Top Notre Dame recruiting target earning elite status as the Fighting Irish continue to push for another NFL son

Notre Dame football has been recruiting at an extremely high level under head coach Marcus Freeman. A part of that success has been their ability to attract sons of former NFL players. That is evident in the 2026 recruiting pass, where they hold commitments from  linebacker Thomas Davis Jr., Larry Fitzgerald’s son Devin, and wide […]

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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Jan 23, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Dallas Cowboys players Travis Frederick (72), Jason Witten (82), Zack Maritn (70), Tony Romo (9), Tyron Smith (77) and DeMarco Murray (29) pose with the children of Witten (Landry Witten and Cooper Witten and C.J. Witten) and Romo (Rivers Romo and Hawkins Romo) during team photos for the 2015 Pro Bowl at The Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jan 23, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Dallas Cowboys players Travis Frederick (72), Jason Witten (82), Zack Maritn (70), Tony Romo (9), Tyron Smith (77) and DeMarco Murray (29) pose with the children of Witten (Landry Witten and Cooper Witten and C.J. Witten) and Romo (Rivers Romo and Hawkins Romo) during team photos for the 2015 Pro Bowl at The Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Notre Dame football has been recruiting at an extremely high level under head coach Marcus Freeman. A part of that success has been their ability to attract sons of former NFL players. That is evident in the 2026 recruiting pass, where they hold commitments from  linebacker Thomas Davis Jr., Larry Fitzgerald’s son Devin, and wide receiver Kaydon Finley, whose father was a standout tight end for the Green Bay Packers. 

In the 2027 recruiting class, there is another NFL legacy target to know early on. The Fighting Irish have already put themselves in a very good spot with Argyle (Texas) Liberty Christian safety Cooper Witten. He is the son of former Dallas Cowboys legendary tight end Jason Witten. 

During the Rivals recruiting rankings update, they announced the top 15 overall players for the 2027 class in a countdown. That began with Witten, who they have pegged at No. 15 overall. If that ranking ended today, that would mean that Witten would be considered a five-star player for Rivals. 

Witten is already regarded as one of the very best players in the 2027 recruiting class, by every major platform. He is rated as the No. 17 overall player and No. 1 linebacker in the class according to the 247Sports Composite ranking, as well as being a five-star. They also have Witten pegged as the No. 4 player in the state of Texas.

Despite only finishing up his sophomore year, Witten has demanded the attention of a long list of prominent programs. Some of Witten’s top offers include the Fighting Irish, Michigan, Oregon, Oklahoma, LSU, USC, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Auburn, Arkansas, Missouri, TCU, Kansas State, Texas Tech, SMU, Baylor, Duke, and West Virginia among others.

In nine games as a sophomore, Witten managed to record 45 total tackles, five interceptions, and eight pass breakups. The 6-2, 210-pound defender also forced a fumble, recovered another, recorded a sack, and blocked a punt.

Having already visited Notre Dame multiple times, Witten has become a very, very important target for the Irish staff. There is clearly interest on both sides, but they will have to battle with an elite collection of suitors for Witten. 

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