For the first time since On3’s inception in 2021, the Notre Dame football program has a prospect rated as a top-five player in its recruiting class.
On Wednesday, On3 released its final 2025 class recruit rankings and Fighting Irish five-star offensive tackle Will Black slotted as the No. 4 overall player. The Wallingford (Conn.) Choate Rosemary Hall senior, Black, is also On3’s top offensive tackle and player in Connecticut in the class. He is also one of 32 players On3 awarded five-star status.
Before On3 finalized Black’s ranking, 2024 class five-star offensive tackle Guerby Lambert out of West Roxbury (Mass.) Catholic Memorial was the highest-ranked Notre Dame recruit in the On3 era. Lambert was the No. 18 overall player and No. 2 offensive tackle last year.
Since 2021, On3 previously assigned five stars to Notre Dame recruits Charles Jagusah (No. 25 overall), Aamil Wagner (No. 29), Jaylen Sneed (No. 26) and Prince Kollie (No. 25). Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne’s Wagner and Rock Island (Ill.) Alleman’s Jagusah ranked as the Nos. 3 and 4 offensive tackles in the 2022 and 2023 recruiting classes, respectively. Hilton Head Island (S.C.) Hilton Head’s Sneed and Jonesborough (Tenn.) David Crockett High’s Kollie were the Nos. 2 and 3 linebackers in 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The last Notre Dame recruit to rank among the top five was Fort Wayne (Ind.) Bishop Luers linebacker Jaylon Smith. According to the On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services, Smith was the No. 3 overall prospect in the 2013 cycle. On3 did rank players before the 2021 class
In addition to Black, the Irish landed 10 other players in the On300: defensive lineman Christopher Burgess Jr. (No. 66), safety JaDon Blair (No. 71), cornerback Mark Zackery IV (No. 118), tight end James Flanigan (No. 130), cornerback Dallas Golden (No. 132), linebacker Madden Faraimo (No. 144) offensive lineman Cameron Herron (No. 193), running back Nolan James Jr. (No. 216), safety Brandon Logan (No. 248) and EDGE Dominik Hulak (No. 278).
On3’s rankings formula is meant to emulate the NFL Draft. A five-star prospect is considered a potential first-round draft pick. There are 32 NFL teams — and 32 first-round picks — so typically, only 32 five-star recruits in each cycle. The other 268 prospects are projected as eventual NFL Draft picks or priority undrafted free agents.
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