Notre Dame 2026 Player Profile: Wide Receiver Jerome Bettis Jr.

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Roundtable Sports

Story by

Roundtable Sports
Notre Dame 2026 Player Profile: Wide Receiver Jerome Bettis Jr.

Bryan Driskell · Roundtable Sports

Thu, Jun 25, 2026 ·

4 min read

IB EVALUATION

Here is my evaluation of Bettis coming out of high school:

"His senior season film was very encouraging and you could see what the Notre Dame coaches saw. Bettis has good height and well above average arm length, and he knows how to use his size to win. His combination of length, strong hands and body control allows Bettis to effectively win contested catches, especially in the red zone. His toughness extends to the run game and on defense, where he was effective for Woodward in 2023. Bettis is a solid all-around athlete, but he'll need to work on improving his initial burst and acceleration out of brakes if he wants to gain more separation down the field. He has a reputation as a hard worker, a great teammate and a player willing to do whatever he's asked to do."

FALL CAMP PREVIEW

Bettis got off to a strong start in the spring, showing off the impressive ball skills and contested catch ability that allowed him to thrive as a senior. Unfortunately, Bettis suffered a leg injury that cost him a chunk of the spring, so he couldn't build on that good start. In fall camp, Bettis will look to pick up where he left off before the injury. His size, ball skills and competitiveness are traits that allow him to make plays. It will be tough for him to crack the two-deep in 2026, but a strong fall camp — followed by a season in which he keeps improving — could put him in position to compete for a spot in 2027.

2026 EXPECTATIONS

Bettis has grown a lot over the last two years. His senior season was much improved and he impressed last spring. That growth has put him in position to make some noise at Notre Dame, but I do think he's still a year away from really pushing for a rotation spot. My expectations for Bettis in 2026 is to really work on his game and keep growing. Bettis shows good route running skills and his ability to make tough catches is really, really impressive. It's without a doubt his best trait right now. But part of the reason Bettis has to make so many contested catches is that he isn't getting a great deal of separation. I want to see him enhance his route running skills, with a focus on improving his release and top end skills in a way that will allow him to better manipulate defensive backs coming out of breaks. That will help him get better initial separation, as will continuing to improve his quickness and burst.

Improving isn't just for those players who are in the rotation, and Bettis will have a great chance to go down on scout team, battle against Leonard Moore and the starting defensive backs, make plays and get himself noticed as the team goes into the spring of 2027. Should there be injuries, doing this will also help the coaches have greater trust in him should his number be called.

A GOOD SEASON FOR BETTIS WOULD BE ....

One in which Bettis continues to get stronger, fill out his frame, improve his route running and continuing to show he can be a weapon in contested catch situations. It's a season in which he continues to show off the traits he already excels with, and then improve in the areas where his game needs work. That's what this season is about, but when he does get on the field, a good season is one in which he can make plays and show that he can thrive in the Irish offense.

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Notre Dame 2026 Player Profile: Wide Receiver Jerome Bettis Jr.

JEROME BETTIS JR. PROFILE

CAREER STATS

IB EVALUATION

FALL CAMP PREVIEW

2026 EXPECTATIONS

A GOOD SEASON FOR BETTIS WOULD BE ....