NEWS: Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher’s son Kennedy Urlacher leaves Notre Dame for USC

Modified Apr 19, 2025 20:39 GMT

Syndication: South Bend Tribune - Source: Imagn — Syndication: South Bend Tribune - Image Source: Imagn

Kennedy Urlacher is one of the top rising college football safeties and has made a name for himself with his sharp instincts and physical play. A three-star recruit from Chandler High School in Arizona, he is the son of Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher.

News broke on Saturday via On3 that Urlacher will be heading to the West Coast to Lincoln Riley's USC, adding more talent to the Trojans' defense. As per 247 Sports, Urlacher had 20 offers to consider, with teams such as Arizona, Iowa, Miami, Nebraska, Penn State, Washington and Wisconsin all in the mix for the 5-foot-11, 195-pound safety.

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In the 2024 season, Urlacher recorded 7 solo tackles, 1 pass deflection (PD), and had 0 interceptions (INT) or forced fumbles (FF). At 5-foot-11 and 196 pounds, his strong tackling and smart coverage will be a plus for Lincoln Riley in the 2025 season. USC is looking to improve its secondary, and Urlacher could play a big role this fall.

Also read: Who are the parents of Kennedy Urlacher?

Kennedy Urlacher is looking for more reps

Kennedy Urlacher left Notre Dame and hit the NCAA Transfer Portal on the opening day of the spring window and was looking for a fresh start after a year spent grinding on special teams.

In early April, Urlacher discussed what he was looking for in 2025, as per South Bend Tribune:

“More plays is always better,” he said. “More reps. I'm just trying to get more reps."

Urlacher donned the Fighting Irish jersey in all 14 games in 2024, recording 12 tackles, including seven solo. The Arizona native made it clear during spring practice that special teams wasn’t just a stopgap and told On3:

“Honestly, kickoff is my favorite. I love punt. Kick return is alright, but kickoff, I think I can definitely have a shot at playing right there,” Urlacher stated.

Kennedy Urlacher was ranked No. 707 nationally in the class of 2024 and brings a big-name legacy to USC, along with high expectations.

Also read: Lincoln Riley's USC shows heavy advantage in 2026 recruitment

About the author

Prasen is an NFL/College Sports analyst at Sportskeeda. A B.Tech/Civil Engineering graduate, he has two years of experience writing content.

For Prasen, providing historical angles relevant to the story is important, as it can give the reader useful information and help them relate it to the present. He thinks this keeps the content unique rather than just a bland reporting of facts. Prasen believes in fact-checking and researching relevant information as per the headline and context. He hates clickbait or misleading the reader.

A fan of the Colorado Buffaloes since Deion Sanders took over as coach, Prasen expects Coach Prime to make the Buffs a national championship contender. Nick Saban is his favorite all-time coach, while Baker Mayfield and Caitlin Clark are his favorite players. Prasen considers Vince Young coming up clutch for the Texas Longhorns in the dying seconds of the 2017 national championship game against the USC Trojans as the most iconic moment of all time.

Per Prasen, College Sports is competitive and garners attention but it is just the beginning, where a student-athlete can show their skills and potential to make it to the big leagues. When he is not researching and writing, Prasen’s hobbies include pursuing higher studies and playing sports.

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Edited by John Maxwell