vyper is the immediate landing spot for Merritt, it’s not unrealistic that he could grow into a big end down the road. The ferocity he plays with is impressive.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

The defensive tackle board for 2025 is a small one so far. There were a couple of players who were already on the board before the Pot of Gold offers were extended. In total, three players were offered on Friday on the interior, including Miami (Fl.) Belen Jesuit Prep standout Davion Dixon, Cypress (Texas) Cy-Fair star Landon Rink and Bellville (Texas) High School monster DJ Sanders.

Dixon was one of those players who had already been offered by the staff before the event. The 6-2, 305-pound defensive tackle brings playmaking potential from the interior. He is able to shoot gaps, while also having the body type to work consistently at the point of attack.

A new player to the board is Rink, who hails from the same high school as former Irish tight end Brock Wright. Rink is a nuanced football player who plays with the technique of a much older player. His hands, coordination and relentlessness is something to watch on film.

The space eater on the list, Sanders is a massive young man who takes up a lot of space and is an incredibly hard player to move at the point of attack. The Texas native also has some surprising quickness for a player his size.

2025 DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OFFERED

Here are the defensive lineman who were offered during Pot of Gold.

DE Chris Burgess - Chicago (Ill.) Simeon Career Academy

DE Armondo Blount - Miami (Fl.) Central

DE Brandon Caesar - Cleveland (Ohio) Heights

DE Samuel Cohen - Richmond (Va.) Huguenot

DE Bryce Davis - Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley

DE Elijah Griffin - Savannah (Ga.) Christian Prep

DE Gabe Kaminski - La Grange Park (Ill.) Nazareth Academy

DE Zahir Mathis - Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Institute

DE Nathaniel Marshall - Oak Park (Ill.) Fenwick

DE CJ May - Highland Home (Al.) HS

DE Ari Watford - Virginia Beach (Va.) Maury

DE Jayden Woods - Shawnee (Kan.) Mill Valley

VYPER Kelan Butler - Jefferson (Ga.) HS

VYPER London Merritt - Atlanta (Ga.) Woodward Academy

DT Davion Dixon - Miami (Fl.) Belen Jesuit Prep

DT Landon Rink - Cypress (Texas) Cy-Fair

DT DJ Sanders - Bellville (Texas) HS

Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions Lounge

Irish Breakdown Content

2023 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule

Notre Dame 2023 Scholarship Offers
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

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