Notre Dame football already setting the tone for 5-star athlete, but the deck may be stacked against them in this recruitment
Notre Dame football is in a strong early spot for an elite 2027 recruit. They will have to battle with a long list of prominent programs.
Notre Dame football has been recruiting on an extremely high level under head coach Marcus Freeman, especially after the program made the national championship game last season against Ohio State. The 2026 recruiting class ended up on a fantastic note, and they now have their attention turned to the 2027 group.
The Fighting Irish have some early momentum with several elite players in the 2027 class right now. That includes Fort Mill (S.C.) Catawba Ridge cornerback Joshua Dobson, who is considered to be one of the best overall defenders in the country. Notre Dame managed to make Dobson’s top 12 schools list.
The Irish were joined by Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Penn State, Clemson, Texas A&M, Florida State, South Carolina, and Texas Tech in that top group.
It’s uncertain just how realistic a chance Notre Dame has, but he did make it a priority to get to South Bend this offseason. Secondary coach Mike Mickens has proven how great a recruiter and developer he is on the back end. He is going to have his work cut out for him to try and reel in the South Carolina star.
Elite talent in the secondary
Dobson is considered an elite prospect right now, sitting inside the top-10 overall players by multiple platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Dobson is currently rated as a five-star player for the 2027 recruiting class. He sits as the No. 7 overall player, the No. 2 cornerback, and the No. 1 player in the state of South Carolina for the class.
It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that Dobson is being pursued by a long list of impressive suitors. Outside of his 12 finalists, there are a ton of impressive options that are on the table. Some of those top programs include Georgia, Texas, Michigan, Florida, Auburn, Louisville, Kentucky, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Indiana, Boston College, NC State, UNC, Maryland, Virginia, and Duke among others.
Dobson garnered a lot of attention after a dynamic sophomore season in 2024. The 6-1, 175-pound cover man managed to record 48 total tackles, three interceptions, and 10 pass breakups. He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, while also contributing some on the offensive side of the football.
From a pure talent perspective, Dobson has a nice combination of length, movement skills, and ball skills. As Dobson continues to fill out his frame, he has the talent to be an elite cover man on the college level.
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