Just when everyone thought Notre Dame had turned the page on last year’s playoff snub by Miami, they came back swinging. But this time it’s Marcus Freeman who has the upper hand, and this one is on the recruiting end. And Oak Ridge’s four-star tight end just came from an exciting visit to South Bend. This leaves Miami in big trouble.

Malik Howard had already picked six top schools: Alabama, Miami, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt. Notre Dame joined later, but the tight ends coaches Mike Denbrock and Harris Bivin quickly connected with him through calls, texts, and a visit to his school in January. Now, after Howard made his first visit to Marcus Freeman’s team, he seems nothing but satisfied.

“Notre Dame could definitely be a great spot for me to land,” Howard said to the Rivals.

On top of that, Marcus Freeman’s team emphasizes that academics at the school help players succeed in life after football. Malik Howard really liked this idea, which made Notre Dame a top priority.

“It’s really important, and there’s no place better to set you up for life after football than Notre Dame with the connections they provide to CEOs and large businesses around the world,” Howard said. “There are so many people who have had super successful careers who played football but may not have played in the NFL. They continue to use the resources Notre Dame provides and make something special happen.”

That’s a straight fact, as former Notre Dame QB Brandon Wimbush used his time at the school to start a business after college. He created MOGL, a platform that helps student-athletes connect with companies for NIL deals. His Notre Dame connections and experience helped him succeed. Because of his work, Wimbush made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

On top of that, Notre Dame has a long history of producing elite tight ends who turn pro. The list includes Kyle Rudolph, Tyler Eifert, Cole Kmet, Durham Smythe, Michael Mayer, and Derek Brown. Then there’s Mitchell Evans, who was drafted in 2025 by the Panthers. Plus, let’s not forget Notre Dame’s championship run in the 2024 season.

Then they even finished strong last season, ending up with a 10-2 record. But things can quickly change after Howard visits Miami on April 18th. They were last season’s finalists and gave tough competition to Indiana. Even Mario Cristobal’s team’s tight end pipeline is solid. They drafted top players in the NFL (first round) like Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow II, Greg Olsen, Elijah Arroyo, and Jimmy Graham.

He already visited Miami last year in September and also said that it was “electric.” Howard was also left impressed with Miami’s culture. But they are not the only ones in contention, as there are two other teams that are gaining major momentum in Howard’s recruitment.

Marcus Freeman’s ultimate competition

Malik Howard likes Notre Dame because they have a strong history of tight ends and good academics. However, Alabama and Tennessee have been two of his top schools since the start of his recruiting trail.

“It definitely boosted them up,” Howard said. “They’re hanging around the top with the other schools you mentioned (Alabama and Tennessee). LSU is a school I haven’t been to yet, but all of those schools are right at the top. You can’t go wrong with any of them.”

Now, being from Tennessee, the home state advantage holds the upper hand, and Alabama’s championship history, too, makes it his top choice. They even have a strong pipeline of players going into the NFL, like O.J. Howard, Irv Smith Jr., and many others.

There’s a reason why so many teams are interested in him. This guy finished his junior season with 53 catches for 778 yards and 11 touchdowns. Then, in the 2024 season, he recorded 32 passes for 389 yards with 6 touchdowns.

This offseason, Malik Howard has a busy list of visits planned. He wants to visit Alabama this spring, but their practice schedule makes it hard. Before his official visits, he will go to LSU on April 24. Then, his summer official visits are set: Alabama on May 29, Tennessee on June 5, Notre Dame on June 12, and LSU again on June 19.

So, now let’s wait and see which team leaves a lasting impact on Howard and grabs his commitment.