Son of Panthers legend committed to Notre Dame's loaded legacy class

His name should be very familiar to Carolina Panthers fans, but Thomas Davis Jr. might be making one for himself on the gridiron.

Davis Jr., the son of former linebacker and Panthers legend Thomas Davis Sr., is currently committed to play his college football at the University of Notre Dame. He is one of three legacy talents in the Fighting Irish's 2026 recruiting class—which also features Kaydon Finley, son of former Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley, and Devin Fitzgerald, son of former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald.

NFL legacy recruits find their home at Notre Dame.

Thomas Davis Jr., Devin Fitzgerald, and Kaydon Finley now are all officially apart of this 2026 class. pic.twitter.com/U2MjJGJJWk

— Notre Dame Recruiting (@NDrecruiting01) July 5, 2025

Like his father, Davis Jr. mans the linebacker position. Per 247 Sports, the Matthews, N.C. native and Weddington High School standout is the 176th-ranked player in the nation, and also received offers from a number of local programs including Charlotte, Clemson, North Carolina, North Carolina State and South Carolina.

But even though he's not staying home, Davis Jr. should certainly have the Carolinas behind him for the next chapter of his journey.