Apr 12, 2025; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman waits to run onto the field during the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Notre Dame Wins Heated Battle for Wide Receiver Kaydon Finley Over Texas

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By John Kennedy | Last updated Jul 5, 2025 12:34 PM ET

Notre Dame continues hot streak on recruiting trail

Notre Dame has major momentum on the recruiting trail this summer. From Joey O'Brien to Khary Adams, to Ian Premer, and now Kaydon Finley, the Irish are identifying top targets and landing them. With the Finley commitment, Notre Dame now sits with the 3rd-best recruiting class in the 2026 class cycle.

The best news for Irish fans? This run isn't done yet. Notre Dame still has a handful of top targets on the board that it has a great shot of landing. Both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball will still see additions. On-field momentum is real in college football; the same is true when it comes to recruiting, and the Irish are currently riding an impressive wave of positivity.

Why the Finley Commitment is so impressive

The Finley commitment is different than some others the Irish have gotten or will get for a couple of key reasons. Firstly, Notre Dame has struggled to recruit the WR position for some time now. To identify and land a top target in this area is true progress. Secondly, Notre Dame landed Finley over Texas, which is a very impressive feat given Finley's ties to the Longhorn program.

Finley is from Texas, his dad, a former NFLer, Jermichael Finley, was a standout for the Longhorns, and Texas was the presumptive leader in this race for some time. For Notre Dame to win this battle against all things Texas, including the Longhorns' NIL prowess, is beyond impressive.

Notre Dame is being built differently under Marcus Freeman. This program is now acting like the "big boy" program it should always be, and it's great to see.

This article first appeared on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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