A coveted tight end finds a perfect offensive fit and deeper connections, solidifying Notre Dame's elite impression after a pivotal weekend visit.
Notre Dame hosted a massive group of top prospects this weekend for the first Junior Day of the 2027 recruiting cycle, and one of the top targets on campus was tight end Jaxon Dollar. The Denver, N.C./East Lincoln standout isn't new to Notre Dame, but the Irish were still able to make a very, very strong impression.
This was Dollar's third trip to campus, with his first being Irish Invasion back in June and he was on campus to watch Notre Dame beat USC in October. Dollar has already developed good connections with head coach Marcus Freeman assistant tight ends coach Harris Bivin. Dollar had not yet connected with offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, but that changed this weekend.
His meeting with Denbrock was a needle mover.
“Before, there wasn’t really (a relationship with Denbrock) at all,” Dollar told Irish Breakdown. “We were only dealing with Bivin. Not that it was bad, we understood that he was the OC and super busy. We get why we haven’t had that much communication so far. They understand the importance of relationships with us. I see that changing a little bit going forward.
“Relationships are one of the things we have to check the box on with other schools, but here it was how I fit in their offense,” continued Dollar. “I mean, yes, they are known for tight ends, but I am not your traditional tight end. It was getting here and seeing how Coach Denbrock and Bivin saw me fitting into their offense. They did a good job of showing me how Tyler (Eifert) did it in the past and how they’ve had guys similar to me but not necessarily the same.”
Similar to his reaction after the USC game, Dollar was impressed with Notre Dame’s weight room and facilities, its historical campus, and the team’s plans for a new facility for the future.
“In their eyes, it’s not adequate for what they think the level of college football is right now,” Dollar said. “They are building new facilities – they aren’t being utilized until July – but the facilities are already super nice. The campus is obviously traditional. You have to have a certain level of appreciation for that campus. We appreciate the history behind it. We appreciate their efforts to keep with the times and update without diminishing the history. That’s a hard thing to do but I think they are doing a good job of it.”
For Dollar, the weekend solidified his decision about taking an official visit in June. He has developed a very good relationship with Freeman, who has been instrumental in assuring both Dollar and his family that he would be a great fit for the Irish.
“My family has a lot of respect for Coach Freeman,” Dollar said. “He’s going to be a big piece in making my family think I can have success away from home. I think Coach Freeman brings a level of realness. He doesn’t act like he reinvented the wheel at Notre Dame. He kind of came out and said that they were a culture established long before him and he has a certain responsibility to uphold it.”
Notre Dame has Dollar as a must-get prospect in the 2027 class, and this visit was a key step to eventually getting him in the fold.
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