Notre Dame set to get last shot this spring with 5-star recruiting target who has become a major priority for the Fighting Irish

Notre Dame has a pivotal chance with one of the biggest priorities in the 2027 recruiting class this spring.

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman greets his players during a Notre Dame football spring practice at Irish Athletic Center on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in South Bend.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman greets his players during a Notre Dame football spring practice at Irish Athletic Center on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in South Bend.

Notre Dame football is off to a good start with its 2027 recruiting class, a group that has the potential to be another elite one under head coach Marcus Freeman. There are several key targets who will be making visits to South Bend this spring, making the next couple of months extremely important for the 2027 cause. How those visits go will determine whether Freeman and Co. can match the impact we saw in the 2027 group.

The biggest target on the defensive side of the football for Notre Dame is arguably Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou. Once upon a time, the California native was the first offer the Irish extended in the 2028 class. Once he reclassified, he morphed into an urgent target for Freeman and his staff, putting themselves in a strong early position.

With the Irish and Ohio State leading the charge on this recruitment currently, Fakatou is set to go on an elite tour of schools starting this month. That includes Georgia (March 20), Oregon (March 31), Miami (April 4), Texas (April 9), Penn State (April 14), Michigan (April 18), and finally Notre Dame (April 25). The Irish staff getting the last visit is notable heading into the official visit season.

In order for Notre Dame to win out in the end, it will need to put itself in a solid position when leaving the spring. Having that final unofficial visit can be huge. It is now time for Freeman and the Irish staff to capitalize.

Marcus Fakatou’s recruiting background

Fakatou is extremely well-liked by the major recruiting services so far. In the early 247 Sports ranking for the 2028 recruiting class, the California native was rated as the No. 3 overall player, No. 1 defensive lineman, and No. 1 player in the state of California. Even with Fakatou reclassifying to the 2027 class, he is still considered to be an elite-level prospect. On the Composite ranking, he is rated as a five-star recruit, the No. 35 overall player, the No. 2 defensive lineman, and the No. 3 player from the state of California.

Even though Fakatou made that reclassification jump, a long list of impressive programs has already been pursuing him. Some of his top offers include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, USC, Penn State, Miami, Auburn, Nebraska, SMU, BYU, Arizona State, Missouri, Utah, Washington, Colorado, Minnesota, Arizona, Syracuse, and Cal, among many others. 

Even as a “freshman” in 2024, Fakatou made a lot of plays for a very talented Orange Lutheran squad. The 6-6, 275-pound athlete managed to record 28 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and five sacks. He was even better in 2025, finishing the season with 69 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks, 14 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, and eight blocked kicks. The inside-out versatility is tremendous.

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