Notre Dame Loses Commitment From Key 2025 Defender

Highly-touted 2025 EDGE prospect, C.J. May, has made the decision to decommit from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

This comes after May initially committed to Notre Dame on September 23, opting for the Irish over other notable contenders like Auburn, Clemson, and Tennessee. Auburn remains a strong contender for his recruitment, as he recently paid a visit to their campus in January.

Additionally, Ole Miss has been actively pursuing May as well.

Several other schools have expressed interest in May, including Louisville, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, Syracuse, and Texas A&M. However, May is in no hurry to make another commitment and is taking his time to evaluate his options.

In a recent statement provided to On3, May shared his reasons for decommitting from Notre Dame.

“This has been on my mind for a few weeks. I started having second thoughts because of how far from home it is. I have the most respect for Coach Marcus Freeman and the staff at Notre Dame, but the more I thought about the fit, I just didn’t think Notre Dame was the best for me. I am from Alabama. I am in the country and I have to find the best place for me. When I make my decision, it has to be a place I can be happy at and live at for the next 3-4 years, so that is what I am looking for now.”

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound prospect is currently ranked as the nation’s No. 224 overall prospect and the No. 18 edge rusher in the 2025 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. Furthermore, he holds the impressive title of being the No. 14 recruit in the state of Alabama.

While this is a major blow for the Notre Dame defense in the future, it’s good to get it out of the way now. Freeman and the Fighting Irish will have to figure out a way to replace what his role would have been.