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Marcus Freeman may have missed out on a national title last January, but he's not about to let one of the most sought-after blue-chip NFL prospects in the 2026 recruiting class slip through his fingers. His challenge? Going up against none other than Bill Belichick.
Devin Fitzgerald isn't just one of the top high school prospects in the 2026 class-he's also the son of Arizona Cardinals icon Larry Fitzgerald Jr. A junior at Brophy College Prep, Devin is poised to take college football by storm, searching for the program that will offer him the best path to success.
Ranked No. 8 nationally and No. 4 in Arizona by 247Sports, the young receiver has already received offers from top programs, including Duke, Cal, Kansas State, Arizona, UCLA, Michigan, North Carolina, and, of course, Notre Dame.
The race to sign Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald began turning heads in February at Nike's "Next Ones" camp and has kept his fans informed about his growing list of offers.
"I'm grateful and excited to announce that I have received an offer from Arizona State University," he posted after a visit to Tempe, where he met with WRs coach Hines Ward.
But Ward isn't the biggest name on Fitzgerald's meeting list. In another social media post, the young prospect shared, "I had the privilege of speaking with Coach @Belichick_B... and I'm thrilled to announce that I have received an offer from the University of North Carolina."
Recognizing the fierce competition, Freeman sent one of his top recruiters-receivers coach Mike Brown-to Phoenix in an effort to persuade the young star. While the results of the meeting remain unclear, it's evident that Freeman is pulling out all the stops.
How Fitzgerald fits at Notre Dame
After falling to Ohio State in the championship game, Freeman and Notre Dame launched an aggressive recruiting campaign, securing commitments from top talent-including Javian Osborne, one of the best running backs in the 2026 class.
This recruiting push has positioned the Fighting Irish as the second-ranked team in the 2026 rankings. Adding Fitzgerald wouldn't just strengthen their chances of making another deep playoffs run-it would send a strong message to the rest of the NCAA.