Why four-star safety JaDon Blair will give Notre Dame an extended look on Wednesday
For all intents and purposes, JaDon Blair’s Notre Dame official visit occurs on Wednesday. Although the four-star safety from Winston-Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor’s actual official visit with the Fighting Irish is not until June 11-13, the extended look he and his family will give them in early April could replicate one of those paid June trips.
Technically, 2025 class recruits can begin officially visiting schools on Monday. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Blair has an official visit scheduled to Virginia Tech beginning on April 12. But most prospects choose to make them starting in June — Notre Dame seemingly prefers it that way as well — so Blair will pay his way to campus for the third time this week.
Last April, the Irish offered Blair, the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 106 overall player and No. 12 safety in the class. He first traveled to South Bend for the program’s end-of-summer recruiting event on July 30 before returning to campus for the Ohio State game on Sept. 23.
According to Blair’s father, Jay Blair — who played football for East Carolina and had stints with the Bengals and Browns — their latest trip will be their most extensive look yet.
“We want to get all the information we can before making his decision,” Jay told Blue & Gold last Wednesday. “The more time we can spend with the schools he’s considering, the better we’ll be informed. Heck, if we could spend two weeks with everybody he’s highly considering, we would do it.”
Since the NCAA recruiting quiet period began on March 4, the Blairs have visited Michigan, Penn State and South Carolina. They will officially visit each one of those schools in June before Jadon announces his commitment on his birthday, July 5.
As it stands entering Wednesday’s visit, the Irish are a top option for the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 5 prospect in North Carolina.
“From the coaching staff to the recruiting staff to the fans, Notre Dame has by far done a tremendous job,” Jay said. “The relationships he’s built with (director of player personnel) Chad (Bowden), (head) Coach (Marcus) Freeman is top-notch. It’s up there with the schools he’s considering. And that’s why he’s highly considering them.
“He’s comfortable with them. He knows that, as a family, it will not be easy because you will be pushed. But we’re comfortable with the Notre Dame staff—and others—that his best interests are still their priority.
“We don’t feel like a number there. At some schools, you feel like a number. I can tell you Notre Dame is not one of those schools.”
JaDon Blair’s eventual commitment has three non-negotiables
While JaDon is about three months away from announcing his commitment, the family has already determined three non-negotiables when choosing a school. They are: a prestigious degree, a stable head coach and good football.
“Notre Dame hits those things,” Jay said.
What makes the Irish different from the other three schools Jadon visited this spring is that they are all still searching for their first safety commit. Meanwhile, Notre Dame has the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 5 and 31 safeties in 2025, Ivan Taylor and Ethan Long, already committed. Still, defensive coordinator Al Golden has a plan in place for JaDon.
“They’re going to use three safeties,” Jay said. “Regardless, you’re going to have the nickel safety, the boundary and the field. They’re going to utilize the individual guys at their strengths. They’ve given us a clear and concise report on how they want to use JaDon.
“I love it. I can’t say much more about it other than I love it. Now, we just want to see it coached by someone other than (Chris) O’Leary in person.”
How Chris O’Leary’s departure affected JaDon Blair’s Notre Dame recruitment
Former Irish safeties coach Chris O’Leary offered JaDon last April. In January, O’Leary left the Irish for the same position with the Los Angeles Chargers. His departure was nothing more than a hiccup in JaDon’s recruitment.
“Anytime a program loses a staple of a coach, it’s definitely going to send ripples. Especially because O’Leary was JaDon’s primary point of contact,” Jay said. “He talked to Coach Freeman often. But his daily (contact) was either Chad or O’Leary.
“The way O’Leary left was awesome. He called JaDon early that morning. He said, ‘Even though I am not going to be here, I still believe this is the place for you.’ It was a seamless transition. … It stung, of course, but coaches come and go. As long as the head coach is there, and they promote guys and bring in other guys who share the same philosophy, we’re good to go.”
After O’Leary went to Los Angeles, Freeman elevated cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens to defensive backs coach. Special teams coordinator Marty Biagi is also now assisting the safeties.
Freeman and Mickens played together in high school at Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne. They also coached on the same staff for two seasons at Cincinnati and all three of Freeman’s previous years — including his one as defensive coordinator — with the Irish. Biagi enters his second season at Notre Dame.
The Blairs like it all on paper. Now, they just want to see how it operates in practice.
“That’s the other reason we want to spend so much time up there prior to the official visit,” he said. “Because on an official visit, you don’t see any coaching. You don’t see any development because those days are geared toward recruiting and the family.
“So, we want to get up there to see how the defensive backfield will be run now. How they coach and how that fits with us.”
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