Academics played a role in Notre Dame landing four-star RB Lathan Whisenton

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a couple of advantages on the recruiting trail.

The Irish feature a blue-blood football program without a doubt. They have a rich, iconic history. From tapping the sign to "Rudy," Notre Dame football has made a massive cultural impact over the years.

Notre Dame is also one of the most prestigious schools in the country when it comes to academics, though. That's not something that sways every recruit. In fact, most probably just care about the football program.

Notre Dame lands intriguing RB prospect in Lathan Whisenton

You can bet their parents pay close attention to academics, though, and that was absolutely the case for four-star running back recruit Lathan Whisenton. Whisenton, from Waco, Texas, committed to Notre Dame on Wednesday after visiting for a big recruiting weekend.

The actual school part of being a college athlete separated the Irish from the rest of the competition, according to his father. Whisenton committed to Notre Dame over Texas, Texas Tech and Florida.

"The academic standpoint," Whisenton’s father told Rivals, discussing what caused the Irish to stand apart on the recruiting trail. "As parents, we want to make sure our kids, you know, get a good education when they get done. Notre Dame has one of the most prestigious programs, one of the best degrees you can have."

Whisenton is a big-time 2027 commitment for Marcus Freeman and his staff, so they can throw a hat tip over to the academic department for this one.