Notre Dame Safety Target Ethan Long Has Elite Playmaking Potential

Notre Dame needs to rebuild its depth chart at safety, and the 2023 and 2024 classes are certainly a good start. The 2025 class is the key to finally getting the depth chart at safety into a healthy place. Notre Dame is pursuing some very talented safeties in the class, including Milford (Conn.) Brunswick star Ethan Long, who is a top priority for the Irish.

Long has visited Notre Dame three times this offseason, so the interest clearly goes both ways.

According to Brunswick head coach Wayne McGillicuddy, that interest is very well justified. Long came to the school before last season and quickly showcased how special of a football player he is.

"With Ethan, he’s a huge centerpiece for our team,” McGillicuddy told Irish Breakdown. "He came to us last year and quickly made his impact. It starts with his God given ability. Ethan is around 6-2, or a little taller, and has a 75.5-inch wingspan. He’s extremely fluid, gets in and out of his breaks exceptionally well. That’s the stuff that begins to separate him.”

That talent level is very easy to see when you pop on the film, but that isn't all that makes Long a special safety. It’s the things that you don’t see.

"The thing that takes it to another level is his football IQ,” McGillicuddy said. "For his age, Ethan is a really advanced player mentally. He sees the game so well and has a great feel for what is happening on the field.”

Notre Dame is clearly attracted to his playmaking ability when working from depth. When you evaluate his sophomore film you see Long used in a variety of roles. That versatility adds to what makes Long such an intriguing player.

"If you watch his freshman film before he got to us, Ethan played more of a free safety role,” the Brunswick head coach explained. "He had several pick sixes and was able to play more freely, and make reads. For us, we used him rolled down a lot more in some man-to-man coverage. His versatility really helps us a lot.”

Brunswick has a strong reputation of putting out next level talent. McGillicuddy himself has seen a lot of good football players come through, with Long already being in the conversation as one of the best.

"Between Brunswick and my previous school, I have been lucky enough to help place 12 to 15 players at the Power Five level,” McGillicuddy explained. "Ethan is one of the three to four best players in that group that I have coached. When you combine his work ethic with his ability, you have a special talent. He doesn’t like to hear no. If he does everything right, Ethan has a chance to play on Sundays.”

Long has been active on the recruiting trail this off-season, visiting several schools and competing at camps. That has led to a flurry of offers being extended. Some of the notable programs who have offered include Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Boston College and Duke among several others.

As he has gotten more attention, so are the various recruiting platforms. Long now ranks as a four-star recruit by Rivals, the only platform to rank him so far, currently sitting as the No. 22 safety in the 2025 recruiting class.

The 6-2, 185-pound defensive back was a main catalyst for an extremely talented 9-1 Brunswick squad. Long recorded three interceptions, recovered three fumbles and didn’t allow a single reception as a sophomore. As a freshman he racked up eight interceptions and 11 pass break ups.

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