Christopher Burgess Goes In Depth On Commitment To Notre Dame

Just after the 2024 All-American Bowl kicked off, Notre Dame received some massive news from star 2025 Chicago (Ill.) Simeon defensive end Christopher Burgess opted for the Irish over finalists Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan and LSU. Shortly after the commitment, Burgess opened up about the process, which he was very happy to get over with.

"It feels amazing,” Burgess explained. "I am glad I got it over with. It is close to home and they made me feel special, man. They invested a lot in me.

“It was truly special, it is a special place. It is the place to be, the environment was amazing and it was a place to soak in.”

On top of the investment and the proximity to home, relationships were also very important to the Chicago native. It was the coaches who really separated themselves and closed the deal with Burgess.

"It is just my relationship with the coaches,” Burgess explained. "I had a connection with the Notre Dame coaches more than any other school. I have a great relationship with Marcus Freeman and Al Washington. They are building something special at Notre Dame. It feels special.”

Throughout his entire recruitment, Burgess continued to talk a lot about how important it was for him to be developed. He has high expectations long term, including wanting to be selected in the first round of whatever NFL Draft he is eventually a part of.

Notre Dame has had a really good history of developing NFL players, which isn’t lost on Burgess. He expects to help continue that pipeline.

"It means a lot to me,” Burgess said. "It feels special to me to know that I could be the next great defensive player. I love Notre Dame.”

Leading up to the eventual commitment, it wasn’t easy for Burgess. Other schools like Ohio State, who was the assumed runner up, also had a lot to offer. Burgess is just excited to get things over with. It was a hectic last few days leading up to the decision.

"It was really emotional,” he said. "I was nervous because I have to get on the stage and talk in front of a lot of people. It was just an emotional experience.”

Burgess is now the 12th overall recruit in the 2025 recruiting class, and the third true defensive end along with Illinois standout Joseph Reiff and Alabama pass rusher CJ May. Keeping the 6-4, 240-pound defender home was a big deal, helping to continue what could be the best class yet under Marcus Freeman. 

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