Notre Dame football's 2028 offensive recruiting board features sons of former NFL stars and an elite OL target

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Early favorites on the 2028 Notre Dame recruiting board include an array of playmakers, an elite quarterback, and a massive offensive tackle.

Notre Dame football and head coach Marcus Freeman are already building the foundation for the 2028 recruiting class, with the Fighting Irish targeting several elite offensive prospects across the country.

With the 2027 class nearing its conclusion, the offensive side of the board stands out as a strength for Notre Dame’s recruiting efforts. The Irish staff has recruited offense at a high level over the past few cycles, and the 2028 group could push that momentum even further.

After gathering early intel on where things stand, here are some of my favorite 2028 Notre Dame offensive targets and what makes each of them special.

QB Lukas Prock – Princeton (NJ) Hun School

The Trey Tagliaferri saga ended with the signal caller decommitting and landing with the Oklahoma Sooners, leaving Notre Dame’s four-man offer list with Prock as the only uncommitted quarterback. Even before Tagliaferri initially chose the Fighting Irish, I preferred Prock of the two New Jersey passers.

At 6-2 and over 190 pounds, Prock is an extremely intriguing modern pocket passer who does an outstanding job extending the pocket and keeping his eyes downfield. He has enough athleticism to move the chains as a runner and catch a defense off guard, but he wants to throw the football. He does it extremely well on the run and when working up into the pocket. There is a lot of natural arm talent, which is a big reason why he threw for over 4,000 yards as a sophomore.

Notre Dame is battling a crowded group at the top that includes Ohio State and Indiana, among others. The Irish will have a chance, but they need to be patient and continue to push the right buttons after the Tagliaferri situation.

RB Zaiden Jernigan – Louisville (Miss.) High School

Jernigan visited Notre Dame this offseason and left an impression. At 5-10 and 195 pounds, he is an explosive downhill runner with outstanding contact balance. Despite his shorter frame, Jernigan possesses unique stride length for his size, and you see his ability to pull away from defenders when exploding through the hole and working to open grass. He is a dynamic athlete who excels most in space.

Notre Dame should have a chance, but an elite group of suitors will continue to push hard for the Mississippi native.

RB Xander Edwards – Jacksonville (Fla.) Bolles School

Edwards is the son of former Notre Dame running back Marc Edwards, who starred for the Fighting Irish in the 1990s under head coach Lou Holtz. His son is a 6-2, 215-pound record-setting back in the state of Florida who ran for well over 2,000 yards as a sophomore. After breaking Derrick Henry’s single-game rushing record in Florida a year ago, the junior season should be a big one.

Notre Dame has been late in this recruitment and did not prioritize Edwards early. Unfortunately, that might hurt them in the end with a school like Miami seemingly pushing all the right buttons. Whether Edwards lands with the Fighting Irish or not, he brings an extremely unique profile as a bigger, stronger back with more acceleration and home run ability than you would anticipate.

WR Jaylen Addai – Pearland (Texas) Shadow Creek

If the last name sounds familiar, Addai is the son of former LSU and Indianapolis Colts running back Joseph Addai, which will make the Tigers a tough team to beat in the end. Despite that, Notre Dame is in a good spot early on and continues to impress Addai every step of the way.

The 6-1, 185-pounder is not a running back like his father, but you see those family genetics in his ability to work after the catch. He is a smooth route runner who eases in and out of breaks, and when he hits open grass, he seemingly glides through the field with sudden movements to create extra yardage. His background as a former NFL player’s son is something Notre Dame has valued in the past.

TE Grant Bowen – Elmhurst (Ill.) Immaculate Conception

Perhaps my favorite player in this class, Bowen is a 6-4, 220-pound athlete Notre Dame envisions as a tight end. He has the ability to play tight end, defensive end, or linebacker at the college level, but his explosiveness as a seam runner and after the catch makes him a natural fit on offense. He hauled in over 700 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns a season ago.

Bowen’s father Matt was a star safety for Iowa in the late 1990s and later played in the NFL, so the Hawkeyes will be part of this conversation alongside several elite programs. If the Irish are able to land Bowen, he would be one of the more physically gifted tight ends they have recruited in recent years.

OT Lincoln Fa’alafi – San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra Catholic

Fa’alafi is a massive prospect at 6-7 and 350 pounds. Notre Dame has been making a strong impression recently alongside schools like UCLA for the mammoth offensive tackle who creates easy movement at the point of attack. Despite his enormous frame, he is a much better mover than you would anticipate.

Notre Dame has recruited the offensive line at an extremely high level under offensive line coach Joe Rudolph, and there is no reason to believe that will stop in the 2028 class. Fa’alafi is arguably the top priority right now in terms of recruiting ranking, offer lists, the potential battles ahead, and overall talent. He is an elite-level prospect in the 2028 class, and landing him would be a statement for the Irish staff.

This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Notre Dame football’s 2028 offensive recruiting board features sons of former NFL stars and an elite OL target

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