Notre Dame is an early front-runner for a top quarterback target, and things just took a massive step forward with the Irish’s pursuit
Notre Dame football is set to make a run at one of the top quarterbacks in the country. They are setting the tone early on.
While the main focus is on the 2027 recruiting class for Notre Dame, head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish have also been hosting several top 2028 targets for visits this offseason. That includes 2028 Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage quarterback Neimann Lawrence, who is widely considered to be one of the elite signal callers in his class.
Fresh off a visit a few weeks ago, it appears that Freeman and Co. are very impressed with what they’ve seen of Lawrence. During the last two recruiting classes, quarterback coach Gino Guidugli, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, and the offensive staff have been very selective with quarterback offers.
Many believe that Lawrence could end up being the top quarterback target for Notre Dame in the 2028 class, and they certainly verified that interest this week. The Irish extended an offer to the Florida standout, their first to any 2028 quarterback.
Later in the day, Notre Dame also decided to offer 2028 Alexander City (Ala.) Benjamin Russell star Kingston Preyear. Like Lawrence, Preyear also visited South Bend for an unofficial visit earlier this offseason. Vibes were strong coming out of that visit, and it appears that these are the two early quarterback targets to know.
Both players are considered high-end signal callers in the class, making each a great potential option. As things begin to wind down with 2027 quarterback recruiting for Notre Dame, getting some eyes on the 2028 class is smart. It’ll be interesting to see where things go between the Irish and Lawrence.
Neimann Lawrence’s recruiting background
Lawrence is considered to be a four-star and top-100 player by each of the major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Lawrence is currently rated as a four-star, the No. 36 overall player, the No. 5 quarterback, and the No. 7 player from the state of Florida for the 2028 recruiting class. Each site views him as a potentially elite signal caller.
As legit as Lawrence’s recruiting rankings are, his offer list might be even better. Some of the top programs that have offered him so far include Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Michigan, Oregon, Florida, Texas A&M, Miami, Nebraska, Auburn, Florida State, South Carolina, TCU, Arkansas, SMU, Illinois, Virginia Tech, Colorado, Pitt, Arizona State, UCF, West Virginia, Syracuse, and Purdue, among others.
The 6-0.5, 202-pound put together a tremendous sophomore season while with Miami (Fla.) Northwestern in 2025. In ten games, Lawrence managed to throw for 1,971 yards and 32 touchdowns, with just one interception. The Florida native also rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries, an average of 11.6 yards per carry.
Lawrence began his career with Miami (Fla.) Ransom Everglades as a freshman in 2024, throwing for 2,777 yards and 31 touchdowns, while also rushing for four more scores on the ground. He is set to star for American Heritage next season.