Notre Dame Football Commits Honored as Preseason All-Americans

South Bend, IN – Notre Dame football commitments Joey O’Brien and Thomas Davis Jr. have received notable recognition as preseason All-Americans for the upcoming 2025 season.

On Monday, national high school sports reporter Andy Villamarzo included O’Brien, a linebacker and safety from Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, and Davis from Matthews, North Carolina, among 38 players honored nationwide. Only Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, and USC had more players recognized than the Fighting Irish.

With this accolade, O’Brien and Davis emphasize Notre Dame’s strong recruiting efforts. Currently, Notre Dame ranks No. 4 in the 2026 Industry Ranking Football Team Recruiting Rankings.

O’Brien, a four-star recruit standing at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, is versatile enough to be listed as both a safety and wide receiver. Last season, he caught 68 passes for 1,029 yards with 12 touchdowns. His defensive stats include 36 tackles, 13 pass breakups, and one interception, making him the No. 4 safety nationally and the top player in Pennsylvania.

“Joey O’Brien has some of the best ball skills of any player nationally,” said Rivals national scout Cody Bellaire. “He has absurd size and length for the position, looking like an albatross on the field.”

Davis, the son of former NFL linebacker Thomas Davis Sr., is ranked as the No. 8 linebacker in the country. Last season, he recorded 92 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss. “Thomas Davis Jr. is an instinctive, heady linebacker,” said Charles Power, Rivals’ director of scouting. “He plays on one of the top high school defenses in North Carolina.”

Both athletes are set to lead their respective high school teams into the season, ranked No. 2 in their state according to composite rankings. As they prepare for their senior seasons, O’Brien and Davis continue to draw attention from college football enthusiasts.