Mark Zackery IV has known for some time Notre Dame was where he wanted to be for his college football career. But just to make sure, he took another trip to South Bend this spring and another to get a final look at Cincinnati, his other finalist.
If he was not 100% decided before, Zackery was completely in on the Irish after the visit.
“I was going to wait it out to take official visits just to have that experience,” he said, “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. I know things change and there’s a lot going on with the transfer portal and things like that, but Notre Dame feels like the place for me.”
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The 6-foot, 160-pound Zackery, rated as a four-star cornerback prospect by 247Sports and the No. 59 player in the country in the 2025 class, had narrowed his choices to Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Michigan and Florida but had scholarship offers from more than two dozen more schools, including Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Tennessee and USC.
What separated Notre Dame from that impressive list of options? The football pedigree and everything that goes with it stands on its own. The academics (Zachery has a 3.92 grade-point average) played a factor, too. But the connections to coach Marcus Freeman and defensive backs coach Mike Mickens might have pushed the Irish over the top for Zackery.
“Obviously there is a connection with coach Freeman and coach Mickens,” Zackery said. “It’s also just the fit for me. Coach Mickens is a great defensive backs’ coach.”
Zackery pointed to the success of players Mickens has coached, like Sauce Gardner, who played at Cincinnati when Mickens was there and is a two-time Pro Bowler with the New York Jets. Another is Ben Morrison, a former four-star prospect who was a Thorpe Award finalist last season as a sophomore. Then there is Cam Hart, who was taken in the fifth round of the NFL draft last month by the Los Angeles Chargers. Hart was originally a wide receiver who converted to defensive back and become a full-time starter at cornerback opposite Morrison.
“The development piece is big,” Zackery said. “I feel like there is a lot more that can go into my game. I’ve only been playing cornerback for three years. I feel like (Mickens is) one of those guys who can develop me as a player but also as a man outside football. Coach Freeman as well. I just know this (recruiting) class very well going on visits with them and experiencing things and activities we did together. I feel like there is a connection with us. I feel like we’ll be able to win a national championship together.”
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Even before Zackery’s commitment, the Notre Dame 2025 recruiting class was ranked No. 1 in the country by 247Sports. The Irish already had eight four-star commits in the class, including Florida cornerback Dallas Golden, who committed last week. Zackery is the first in-state commit in the class for the Irish, though Warren Central defensive end Damien Shanklin, another four-star prospect, has Notre Dame high on his list.
Zackery played on both sides of the ball last season as a junior for Ben Davis’ Class 6A state championship team. He made 39 tackles, four interceptions, three fumble recoveries and caused two fumbles on defense and caught 53 passes for 823 yards and eight TDs on offense. He projects on defense in college, though there could be some flexibility on where he fits in there.
“I know they like to play their guys a lot of places (in the secondary),” Zackery said. “For me (it will be corner) but they talked nickel as well and safety, possibly. Now that coach Mickens coaches the whole defensive backs so it’ll be whatever he feels like is the best fit for me. I’m willing to do whatever to make the team win. With me being on winning teams, I know your role might change. I just want to be the best player I can be on and off the field, just doing whatever it takes to win.”
Zackery plans to enroll next June which will allow him the opportunity to play his senior season of basketball. The two-sport star was named as one of six members of the core Indiana Junior All-Stars after the basketball season. He averaged 10.3 points, 3.8 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game for the Class 4A state runner-up Giants.
He is not completely closing the door on the idea of playing basketball in college. Zackery is playing travel basketball with the top Indiana Elite team that includes players like Dezmon Briscoe of Crispus Attucks, Braylon Mullins of Greenfield-Central and Trent Sisley of Heritage Hills.
“I’ve been talking to (Notre Dame basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry) about possibly playing basketball, too,” Zackery said. “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.”
The recruiting aspect admittedly wore down Zackery a bit at times. He is relieved to move on with the next step: getting ready for his senior season of football and basketball at Ben Davis and what comes next at Notre Dame.
“It was a long process,” he said. “But gratefully, I’ve been super blessed to be recruited since my freshman year by these colleges. It’s been a long experience and long journey for me. But now it’s just getting started with a new place and new college and I know them throwing me into the fire as a freshman it isn’t going to be easy. I’m going to prepare myself as best as I possibly can for this coming year and work my butt off to get where I need to be.”
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
