When Marcus Freeman took over as Notre Dame’s head football coach in 2021, one of his biggest priorities was improving recruiting. Irish classes were typically good but not great under Brian Kelly, hovering around the outskirts of the top 10 nationally. Freeman believed that the Irish coaching staff had the ability to bring more talent to South Bend — they just had to put in the work. Recruiting under Freeman hasn’t been perfect so far. The Irish lost the top two commitments of their 2023 class in defensive end Keon Keeley (Alabama) and Peyton Bowen (Oklahoma). But there have been signs of progress. Another came Monday morning when 2025 quarterback Deuce Knight announced his commitment to the Irish. The Lucedale, Mississippi, native is currently ranked by Rivals as the top-rated dual-threat quarterback of his class. Knight had offers from a boatload of SEC schools, including Alabama, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Auburn. Last year, Knight threw for 1,929 yards at a 61.7% completion rate for 11 touchdowns against four interceptions. He also picked up 488 rushing yards on 58 carries, scoring 12 touchdowns with his legs.
Suddenly, the Irish have perhaps the best problem to have: too much talent in their future quarterback room. The current roster includes former four-star recruits Steve Angeli (sophomore) and Kenny Minchey (freshman). Next year, another four-star will join them in CJ Carr. Angeli and Minchey have seen limited playing time this year as graduate student Sam Hartman continues to lead the Irish passing game. Knight is Notre Dame’s third commitment for the 2025 class. He joins four-star running back Justin Thurman and three-star defensive lineman Davion Dixon. That puts the Irish class at No. 7 in the country for 2025, according to 247Sports. The Irish sit at No. 13 in 2024, with Carr listed as their top-ranked recruit. The 2023 class, Freeman’s first as a full-time head coach, also ranked No. 13.Think Big☘️ Go Irish!!@Hayesfawcett3pic.twitter.com/Hv3ItRhJH6
— Deuce Knight (@DeuceKnight) September 18, 2023
