The other, Jerome Bettis, will play college football at Notre Dame.
Three-star wide receiver Jerome Bettis Jr., son of former Irish running back Jerome Bettis Sr. (1990-92), announced his verbal commitment to Notre Dame's 2025 recruiting class on Sunday.
Bettis Jr. shared the news on St. Patrick's Day, which is also the football program's “Pot of Gold” day, with nearly 100 offers expected for the 2026 class of recruits. he said. On “Pot of Gold” Day last year, Bettis Jr. received an offer to Notre Dame.
“This means a lot because I know it's a big day for all of Notre Dame football,” Bettis Jr. said of the timing of his announcement. “It means a lot to be a part of that. Obviously, that was the day last year when I announced my offer. It's pretty amazing that it's been exactly one year.”
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The 6-foot-2, 191-pound Bettis Jr. has been a frequent visitor to Notre Dame's campus since receiving an offer last March. He visited five times last year and was on campus during Junior Day in January. He plans to visit again on Friday.
“The biggest factor in my decision was the exact feeling I get when I'm at Notre Dame,” Bettis Jr. said. “More than any other school, of course, people always say this, but to me it really feels like home. I feel very comfortable with everyone there. The players, the commitments, the whole staff. , the people at Notre Dame. My decision was very easy because I feel comfortable there.”
Bettis Jr. continued to be a priority target for the Irish through changes in the offensive coaching staff this offseason.He's getting to know his new wide receivers coach. mike brown I'm looking forward to seeing how aggressive the coordinator is. mike denbrock Ireland's attacking power will improve.
“It's been great getting to know him as a person and as a man,” Bettis Jr. said of Brown. “I am confident that he is someone who will help shape me as a person and as an athlete. I look forward to getting to know him more and ultimately working together.” is.”
Denbrock's history at Notre Dame is important, but Bettis knows him from his work at LSU, where he coached a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback. jayden daniels Two wide receivers who are potential first-round picks in the NFL draft; Malik Nabers and brian thomas jr.last season.
“Being able to bring that to Notre Dame, which needs a very explosive offense, and knowing that he can do that, is really exciting,” Bettis Jr. said. “I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
head coach marcus freeman This has been the case throughout Bettis Jr.'s recruiting efforts at Notre Dame.
“I think everyone has heard this story a lot, but he's a really great coach and a really personable person,” Bettis Jr. said. “For him to be a leader in Notre Dame football, for me to be a leader in Notre Dame football is so appealing that I want to go there and play for him. That's why he's such a great guy. And obviously he's a great coach. I would love to play for him.”
Bettis Jr. will need to earn his way to playing time once he arrives at Notre Dame. He has yet to become a star on the offensive line at Woodward Academy in College Park (Ga.). He finished last season fourth on the team with 30 catches for 369 yards and four touchdowns, both third on the team. Senior Ben Grice, who signed with Wake Forest, and junior Josiah Abdullah, who has committed to Florida, were the leading wide receivers last season.
Bettis Jr. had plenty of suitors in college, even though many had long believed he would eventually attend Notre Dame. His offer list had him over 20 schools and included Texas A&M, Duke, Mississippi, Missouri, and Georgia Tech.
Rivals isn't too excited about Bettis Jr.'s future. He was not included in the latest ranking of the top 100 wide receivers in the 2025 class. He is projected as the No. 67 prospect in Georgia in 2025.
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“Don't let that name create the narrative for everything surrounding the Jerome Bettis Jr. game,” said Rivals' national recruiting analyst. john garcia jr.. “He's a tall, polished, big wide receiver prospect that lives up to his name.
“Of course, the first starting point from father to son, at least physically, is height. Seeing the two of them standing side by side, Junior is a Hall of Famer on a listed 6-foot platform. He's a few inches taller than his father. -2 Frame But like his father, the wide receiver has good proportions in his upper and lower body, but still has room to continue as a big wide receiver with a classic borderline physique. .
“When it comes to Bettis Jr.'s game, there's some physicality at the top of the line of scrimmage and routes, probably because of his experience in the secondary position. He's strong off the block and early on the release. Of course, there's a big Needed as a red zone and back shoulder threat, hands flash off his frame in routines.
“As the technical aspects of a full route tree are added to his repertoire, it looks like Bettis Jr. can be a strong complementary pass catcher at the next level.”
Bettis Jr. becomes the third wide receiver to make a verbal commitment to Notre Dame's top-ranked 18-man class of 2025. Notre Dame wide receivers Elijah Burress and Sean Terry are also rated as three-star recruits. Burress and Terry attended Notre Dame's Junior Day in January and were on campus with Bettis Jr.
The Irish are expected to add at least one more wide receiver to this class, with the remaining top prospects being four-star recruits Derek Meadows, Taryn Taylor, Tanuk Hines and three-star recruit Tanuk Hines. Composed of Raiden Vines-Bright.
Bettis Jr. is also the third son of a former NFL player and joins Notre Dame's class, following safety Ivan Taylor, the son of a defensive back who played 12 years in the NFL. Ike Taylorand Burress' son, who was an NFL wide receiver for 12 years. plaxico barres. Ike Taylor and Plaxico Burress were both teammates with Bettis Sr. for several seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But this isn't just a pipeline from Pittsburgh to Notre Dame. The NFL's legacy has repeatedly informed the Irish football program.Notre Dame signed two NFL legacies in the 2024 class: son of defensive end Bryce Young; bryant youngand son of safety Kennedy Urlacher brian urlacher.
“The biggest thing is that the dads who have been in the league and been through everything and know what it’s like understand more than anyone that football isn’t going to last forever. “Bettis Jr. said. A degree you can't get anywhere else.
“A lot of fathers who were also players definitely preach that and the importance of it to their sons. Because I know what the decision is and how that decision will affect me for the rest of my life, even after football is over. That's a big part of it. “
Bettis Sr., who recorded 1,912 rushing yards and was the No. 10 overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, left Notre Dame after three seasons and will graduate in 2022 after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He returned to the University of Notre Dame for the University of Notre Dame. The Notre Dame degree fulfilled a promise Bettis Sr. made to his mother when he left Notre Dame early to pursue an NFL career.
Another Bettis has already committed to Notre Dame. Bettis Sr.'s daughter, Jada, is a freshman this year.
“He's very excited,” Bettis Jr. said. “When I first told him, he was over the moon. …I think it was great for him to go there and have two kids there, even though he just recently graduated. I think it's an unrealistic feeling. He's so happy that he's constricting himself.”
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