Marcus Freeman sounds off on NIL, ‘acquisition fees’ at signing day press conference

Marcus Freeman didn’t mince words when discussing the impact of NIL on Notre Dame’s 2023 recruiting class.

The Fighting Irish lost two commits — both to Oregon — on Wednesday. 5-star safety Peyton Bowen and 4-star running back Jayden Limar both chose the Ducks despite longterm commitments to Notre Dame.

Freeman did not name Bowen or Limar specifically, but he did acknowledge the reality of “acquisition fees” in recruiting.

“If that’s the only reason they want to come to Notre Dame, it’s not going to be the right fit for them,” Freeman said.

Despite those losses, Notre Dame is still bringing in a top 10 recruiting class. The group ranks No. 9 n

ationally, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.

Still, it’s somewhat of a disappointing result for a Notre Dame class that was ranked as high as No. 1 in the country this cycle. The Irish were ranked No. 3 nationally until this week.

The group is led by 4 top-100 prospects: offensive tackle Charles Jagusah, running back Jeremiyah Love, linebacker Drayk Bowen and cornerback Christian Gray.

Notre Dame will face South Carolina in the Gator Bowl later this month.