Notre Dame Pushing Towards Historic Recruiting Stretch In Texas

Over the weekend, 2024 Katy (Texas) Paetow pass rusher Loghan Thomas returned to the Notre Dame campus for the second time. The Texas native and Notre Dame are in a very good place right now. The Irish appear to be firmly in the driver seat for Thomas.

This would be a monumental commitment for Marcus Freeman and his staff. The 6-4, 210-pound defensive end is an ideal Vyper in the Fighting Irish defense, a position that was a priority after missing on in the 2023 recruiting class. In a vacuum, Thomas is also a really, really talented football player.

It would also be another massive victory in the state of Texas for Notre Dame if they close. Since Freeman took over, the Lone Star State has become an absolute priority for the program.

THE FREEMAN EFFECT

Notre Dame is fresh off of a fantastic first recruiting class in 2023, Freeman’s first, signing four players from the state of Texas. Being able to land a group of Jaden Greathouse, Braylon James, Micah Bell and Kaleb Smith was a tremendous start.

In the previous five recruiting classes, Notre Dame had signed just three recruits from Texas. That means in just a single class the program has signed more players from the state than they had in a five-year period. That’s substantial, especially when you consider no state has had more players drafted into the NFL than has Texas over the last five years.

With that groundwork laid in 2023, the 2024 recruiting class serves as a way to help continue to build the pipeline into the state. Right now, the team currently holds a commitment from Texas cornerback Leonard Moore, who was another massive early victory. Thomas would push that number to two for 2024.

That commitment would push the number to six recruits from the state of Texas in Freeman’s first two years. If so, that total would be the most that Notre Dame has signed since the 2013 and 2014 recruiting classes. During those two years, the Irish signed wide receivers Torii Hunter Jr. and Corey Robinson, tight end Durham Smythe, defensive end Grant Blankenship, pass rusher Kolin Hill and cornerback Nick Watkins.

Those totals would be the most for a two year span for the program in the last 25 years. After an absence in Texas, the Irish have clearly made it a priority to get back into.

A HISTORIC STRETCH

Thomas isn't the only Texas native the Notre Dame staff is making a hard run at in the 2024 class. The staff is also incredibly high on Lufkin (Texas) High School running back Kedren Young and would love to add him to the class.

The 5-11, 210-pound runner has his official visit to South Bend set for June 2-4. Notre Dame appears to be in a very good spot coming into that trip but it will be very interesting to keep close eyes on.

Notre Dame is also recruiting Lone Star safeties Paul Mencke Jr. and Oliver Miles, with Mencke set to visit South Bend originally in early June as well. If the staff pushes for either safety, they could conceivably get to eight recruits from Texas in those two years.

That would bring this staff to a historic level. Over the last 25 years, Notre Dame hasn’t had a two year mark that was as good since 1999 and 2000, when the program signed eight recruits. Some of the names during that stretch included Gerome Sapp, Cedric Hilliard, Jamaar Taylor, Vontez Duff, Carlyle Holiday, Garron Bible, Derek Curry and Omar Jenkins.

Texas is a state that puts out an absurd amount of next level talent every year. It is a talent pool that Notre Dame needs to tap into, especially when so may recruits from that area seem very interested in the proposition.

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Irish Breakdown Content

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

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