Notre Dame Lands 3-Star Safety John Gay III, Outmaneuvering SEC Rivals for Key Recruit

POLICY WIRE — South Bend, Indiana — The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program has successfully secured a significant commitment from three-star safety John Gay III, according to a recent report...

Editorial Desk

April 22, 2026 2 Min Read

POLICY WIRE — South Bend, Indiana — The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program has successfully secured a significant commitment from three-star safety John Gay III, according to a recent report from On3’s Hayes Fawcett. This announcement follows closely after another safety, Khalil Terry, initially decommitted from Notre Dame before committing to the UCLA Bruins.

Gay made his decision on Wednesday after visiting the South Bend campus last week, choosing the Fighting Irish over offers from several prominent programs. His recruitment saw strong interest from teams like the Florida Gators, Syracuse Orange, and Ole Miss Rebels, among others, making his commitment a notable recruiting win for Notre Dame.

Player Profile and Academic Background

Hailing from Hollywood, Florida, Gay is a student at the prestigious Chaminade-Madonna Prep. Notably, he has a pre-existing connection to the Notre Dame coaching staff; Shaun Shivers, now an assistant wide receivers coach for the Fighting Irish, served as Gay’s running backs coach during his freshman year.

According to the Rivals industry ranking, Gay is recognized as the No. 831 overall player nationally and the No. 91 safety in his class. He also ranks as the 91st-best prospect originating from the state of Florida, a region from which two of Notre Dame’s current nine commits also hail.

Impactful Junior Season Performance

During his junior year at Chaminade-Madonna, Gay delivered an impressive performance, playing a crucial role in his team’s 11-3 record. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound safety demonstrated his versatility and skill across 12 games.

His statistics for the season included 32 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, one interception, and three crucial pass breakups. This strong showing underscores his potential to become a significant asset for the Notre Dame defense.

Bolstering Notre Dame’s 2027 Recruiting Class

Gay’s commitment significantly strengthens Notre Dame’s 2027 recruiting class, which is now ranked as the No. 8 class nationwide by Rivals. The class currently boasts nine committed players, with a strong emphasis on top-tier talent.

Seven of these nine commitments are four-star prospects, including standout cornerbacks Xavier Hasan and Ace Alston, both of whom are ranked among the top 100 players in the country. Additionally, interior offensive lineman James Halter also features within the top 100 prospects nationally, highlighting the high caliber of talent the Fighting Irish are attracting.