Notre Dame football continues its remarkable stretch of attracting Irish legacies with latest commitment for the 2027 class
Notre Dame football continued its hot streak on the recruiting trail on Thursday. This latest commitment has a last name that should be very familiar.
Notre Dame football is busy preparing for an extremely important battle against the Arkansas Razorbacks this weekend. Even while the season is the main priority, head coach Marcus Freeman and his Fighting Irish staff continue to grind on the recruiting trail behind the scenes. Those efforts have paid off in a big way early on in the 2027 class, and that continued on Thursday.
The Irish gained a commitment from 2027 Green Bay (Wisc.) Notre Dame Academy defensive lineman Richie Flanigan. The Wisconsin native chose Notre Dame over finalists Michigan, Illinois, Northwestern, and Wisconsin. While his recruiting rankings aren’t anything special, and won’t get many fans overly excited, closing early on an Irish legacy is a really nice addition for the group.
Flanigan is currently ranked as a four-star player on the 247 Sports Composite ranking. That rating has him pegged as the No. 290 overall player, the No. 30 defensive linemen, and the No. 3 player in the state of Wisconsin for the 2027 recruiting class.
The 6-3, 270-pound defender plays both offensive and defensive line for Notre Dame Academy, but projects as a defensive tackle for the Irish on the next level. He makes a lot of plays off the edge on the high school level, but his frame should allow him to add a substantial amount of weight. Flanigan is a notable athlete who comes from a very talented football family.
An Irish legacy
Notre Dame signed Richie’s older brother James Flanigan in the 2025 recruiting class. The 6-6, 241-pound tight end was ranked as the No. 127 overall player, No. 6 tight end, and No. 1 player in the state of Wisconsin on the 247 Sports Composite ranking. Flanigan opted for the Irish over offers from Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, Missouri, Louisville, Stanford, Minnesota, and Illinois.
Their father is Jim Flanigan, who also played on the defensive line for Notre Dame in the early 1990s. He was selected in the third round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. Flanigan spent his first season with the Bears, followed by one year each with the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, and Philadelphia Eagles.
Flanigan finished his ten-year NFL career with 342 total tackles, 46 sacks, seven fumble recoveries, one interception, and also hauled in three touchdown receptions. He was also named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2000.
With the commitment of Flanigan, this kicks off a very important cycle for recruiting the defensive tackle position. Local product Brayden Parks, as well as Mississippi standout Deven Robertson, are a couple of other top targets to keep a close eye on.