Despite a Concerted Effort, Notre Dame Fails to Land Five-Star QB from Oklahoma
Despite a months-long campaign filled with personal visits, tailored pitches, and even a last-minute push from legendary alumni, Notre Dame football has come up short in its pursuit of five-star quarterback prospect Jaxon Randle—a homegrown hero from Norman, Oklahoma, who has officially committed to the University of Oklahoma.
The decision, announced in a nationally televised segment on ESPN’s “Recruiting Nation,” ended what had become one of the most dramatic recruiting battles of the 2025 cycle. Randle, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound dual-threat quarterback with a cannon arm and elite mobility, had narrowed his top choices to Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Georgia. But in the end, the gravitational pull of Sooner Nation proved too strong to resist.
“Notre Dame was incredible,” Randle said during the announcement. “Coach Freeman and his staff treated me like family. The academics, the tradition—it all meant a lot. But at the end of the day, I couldn’t turn my back on home. I’ve dreamed of playing in Crimson and Cream since I was six.”
Notre Dame had gone all-in on Randle. Head coach Marcus Freeman made three separate trips to Norman over the past six months, joined at times by offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and even former Irish great Brady Quinn. The staff emphasized Randle’s potential to become the face of a new era in South Bend, offering him a system tailored to his strengths and the chance to start early. They even brought in NIL consultants and academic advisors to sweeten the pitch, highlighting the holistic benefits of a Notre Dame degree.
But Randle’s roots run deep. His father, Marcus Randle Sr., played linebacker for Oklahoma in the early 2000s, and his mother teaches at a local high school in Norman. His older brother is currently a redshirt freshman tight end for the Sooners. The hometown loyalty, combined with Oklahoma’s recent offensive success under head coach Brent Venables and OC Jeff Lebby, was ultimately too much for any program—no matter how storied—to overcome.
Notre Dame fans are understandably disappointed. The Irish had not landed a five-star quarterback since Tyler Buchner in 2021, and many saw Randle as the keystone of a potentially historic recruiting class. Instead, they will now have to pivot to other targets, including four-star signal-caller Malik Sharpe from North Carolina and dual-threat standout Kenny James out of Houston.
“This is a tough miss,” said recruiting analyst Tom Luginbill. “But you’ve got to give Notre Dame credit—they fought to the end. This wasn’t about effort. It was about roots, loyalty, and a kid choosing home.”
As for Randle, he’ll now turn his focus toward enrolling early at Oklahoma in January and competing for a starting job in 2025. And for Notre Dame, the quest for an elite quarterback continues—proof that in college football, even the most storied programs must sometimes watch their dreams walk away under Friday night lights.
