Notre Dame’s coaching and recruiting teams have been on a roll lately, generating significant excitement around the 2026 class. Meanwhile, for 2027 prospects, the Irish are actively hosting promising players and laying the groundwork for early connections. But what’s drawn the most attention isn’t what they’ve done, it’s what they haven’t.
Traditionally, Notre Dame uses St. Patrick’s Day to run their annual “Pot of Gold” recruiting event, extending numerous offers to underclassmen. This year, over 100 offers were handed out to 2027 recruits but notably, none went to quarterbacks. The current plan, led by quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli, is to evaluate quarterbacks in person once NCAA rules allow. While this method is thorough, it carries some risk. Notre Dame has built good rapport with a few standout QBs, but without an actual offer, it’s hard for them to be taken seriously by those players.
One signal caller they’ve kept in close contact with is Trae Taylor of Carmel Catholic (IL), a 6’3″, 185-pound talent who’s set to commit on May 1. His top choices are LSU, Texas A&M, Nebraska, and Illinois. Although Taylor has expressed interest in Notre Dame, the absence of an offer likely takes the Irish out of the running.
In quarterback recruiting, early commitments are common as elite passers try to help shape their class. Notre Dame’s cautious approach could end up costing them if they wait too long and fall behind in the race for top talent.
This could all change soon, as Coach Guidugli is expected to make an offer in early May. Behind the scenes, the Irish are still in pursuit of several quarterbacks, including Malachi Zeigler and Peter Bourque with Bourque potentially being a strong fit.
Ultimately, how Notre Dame handles this situation could serve as an interesting case study. Is a slow, selective approach the right move when it comes to elite quarterback recruiting? We’ll find out soon enough if this gamble pays off.
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