Notre Dame football is stocking up on talent with a common NFL theme for next year.
Thomas Davis Jr., the son of former Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis Sr., was the first NFL legacy to commit to the Fighting Irish last year. But he wouldn't be the last. In a stacked 2026 class which is ranked No. 4 nationally, Notre Dame added wide receiver Devin Fitzgerald, the son of future Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and wide receiver Kaydon Finley, the son of former Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley on the Fourth of July.
A photo with all three NFL greats and their sons was part of the announcement and surfaced on social media. It's a reminder of the next generation getting ready to take the reins.
Notre Dame has made some splashes over the past two recruiting classes. This marks the sixth NFL legacy signing or commit, including wide receiver Elijah Burress, the son of Plaxico Burress; wide receiver Jerome Bettis Jr., the son of Hall-of-Famer Jerome Bettis; and tight end James Flanigan, the son of 2000 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Jim Flanigan.
Needless to say, the Irish receiving corps is going to be a problem in the future.
As for Davis Jr., the four-star linebacker from Weddington (North Carolina) is noted as a ESPN 300 recruit and the No. 11 player in the Tar Heel State. He had 92 tackles (13.5 for loss) with a sack and interception in 2023.