Written by Cade Harper ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter (X): @CadeHarperIT
Photo via Derek Meadows (Instagram)
247 Sports' Tom Loy logged a prediction back in January of this year in favor of the Irish to land Derek Meadows, an elite receiving talent out of Nevada. Since then, multiple SEC schools have emerged, making this an all out war for the 6'6" 200 pound wideout, with Alabama & LSU being the main competitors. Despite the crystal ball, the leader to land Meadows seems unclear at this point. Meadows was initially supposed to make his decision on July 13th, but he has since rescheduled his commitment for July 20th at 3:00 PM EST to contemplate the biggest decision of his early career with his family. Notre Dame has kept themselves in a tight race thus far, and are now taking all the necessary steps in hopes of finally adding an elite receiving piece to this class. Before he makes his decision, I am going to breakdown what he can bring to this already talented class, and how big of a statement it would make in the recruiting realm for the Irish.
Meadows has been sought after by Notre Dame since last year, with former WR Coach Chansi Stuckey leading the early push. Since newly acquired WR Coach Mike Brown took the reigns, the Irish have been able to hold the interest of Meadows despite the staff turnover. The Bishop Gorman phenom has visited twice since Brown was hired back in December, and has visited South Bend more than any of the other schools in his Top 5.
Looking into his high school numbers, in just 10 games as a junior last season, Meadows totaled 15 receptions for 391 yards and eight touchdowns, making him a deep ball threat averaging just over 25 yards per reception. For his size, he is incredibly athletic and very fast. He was recognized as the Gatorade State Track and Field Player of The Year, and put up an impressive time of 36.73 seconds in a 300 meter hurdle race. Not only that, but his wingspan, which measures at 80 inches, makes defenders dread matching up against him. His size, paired with his athleticism, has the potential to make an immediate impact in a receiving room that has been starving for a deep threat since the late 2010's. Meadows' lengthy frame and catch radius give him an incredible advantage as an outside receiver, and athletically speaking, there may not be a better frame at the position in this class.
Although Meadows' production might not jump off the page, his athletic floor is so high that it's hard not to take notice. Playing at a powerhouse like Bishop Gorman, the competition is always stiff - and when Meadows has had a chance to make a play, he doesn't waste it. Meadows has scored a touchdown in seven of ten games in the 23/24' season. In three of those games, his lone touchdown was his only reception. And as stated earlier, he's scored on eight of his 15 receptions - in short, when he touches the ball, it's more likely to be a touchdown than not.
Via Derek Meadows, X
According to 247 Sports, Meadows is ranked as the 32nd overall player in the 2025 class. In position rankings, he sits at sixth, and in the state of Nevada, he stands alone as the highest rated prospect. Meadows would be joining several other freaky-athletic playmakers in the 2025 class, such as Deuce Knight and James Flanigan, who were just named to ON3's "Future Freaks" list. And while the additions of Elijah Burress and Jerome Bettis Jr. are welcomed, Meadows would certainly heighten anticipation and raw talent within the receiving room. The Irish have been trending downward in the 2025 recruiting rankings after the loss of Ivan Taylor and another priority target in Tanook Hines choosing USC. Landing Meadows could reignite the spark on the trail that Marcus Freeman and the staff have been vying after for some time. Now all that's left to do is wait on Meadows' decision and trust Freeman to do whatever it takes to convince the 4-star WR to pledge his commitment down the stretch.
Via Mitch Stephens, X
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