Ohio State University vs University of Notre Dame, 2025 CFP National Championship - Source: Getty — Marcus Freeman gets a promising update on Notre Dame's recruitment race for nation's top 10 TE

Marcus Freeman gets a promising update on Notre Dame's recruitment race for nation's top 10 TE

Modified May 15, 2025 15:42 GMT

Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock sent the Notre Dame offer to four-star tight end Matt Ludwig in March, and since then, he has become a priority target for Marcus Freeman's program. Denbrock visited Ludwig at his home on May 1, followed by a visit from senior offensive analyst Harris Bivin to Billings West High School (Montana) a week later.

Speaking to Blue & Gold, Billings West head coach Robert Stanton said Notre Dame’s persistent efforts are starting to give it an advantage in Ludwig’s recruitment:

“They’re winning, and they’re going to keep on winning. That’s a big part of it.”

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Ludwig is the No. 10 tight end in the nation and the No. 1 recruit in Montana. On3's Charles Power explained why, saying:

“He can really move at that size. A phenomenal three-sport athlete"

In January, the 6-foot-4.5, 240-pound Ludwig announced his top four schools: Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas Tech. He is set to visit Georgia on June 6, with official visits to Texas Tech on June 13 and Michigan on June 20. An official visit date to Tennessee is also expected to be scheduled soon.

Although Notre Dame wasn’t among Ludwig’s top four due to the late offer, Freeman’s staff is making a strong push to secure an official visit, which could boost its standing. Michigan leads his recruitment with a 91.1% chance, per On3.

Matt Ludwig's HS coach reveals Notre Dame's edge in his recruitment

Besides football, Notre Dame has a phenomenal reputation for its education, which is why it remains an attractive option for elite prospects like Matt Ludwig.

“Overall, it’s the program,” Billings West coach Robert Stanton told Blue & Gold. “Where it’s been, where it comes from. When you think of college football, you think of Notre Dame. You have the independence of it.

"They can branch out, and they can play the (military) academies, and they travel all over. Really, they travel all over the world. They play in Ireland sometimes. So, I think that’s piquing their interest. The quality of education is a high priority, too.”

Notre Dame is still waiting for a tight end commit in the 2026 class, and Matt Ludwig will continue to be a big target. The Irish have 16 committed players, ranking No. 4 in the nation.

About the author

Maliha is a High School Sports news and listicles writer at Sportskeeda. A post graduate in Management Information Systems, it was her love for writing and sports which led her down the path of sports content creation. An experienced NBA and NFL writer, she covered the two sports extensively at SportsZion and SportsKnot before joining SportsKeeda.

Maliha is a huge Baltimore Ravens fan and is in awe of quarterback Lamar Jackson's dual-threat abilities. She also admires Tom Brady and her all-time favorite coach is 3-time Super Bowl champion Andy Reid. She is a big advocate of high school sports and believes that elite athletes reach a top level owing to the discipline, hard work, team dynamics, resilience, adaptability and self-confidence learnt by playing sports in high schools. Aaron Rodgers leading the Green Bay Packers to victory on his debut against the Minnesota Vikings is one of her fondest NFL memories.

Maliha places a high emphasis on accuracy in her content. She does thorough research, always double checks facts, and only uses information from most relevant and credible sources for her articles. When not writing, she likes to read history and biographical books.

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