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Blake Baumgartner, ESPN Staff Writer
Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame received a huge boost to the 2025 recruiting cycle Friday with the commitment of four-star cornerback Ivan Taylor.
Taylor (No. 30 overall in the 2025 ESPN 300) — the son of former NFL cornerback Ike — is the fifth-best cornerback in the 2025 class and immediately becomes the highest-ranked prospect in the Fighting Irish’s next class.
If he signs, Taylor would be the highest-ranked cornerback to come to Notre Dame since ESPN began ranking players in 2006. For the 2025 class, Notre Dame now has five ESPN 300 pledges (two in the top 100), with Taylor joining defensive end C.J. May (No. 261 overall) on that side of the ball.
Taylor also looked at Alabama, Florida State, Florida and Miami. In nine games as a junior for West Orange High School this past season, the 6-foot, 175-pound Taylor recorded 45 tackles (22 solo) with six tackles for loss and one interception. He’ll offer defensive coordinator Al Golden some flexibility as he can play both cornerback and safety.
“I’m my own player,” Taylor told ESPN in July. “I really don’t like to compare. But if I had to say, I would try to be [like] Sean Taylor, who is one of my favorite safeties.”
Ike Taylor played 12 seasons in the NFL at cornerback — all with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2003-2014) after being drafted 125th overall in 2003 — and was a member of two Super Bowl-winning teams (XL and XLIII) in the Steel City.
“Humble and work hard, I would say is what he’s taught me the best,” Ivan said. “… I’m embracing [the Taylor name] very much. My dad has taught me what he was being taught in the NFL.
“So I feel like I’m already ahead of the game because he’s teaching me what NFL coaches and what it’s been like and what you have to go through and how the whole thing is.”
After securing a top-10 class in 2023 (No. 7 overall), the Fighting Irish currently sit 13th overall in ESPN’s latest 2024 team rankings, which were released Thursday.