Early predictions for 2027 Notre Dame defensive recruiting targets who could land with HC Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish

Head coach Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame football are riding a lot of momentum after winning five straight games. They also just defeated the USC Trojans this past weekend, a massive accomplishment to beat your biggest rival, especially in your home stadium. The Fighting Irish have used the momentum from that weekend on the recruiting trail, and it’s believed that we could see the biggest recruiting stretch under Coach Freeman moving forward. 

The impact was felt this week when the Notre Dame program landed a commitment from 2027 Pittsburgh (Pa.) Central Catholic offensive tackle James Halter, who is an Irish legacy. That commitment from Halter is just the beginning, and you should expect a lot more good news to come over the next few weeks. That is especially true on the defensive side of the football, where Coach Freeman is aiming to put together an elite group. 

Here are the 2027 defenders I would predict to Notre Dame right now.

DT Brayden Parks - Oak Lawn (Ill.) Brother Rice 

It feels like Notre Dame has been the leader for Parks for some time now. The 6-3, 305-pound interior presence is a tremendous football player, and brings the impact size the team needs more of, as well as being a local kid. As of right now, it would be a massive upset if Parks ended up somewhere other than South Bend. He has become a priority for the program. 

DT Deven Robertson - Hattiesburg (Miss.) Oak Grove 

Speaking of impact size, Robertson is a massive defensive tackle at 6-3 and 320 pounds. While he is a bit rawer than Parks right now, you could argue that Robertson’s upside is even higher. This is the perfect nose tackle in the Notre Dame system, having more than enough power to hold the point of attack. Robertson is also extremely quick, presenting some one gap upside as a penetrator. 

DT Isaac Miller - Waukesha (Wisc.) Catholic Memorial 

If the high school sounds familiar, it’s because Notre Dame 2025 offensive tackle signee Owen Strebig also came out of Catholic Memorial. That relationship has been a big help in the Miller recruitment so far, and the Fighting Irish are in a good spot so far. At 6-5 and 250 pounds, Miller has the body type to eventually grow into a defensive tackle. The upside for Miller is immense. 

LB Amarri Irvin - Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy 

You might remember Irvin’s brother, Sedrick Irvin Jr., who was once committed to Notre Dame back in the 2023 class. The Irish staff eventually opted to drop Irvin from the class in their pursuit of some other talented running backs. Despite that awkward ending for his brother, Amarri is very interested in the Irish program. They are his clear leader right now. 

CB Xavier Hasan - Raleigh (N.C.) Cardinal Gibbons 

Considered a Top-50 recruit by multiple platforms, the Irish staff is battling against a long list of impressive programs for the North Carolina native. Despite that, Notre Dame is setting the pace for Hasan. At 6-0 and 180 pounds, Hasan is an outstanding cover man with as much upside as any cornerback in the 2026 class. Mike Mickens has a good chance to land one of the more talented defensive backs of his career so far. 

CB Ace Alston - Cincinnati (Ohio) Anderson 

Beating Ohio State for an in-state defensive back that they want would be huge for Notre Dame, and it appears to be trending that way with Alston. Alston is a really intriguing all-around cornerback who can play both inside and out at 5-11 and 175 pounds. Things are trending in a great direction. Notre Dame appears to be the team to beat for Alston right now. 

CB/S Tavares Harrington - Chicago (Ill.) Mount Carmel 

A bigger defensive back at 6-3 and 175 pounds, there is a world where Harrington becomes an outstanding boundary cornerback, or a safety on the next level. Notre Dame is doing their best to tap into the Mount Carmel pipeline in the 2027 class, and Harrington is an important part of that equation. Things have been trending very well for the Fighting Irish over the past couple of months.