Notre Dame youngster goes viral for doing his best impersonation of his Hall of Fame father and getting the Fighting Irish fanbase excitedÂ
A Notre Dame true freshman is already bringing back memories of his famous NFL father after a viral video surfaced this week.
Notre Dame wide receiver Devin Fitzgerald is one of the easiest examples of the Fighting Irish program’s fascination with the sons of former NFL players. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Irish have shown high interest in betting on genes and upside, which we saw multiple times in the 2026 recruiting class.
When your father is former Arizona Cardinals legend and NFL Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald, there are going to be some high expectations for what he accomplishes in South Bend. “Larry Legend” was selected to 11 Pro Bowls during his 17-year NFL career, hauling in 1,432 receptions for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns. He is one of the best wide receivers of all-time.
Not only does the younger Fitzgerald play wide receiver like his father, he also wears the No. 11, which is going to bring back some great memories. We got an early glimpse of the Fitzgerald skill set during spring practice, which included a one-handed contested catch that went viral this week.
While this isn’t necessarily a precursor for a legendary career in South Bend, it is always nice to see freshmen flash early on. Behind the scenes, Fitzgerald has been impressing the Notre Dame staff early on. Like his father, he brings a massive frame and strong ball skills. Barring injury, Fitzgerald isn’t expected to play a ton in 2026, but the future does appear to be bright.
Devin Fitzgerald’s recruiting background
When Notre Dame first started pursuing Fitzgerald, he was considered to be a consensus three-star player by each of the major recruiting platforms. Due to his huge senior season, the Arizona standout saw his rankings skyrocket down the stretch. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Fitzgerald ended up rated as a four-star, the No. 280 overall player, the No. 43 wide receiver, and the No. 4 player from the state of Arizona for the 2025 recruiting class.
Over 30 programs ended up offering the talented wideout. Some of Fitzgerald’s top offers included the Fighting Irish, Michigan, Clemson, Florida State, Kansas State, Arizona State, Iowa State, Arizona, Boston College, Pitt, Vanderbilt, UCLA, NC State, UNC, Minnesota, Stanford, Duke, and UCF, among many others.
After some good production as a junior, Fitzgerald exploded as a senior during his final year. The 6-2, 205-pound pass catcher managed to haul in 82 receptions for 1,230 yards and 15 touchdowns in just 12 games, an average of 15 yards per reception. That season included a school record performance against Chandler, which included 14 receptions for 253 yards and four touchdowns.Â
Notre Dame Fighting Irish News
Notre Dame football just received a second chance at one of the more dynamic offensive weapons in the countryÂ
Notre Dame football could be a major player for one of the more dynamic offensive weapons in the 2028 recruiting class.
