Notre Dame’s recruiting momentum picked up another jolt over the weekend, and Jeremiah Figaro appears to be right in the middle of it.
The Fighting Irish staff has been pushing hard for the 2028 four-star EDGE, and On3 analyst Steve Wiltfong added a prediction for Figaro after a strong weekend that also included offensive lineman Wyatt VanBoening. Now both prospects are trending toward Notre Dame, with the next step simply waiting to see when they decide to make it official.
Figaro brings a profile that jumps off the page. He’s a 6-foot-4½, 205-pound defender at Dexter Southfield School in Brookline, Massachusetts, and he transferred there from Malden Catholic. His path to this point has already been a little unusual: he reclassified from the 2027 class into the 2028 group, and he also moved from offense to defense after previously working as a wide receiver and tight end before settling in as an edge rusher.
The rankings back up the buzz. Rivals Industry Rankings list Figaro as the No. 229 player in the 2028 class, the No. 23 EDGE, and the No. 4 player in Massachusetts.
Notre Dame isn’t alone in the chase, either. Figaro has collected more than 30 scholarship offers, with Boston College, Colorado State, East Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Miami, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Penn State, Rutgers, South Florida, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas Tech, UCF, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and Wisconsin all among the schools known to have offered.
He was in South Bend for Notre Dame’s game against Rice, getting a close look at the Fighting Irish in action and at Chris Ash’s unit when it’s functioning the way it’s supposed to.
In Other News...
Ex-Notre Dame Walk-On's Sudden Firing Leaves One Big Mystery
Tyler Plantzs abrupt dismissal at Providence Catholic High School has raised eyebrows well beyond the local football scene, especially for Notre Dame fans who remember him as a former walk-on fullback with the Irish. His tenure ended despite a 4-0 start and a strong overall record, leaving the program in the middle of a promising run when the school opted to make a change.
Providence Catholic said only that it wanted to move in a new direction, offering no detailed explanation for the move. Plantz has said concerns were raised about recruiting and organizational issues, which he disputes, and the lack of clarity has left the firing with one big unanswered question: why a coach who was winning got let go now. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Still Has One Offensive Concern Fans Can't Ignore
A 52-0 shutout over Rice gave Notre Dame plenty to feel good about, especially after safety Adon Shulder sparked the early tone with a defensive play that helped set up Boubacar Traores scoop-and-score. The Irish controlled the game in every obvious way, and the opener looked like the kind of clean, convincing win a top program wants to stack in September.
Still, the performance did not erase one lingering concern: the run game has not yet shown the kind of burst Notre Dame wants. The Irish have drawn criticism for a lack of explosiveness on the ground, and Marcus Freeman acknowledged after the win that more big plays are needed there. For a team with bigger goals ahead, getting the rushing attack moving from steady to dangerous remains one of the most important things to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Is Trying To Separate In A Crowded Chase For 2028 Wing
The early chase for Kingsley Rogers is already starting to take shape, and Notre Dame is in the middle of it. The 6-foot-7 guard-wing from the 2028 PSA Cardinals has drawn interest from a long list of programs that also includes Utah, Hofstra, Rutgers, Baylor, Marquette, Auburn, Syracuse and Buffalo, but the Irish have been especially active in staying connected with him as the evaluation process begins to build.
Rogers has pointed to frequent contact from Notre Dame and Utah, while assistant coaches from Hofstra and Utah have also been in steady pursuit. Notre Dame is set to attend an open gym session at Rogers' school, another sign that the Irish want to keep separating themselves in a crowded field before this recruitment gets even more competitive. [Read more 🡒]