Notre Dame closed the deal with three-star safety Kennedy Urlacher on Monday, scoring a commitment from the son of Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher. The prospect from Chandler, Ariz., was an early offer for Notre Dame and got a visit from Marcus Freeman during the January contact period, an investment of time that made an impression on the 6-foot, 195-pound athlete. Here’s what you need to know:
- Freeman and Brian Urlacher were teammates for a season in Chicago, the Notre Dame head coach working as a practice squad player while Urlacher was well into his Hall of Fame NFL career. They kept in intermittent touch since, Urlacher following Freeman’s rise through coaching, from Cincinnati defensive coordinator to Notre Dame head coach in a three-year window.
- The Urlachers visited Notre Dame in April, with the trip to South Bend among the first the family scheduled this spring. Urlacher also held offers from Miami, TCU, Kansas State, Penn State, Stanford, Kansas, Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska.
- His first scholarship came in eighth grade from New Mexico, where Brian developed into a top-10 pick.
- Urlacher is the 13th commitment in Notre Dame’s class and third in four days, following four-star defensive end Bryce Young and four-star receiver Isiah Canion. The Irish are also a heavy favorite for four-star receiver Micah Gilbert, a Charlotte (N.C.) Christian teammate of of Young, who is scheduled to announce his commitment tomorrow.
COMMITTED🍀🍀 #GoIrish @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/XtLQhiRkRH
— Kennedy Urlacher (@k_urlacher11) May 1, 2023
What does Urlacher’s commitment mean for the Irish?
Urlacher is the first safety commitment for Notre Dame this cycle, the opening step in meeting the program’s complex needs at the position. Safeties coach Chris O’Leary and Notre Dame were stung at the end of last cycle when five-star Peyton Bowen flipped from Notre Dame to Oregon before finally signing with Oklahoma. The second blow came when four-star Brandyn Hillman was denied admission to Notre Dame. He was granted his release, then signed with Michigan.
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The attrition meant Notre Dame’s four-man safety class had been chopped in half, leaving mid-year enrollees Adon Shuler and Ben Minich. Shuler missed spring practice following shoulder surgery and Minich missed the second half with a hand injury. The Irish don’t have a safety in their junior or sophomore classes following transfers and medical retirements.
The position’s under-recruitment left Notre Dame with a development gap on the roster, which will lose DJ Brown and graduate-transfer Thomas Harper after this season. That leaves Xavier Watts and Ramon Henderson, plus Shuler and Minich, on the depth chart, on top of whomever the Irish sign this cycle. Look for Notre Dame to sign at least two more safeties on top of Urlacher’s commitment. — Sampson
Who’s next in Notre Dame’s recruiting class?
The 6-foot-3, 203-pound Gilbert should be next, barring a late surprise. The receiver also holds offers from North Carolina, Duke, BYU, Michigan, Penn State and Tennessee. Gilbert visited Notre Dame for the Blue-Gold Game weekend and quickly set a commitment date of May 2 soon after.
According to the 247 Sports Team Rankings, Notre Dame landing Urlacher and Gilbert would move the Irish up to No. 4 nationally in the 2024 cycle, trailing Michigan, Ohio State and Georgia.
If the Irish land Gilbert, it would give Notre Dame flexibility to hold out for the right fourth receiver this cycle instead of leaving the Irish exposed to a recruiting miss, a la safety last cycle. If Notre Dame opts for a fourth receiver this cycle, Jason Robinson from Long Beach Poly is the best bet. He visited Notre Dame during spring practice. Robinson also lists offers from USC, Georgia, Miami, Penn State and Washington. — Sampson
What they are saying
“That offer was exciting for me because I know what Notre Dame means,” Brian Urlacher said. “The networking you get from going to school at Notre Dame is amazing. Football speaks for itself. It’s an amazing place to be.”
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(Photo: Pete Sampson / The Athletic)
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