On Friday, star 2025 Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange safety Ivan Taylor is set to make his commitment. The elite defender will be making the announcement at 2:30 PM eastern time. His finalists include Notre Dame, Michigan, USC, Florida State, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Louisville.
The Irish staff has made Taylor an absolute priority since seeing him workout in person this past offseason. Going down the stretch, Notre Dame stands a great shot at getting the Florida native to come up north.
THE FINALISTS
Here are the finalists for Taylor, including his most recent visits.
Notre Dame
Taylor has visited Notre Dame four separate times, including twice this season. He made the trip twice in a four week span for the Pittsburgh and Wake Forest games. Making so many return visits is obvious proof of Taylor’s level of interest.
Michigan
Taylor visited Michigan this offseason. They boast one of the best defenses in all of college football and head into this weekend with a 12-0 record. The Wolverines are searching for three straight Big Ten titles and playoff berths.
USC
The Trojans originally offered Taylor as a cornerback. He was offered during a visit this offseason on March 3rd. Despite increased success under Lincoln Riley, high school recruiting hasn’t gotten much of a boost.
Florida State
Taylor took an unofficial visit to Florida State most recently on March 10th. They are a school that he has frequented in the past, which shouldn’t be a surprise due to his proximity. The Seminoles are currently sitting with an undefeated 12-0 record coming into the weekend. There is an obvious attraction to the program.
Tennessee
The most recent visit Taylor took to Tennessee was on July 29th. That was the first, and only trip to Knoxville. After a breakout 2022 season for the program, they have taken a step back this year. Defensively, they actually do have a pretty solid unit. Recruiting has definitely been on an uptick under Josh Heupel.
Wisconsin
Taylor visited for a game against Northwestern on November 11th. That trip was unfortunately during a 24-10 loss for the Badgers. Wisconsin has been making a good impression on the recruiting trail under the current staff. They are a team that Taylor has spoken fondly of in the past.
Louisville
On July 28th, Taylor made the trip to Louisville. The Cardinal are putting together a tremendous first season under head coach Jeff Brohm. Attracting more talented players shouldn’t be difficult for a Cardinal program that has good resources around them.
NOTRE DAME TRENDING IN A GREAT DIRECTION
Saying Notre Dame was in a great position for the 6-0, 175-pound defender would be a massive understatement. Not only have they received several visits from Taylor, they are also his most recent visit. In a recent interview with Irish Breakdown, Taylor spoke glowingly about the Irish and his relationships with the staff.
The son of former Pittsburgh Steeler great Ike Taylor, he appears to be a tremendous fit for the Notre Dame program. They head into the decision as the front runner. An elite level talent in the 2025 recruiting class, Taylor would join Arizona defensive back Cree Thomas in an outstanding start to the secondary group.
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