Heading into Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period, it looked like Notre Dame football was in the market for star linebacker Madden Faraimo.

All signs pointed to the 6-foot-2, 220-pound elite prospect signing with USC, as several crystal ball picks were made for the Trojans to push through his recruitment.

Well, the No. 61 overall prospect in the country according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings shocked many and committed to Notre Dame earlier this afternoon. This was a huge recruiting victory for the Irish as they edged out not only their rival Trojans, but also teams like Alabama, Texas, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and others.

Faraimo’s commitment is the icing on the cake for a class that will finish in the top 15 nationally according to the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings. It also continues a nice trend among California linebackers, as the Irish signed Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa last year, and elite players at the position. Just in the last few years they have also signed Drayk Bowen and Jaylen Sneed.

This group is deep and talented and just got a whole lot better with the addition of Faraimo.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates a turnover during an NCAA college football game against Virginia at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend.

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