Dallas Golden's high school film at Berkley Prep in Tampa, Fla., borders on the absurd.
His coaches utilized the do-it-all, two-way playmaker by lining him up all over the field as their all-powerful Queen on the proverbial high school gridiron chessboard.
Over the last three seasons, the dynamic athlete played cornerback, safety, Nickel, wide receiver, running back, wildcat quarterback and return specialist in 37 games for a team that won back-to-back 2M state championships and finished as the runner-up in 2024.
According to MaxPreps, Golden ran for 3,908 yards and 47 touchdowns on 7.2 yards per carry, snagged 74 receptions for 980 yards and 11 touchdowns and completed 3-4 pass attempts for 32 yards and two additional scores. He also chipped in 850 more all-purpose yards as a kick and punt returner.
On defense, he recorded 12 pass deflections and five interceptions.
Based on 247Sports Composite rankings, Golden represented the fourth-best player in Notre Dame's 2025 recruiting class and the nation's No. 92 overall prospect and the No. 2 athlete.
On Sunday, he and the 10 other members of the freshman class arrived on campus.
After being on campus for the Blue-Gold Game, he's most excited to establish a stronger bond with his teammates.
"I'll probably say just building relationships with my teammates, creating that brotherhood that they always preach at Notre Dame," Golden told Irish Illustrated last week. "(I want) to go through the experience that I've been praying for since I was in sixth grade. Being there, it's going to almost be a surreal feeling."
Despite starting a semester behind, it's still a possibility that Golden or at least one other summer enrollee has earned early playing time in each of the last few cycles.
Impact Summer Enrollee Freshmen Since 2020
CB Leonard Moore (2024) - FWAA Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and led the Fighting Irish with 11 pass deflections.
WR Jordan Faison (2023) - Named Sun Bowl MVP after snagging five catches for 115 yards and a touchdown against Oregon State.
CB Benjamin Morrison (2022) - Picked off six passes, tying him for third nationally.
OT Joe Alt (2021) - Started final eight games of the season at left tackle for a team that went 11-2 and played in the Fiesta Bowl.
TE Michael Mayer (2020) - Made third-team All-ACC and became a freshman All-American while tying for a team-high 42 receptions.
Golden has the talent to join this illustrious list once he finds out where exactly he'll play this fall.
"I'm not really sure, really," Golden said. "Wherever coach places me, that's what I'm going to do. We shall see."
The self-reported 6-foot-1, 186-pound freshman departed for campus a few days early, spending some time in Chicago before getting to campus in time to attend Friday's Irish Invasion camp with his father.
To be safe, Golden spent the offseason going through defensive back and receiver drills with private trainers, including Rashard Davis.
Irish fans we on the way!☘️ Can’t thank God enough!! @rasharddavis6 #GoIrish ☘️ pic.twitter.com/ipukL0hrZ6
— Dallas Golden (@DallasGolden8) March 18, 2025
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, he went to Flex & Flow Fitness at 5 a.m. with his father to complete the weightlifting program prescribed by Notre Dame, which included specific rep and set targets for bench press, squats, power cleans and more.
"It really helped me progress," Golden said. "I felt myself get a lot stronger in a matter of weeks."
Speed will be a premium for Golden, no matter where he plays. So, he also regularly ran hills.
"It's been real good getting my explosion up, getting faster," Golden said.
Of course, odds are he'll begin his career under the guise of defensive backs coach Mike Mickens, who Golden is pictured with in the second slide of the Instagram post embedded above, along with fellow 2025 summer enrollee Mark Zackery IV.
Mickens has recruited and developed some of the nation's best defensive backs over the last decade.
That includes New York Jets cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant, Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Cam Hart, Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison and Atlanta Falcons safety Xavier Watts, all of whom were selected in the first five rounds of the NFL Draft.
"(I'd be) learning from the best, and it's an honor just to be playing under him," Golden said. "I know he's always going to lead me in the right direction, so I'm going to just trust him and believe in him."
At the same time, Golden believes he could be a significant asset to offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock or as a return man for special teams coordinator Marty Biagi.
"I feel like I really could do something special with the ball in my hands," Golden said.
While it's likely a long shot, he'd also be open to playing on both sides of the ball.
Over the last few years, he watched Travis Hunter play cornerback and wide receiver at Jacksonville State and Colorado.
That includes a Heisman Trophy-winning season last fall, where Hunter grabbed 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns and recorded 35 tackles, 11 pass deflections, four interceptions and a forced fumble.
"Travis Hunter is really my idol," Golden said. "Everything he does, I watch all his games, watch his highlights."
Ultimately, Golden will be comfortable no matter where he plays.
"I really don't have a preference at all. Whatever," Golden said. "I believe in myself, and I feel like I have the confidence. God gave me the talent. So, I believe I can do whatever on the field at any position."
It's that same faith that also led him to pick Notre Dame, where he'll have the chance to play in front of the "Word of Life" mural, aka "Touchdown Jesus," seven times this fall.
Throughout the recruiting process, Golden and his parents, Marjorie and Pelham Golden Jr., prayed for guidance.
According to his 247Sports recruiting profile, he had more than 40 scholarship offers to choose from, including those from Alabama, Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia, and Oregon.
His relationships with the Fighting Irish coaching staff also proved vital in his deliberations, but that's not why he moved to South Bend, Ind., over the weekend.
"God spoke to me, and I had to go with it," Golden said. "I've got to make that decision, and this is going to be the school I commit to."