Notre Dame football recruiting has been on quite a roll recently, including landing commitments from running backs Lathan Whisenton and Isaiah Rogers over the last couple of weeks. Head coach Marcus Freeman and assistant coach Charlie Partridge have also set themselves up to put together a tremendous 2027 defensive line group.  

Over the next few weeks, the 2027 recruiting class is going to continue to take shape. In talking to folks on the Notre Dame side, as well as others without any bias toward the Irish, I gained a deeper understanding of where the 2027 defensive line class stands right now. That includes the top targets, most likely outcomes, and Freeman and Co.’s quest for an elite group. 

Here’s everything you need to know about 2027 defensive line recruiting. 

The fight for Marcus Fakatou 

There isn’t a bigger target on the board than Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou. The 6-6, 275-pound athlete was originally a part of the 2028 recruiting class before reclassifying. From the very beginning, the Fighting Irish have treated Fakatou like a priority for the class. 

After leading early on in this recruitment, Notre Dame has faded considerably for Fakatou as schools like Georgia and Ohio State have made a strong push. As of today, I don’t see the California native ending up in South Bend. The Irish staff does have a big chance on the horizon, however, when Fakatou is scheduled to visit for the Blue-Gold Game. 

Anything is possible if he ends up making that trip. That could end up being their last chance, so they’d better take advantage of it. 

Realistic defensive line targets 

If you look at the major recruiting platforms, they list 2027 Green Bay (Wisc.) Notre Dame Academy athlete Richie Flanigan as a defensive line commit for Notre Dame. It’s my understanding that the intention is for Flanigan to begin his career on the offensive line. That means that the Irish staff is still searching for the first commit on the defensive line. 

Of the realistic options on the board, everyone seems very optimistic about top-100 Exton (Pa.) Downingtown East pass rusher Abraham Sesay. He has been a Notre Dame lean for some time now. At this point, it would be a major upset if the 6-5, 225-pound defensive end didn’t end up with the Irish. 

I feel the same about Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei defensive tackle Montana Toilolo. He visited Notre Dame for a weekend trip recently, and after that visit, the Irish became the unquestioned leader for the California native. It feels like a matter of when, not if, the 6-3, 260-pounder ends up with the Irish. 

Speaking of talented defensive tackles, Notre Dame is also in a good spot with Chicago (Ill.) Brother Rice star Brayden Parks and Chicago (Ill.) St. Patrick standout David Folorunsho. Parks has been on the board much longer than Folorunsho, but both players have become priorities. I like where the Irish staff is with both players, but they need to close the deal. 

Some big programs are pushing hard. Closing the deal with each isn’t going to be easy. 

One other talented target to keep a close eye on is Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco defensive end Aidan O’Neil. He also recently visited Notre Dame for a weekend trip, and the vibes were high when he left. I expect the Irish to keep pushing hard for O’Neil, who is considered to be a top-100 recruit by multiple platforms. 

On the radar 

After talking to a few people, I’m still struggling to figure out exactly where Fort Wayne (Ind.) Northrop pass rusher Ifeanyi Emedobi sits on the board for Notre Dame. The Irish staff hosted him for an unofficial visit recently. They’re in the game, but only time will tell what type of push they make for the in-state standout.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish News

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Ryan Roberts April 1, 2026