Latest Intel on elite WR Kaydon Finley and Notre Dame’s standing with his Texas official visit wrapping up

With the wave of recruiting momentum that head coach Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame program are riding currently, there isn’t much for Fighting Irish fans to complain about at the moment. If there was something on the trail that still makes those fans anxious, it centers around wide receiver recruiting. There have been a lot of downs for wide receiver coach Mike Brown so far, and he is trying to close on a couple of very important 2026 targets.

There is no target on the board more important than Aledo (Texas) High School star wide receiver Kaydon Finley, and that is true at any position on either side of the football. Finley, who is a Texas Longhorn legacy recruit, has been on the board for the Irish for a long time now. He is coming off of a great official visit to South Bend last weekend, and most thought he left that trip with Notre Dame holding a slight lead in his recruitment. 

The problem was that there was one remaining hurdle left, his final official visit to Austin this weekend. With his father Jermichael Finley (former standout Longhorn tight end) and his family, a school with a special place in their hearts getting the final pitch before his commitment date on July 4th was unsettling. That trip is still in the process, but there are some interesting vibes coming out already. 

According to a source on the Texas side, they are becoming less and less confident in their standing with Finley, even this weekend. In fact, it sounds like most people on that side believe that Notre Dame not only has a lead over the Longhorns, but it has become a substantial one. 

This isn’t the only wide receiver that Texas is fading with recently either. That same source also informed me that things are not in a great place with Frisco (Texas) Panther Creek athlete Jalen Lott as well. It has essentially become an Oregon versus USC battle for Lott. 

I have also verified on the Notre Dame side that they still feel very good for Finley. Their confidence seems to be growing by the day. 

With how often Coach Brown has missed on the recruiting trail the last two cycles, I have admittedly been one of the bigger critics for his recruiting impact. If Finley does opt for the Irish in a couple of weeks, which I expect as of right now, this would be a massive statement for Brown. Pulling a legacy away from Texas, a school that is much more attractive for prospective wide receivers currently, is impressive. 

If it does shake out the way I believe, I’m ready to take a step back and give Coach Brown his flowers for this one. 

Things can chance quickly in the recruiting world, so Notre Dame will have to still close hard down the stretch. I am, however, much more optimistic that they will do just that. It appears they have a sizable lead going down toward that decision date, which I didn’t anticipate following yet another return trip to Austin. 

As a junior in 2024, Finley put together a fantastic season for Aledo. In 14 games played, Finley managed to haul in 81 receptions for 1,432 yards and 21 receiving touchdowns. That’s an average of 17.7 yards per catch, showcasing the big play ability that Finley brings to the table on top of his well-rounded game. Finley had a total of nine games where he went for over 100 yards this past season, showcasing his overall consistency. 

From a recruiting rankings perspective, Finley is considered to be a four-star player by each of the  major recruiting platform. He is currently rated as the No. 110 overall player and No. 14 wide receiver in the 2026 recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite ranking. That ranking also has Finley pegged as the No. 15 overall player in the talent-rich state of Texas.

Notre Dame has been battling against some of the top programs in the country for Finley in this recruitment. Some of his biggest offers include the Fighting Irish, Texas, Georgia, Oregon, Miami, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Penn State, and Auburn among many, many others.