Notre Dame has secured the full commitment of four-star recruit, Thomas Davis Jr., who comes from a legendary football family, with his dad a Carolina Panthers legend
Joshua Mbu Senior Sports Reporter
09:35 ET, 19 Jun 2025
Weddington linebacker Thomas Davis Jr. has committed to Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame(Image: Instagram / tjjdavis)
Carolina Panthers legend Thomas Davis Sr.’s son, Davis Jr., has committed to Notre Dame and delivered head coach Marcus Freeman a motivated message ahead of his arrival.
On Wednesday, the Weddington, North Carolina, linebacker announced that he was shutting down his recruitment and committing to the Fighting Irish. The move came after Davis Jr., a four-star prospect, dedicated to the Fighting Irish last Nov. but went on to visit Georgia in May this year after Freeman’s team lost the national championship game to Ohio State.
Davis Jr. was a crucial target for the Fighting Irish football program. The program relies heavily on recruitment, including its annual Pot of Gold Day on St. Patrick’s Day, where scholarships are awarded to some of the country’s best prospects nationwide for future classes.
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“I’m locked in,” Davis Jr., part of the 2026 class, told On3. “This place is special, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. I’m excited for this journey. Go Irish!”
There was concern over Davis Jr.’s visit to the Bulldogs before pledging his full allegiance to the Fighting Irish. His dad, a Panthers NFL legend, played for the Bulldogs in college before carving out a stellar career as a professional.
Signing day is still six months away, leaving Davis Jr. time to flip on his commitment should he choose to do so. However, the linebacker was left impressed by his visit to Notre Dame. “It was awesome,” Davis told Blue & Gold.
Davis Jr. is the son of Carolina Panthers legend Thomas Davis Sr.(Image: Instagram / tjjdavis)
“All of the guys bonded really well, and we had a great time. It felt great to be back at home, and I think the weekend will pay off and be successful recruiting-wise.”
As Weddington won the Class 4A North Carolina state championship, Davis Jr. was a key player. He recorded 92 stops, one sack, seven quarterback hurries, one interception, eight pass breakups, and one forced fumble across 16 games.
Davis Jr. has perfect versatility across a defensive line, leaving Freeman and Co. with several options on how to deploy the prospect. “It seems like when the moment gets bigger, Thomas plays better,” Weddington head coach Andy Capone previously said.
Davis says he’s ‘locked in’ with the Fighting Irish(Image: Instagram / tjjdavis)
“Sometimes, he seems to be in the right place at the right time. … But he puts himself in those situations because of his instincts. He’s never shied away from making a big play.”
HC Freeman expressed the importance of recruitment after losing the championship game to the Buckeyes earlier this year. The Fighting Irish would like to continue being a contender in years to come.
“We’ve always said we’re going to major in high school recruiting,” he said. “The greatest strength we have here is the love for this university, and in order to do that, you have to pick this place out of high school and really grow with it.”