Highly regarded 2025 recruiting class has experienced the anticipated departure of quarterback Deuce Knight, who has officially announced his commitment to Auburn. This change confirms what has been suspected for over a month. After visiting Notre Dame in July, Knight made five trips to Auburn, including attending three of the Tigers’ home games, and he didn’t return to Notre Dame, signaling his lack of intent to stay in that class. Knight had initially committed to Notre Dame last September and claimed to be fully committed for months, but he also maintained communication with other programs, such as Ole Miss and Alabama.
Eventually, he expressed interest in Auburn, which ultimately became his chosen school. While Knight made the announcement today, sources have indicated that this decision has been clear for quite some time, supported by his actions even though he continued to reassure the Notre Dame staff of his commitment. Just last night, he informed the staff and fellow Irish recruits that he planned to visit for the Stanford game weekend (Oct. 12), but this decision makes that visit unlikely. Despite publicly reaffirming his commitment, it had been evident for a while that a Notre Dame outcome was unlikely. His secret visits to other schools, including at least one during a recruiting dead period, and his presence on Auburn’s campus for three games in September underscored this shift.
Knight was a critical piece of Notre Dame’s 2025 class; he had a strong summer and rose significantly in rankings, now being recognized as a Top 50 player by Rivals, On3, and 247Sports. He is the third significant decommitment for Notre Dame, following Florida safety Ivan Taylor’s loss in July and tight end Nate Roberts’ brief commitment over the summer of 2023. Fortunately, Notre Dame is well-positioned to manage this departure, bolstered by the presence of elite freshman quarterback CJ Carr and the recent commitment of notable 2026 quarterback Noah Grubbs.
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