Ivan Taylor, Son of Former Steelers CB Ike, Commits to Notre Dame, Marcus Freeman

Four-star cornerback Ivan Taylor committed to head coach Marcus Freeman's program on Friday, becoming the highest-ranked recruit in Notre Dame's 2025 class (per ESPN's Blake Baumgartner).

Taylor is the son of former NFL cornerback Ike Taylor, who won two Super Bowls throughout his 12 seasons as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The younger Taylor previously looked at Alabama, Florida State, Florida and Miami before deciding to become a member of the Fighting Irish.

In 2022, he recorded 65 tackles and three interceptions while breaking up eight passes as a sophomore for West Orange High School in Florida. He also ran track at the prep level and reportedly owns a time of 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, per 247Sports.

His agility and speed combined with his sound tackling mechanics make him an intriguing prospect. Taylor has the versatility to play across the secondary, having experience at both cornerback and safety.

While he's made a concerted effort to build his own legacy outside of his father's shadow, telling ESPN that "I'm my own player" in July, he's still taken advice from his dad in regards to the preparation that NFL players typically go through.

"Humble and work hard, I would say is what he's taught me the best," Taylor said, via Baumgartner. "... I'm embracing [the Taylor name] very much. My dad has taught me what he was being taught in the NFL. So I feel like I'm already ahead of the game because he's teaching me what NFL coaches and what it's been like and what you have to go through and how the whole thing is."

Freeman will be hoping that the young defensive back will help fortify a strong defensive unit in the future. Notre Dame allowed just 16.58 points per game this season, the ninth-best mark in the country.