Recruiting insider doubles down on the growing confidence for Notre Dame to land a priority recruiting target
Defensive line coach Charlie Partridge during a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in South Bend. Notre Dame football is closing quickly on a priority defensive line recruiting target. The Fighting Irish are now the clear team to beat.
Notre Dame football looks like they are on the cusp of putting together an elite defensive line group in the 2027 recruiting class. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish already hold commitments from defensive end Aidan O’Neil and defensive tackle David Folorunsho , which is a tremendous start. There appears to be a ton more good news on the horizon.
There are several other priority defensive lineman on the board, including 2027 Chicago (Ill. ) Brother Rice defensive tackle Brayden Parks . A local product to South Bend, Parks has long been a player that this Irish staff has loved, and he has some strong ties to the Notre Dame program.
The Oregon Ducks have made this recruitment interesting multiple times, but it appears that the Irish and defensive line coach Charlie Partridge are trending at the perfect time. Rivals national recruiting analyst Steve Wiltfong recently logged an expert predictions for Parks to land with Notre Dame. Fellow Rivals insider Greg Smith doubled down on that momentum in his latest update.
NEW: The 2027 recruiting cycle is taking shape in the Midwest - and there are some major shifts happening👀 I've got the latest intel on 6 top targets, including a 5-star WR where Alabama is no longer the favorite. Story: https://t. co/24tyO0K6ul pic.