"Loading up": Fans hyped up over 4-star CB Mark Zackery IV's recent Notre Dame commitment

Notre Dame football scored a major victory on the recruiting front with the commitment of four-star cornerback Mark Zackery IV from Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. He is ranked as the No. 15 cornerback in the 2025 class, according to the 247Sports composite.

Zackery's commitment came as no surprise to those following his recruitment closely. The Indianapolis native has long been impressed by Notre Dame. On Saturday, he made it official by verbally committing to head coach Marcus Freeman and the team, per Hayes Fawcett.

Fans took to social media to express their excitement following the news.

"LetsGooooo! Loading Up!" a fan wrote.

With Zackery’s commitment, Notre Dame has now secured pledges from three of the nation’s top secondary prospects. The four-star athlete joins Cree Thomas and Dallas Golden, completing a formidable trio that positions Notre Dame’s defensive back class among the nation’s elite.

"Our defense is gonna be scary for a long time man. Just beef up dline," a netizen wrote.

"Choosing to stay in Indiana is wild, I don’t care where it is," one fan wrote.

Zackery still has an official visit to Florida on Jun. 21. This led to some chatter among fans, especially given the timing of his commitment to Notre Dame. Many fans see the perceived setback for Florida’s recruitment efforts.

"Florida absolutely stuffed in the locker. Yikes billy," a netizen wrote.

Notre Dame has been preparing for the potential departures of standout defenders Benjamin Morrison and Xavier Watts. Both are projected to enter the NFL draft next year. But Mark Zackery IV's commitment will be a sigh of relief for the program.

Zackery played both offense and defense last season when his school won the Class 6A state championship.

Mark Zackery IV's heart has always been sealed with Notre Dame

The choice of committing to Notre Dame had been in Mark Zackery IV's heart long before the official commitment. Despite interest from numerous Power Five programs, he felt a deep connection to Notre Dame.

"I was going to wait it out to take official visits just to have that experience, but I felt like there was no need for me to go to the other places when I know where my heart is and where I want to be … Notre Dame feels like the place for me."

Zackery has not ruled out continuing his basketball career. He mentioned ongoing discussions about potentially joining the basketball team as well.

"I've been talking to (Notre Dame basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry) about possibly playing basketball, too. That's something to take into consideration. But very slowly with that because I know it's a big load in college. But it's something to take into consideration because basketball means a lot to me."

Mark Zackery IV took part in the Indiana High School Future All-Stars basketball game in 2023. He contributed eight points and four assists in that game.