Notre Dame’s quest to land an elite pass rusher just got a whole lot harder following a visit to an SEC power

There is some heavy demand for a top Notre Dame 2027 recruiting target. After a recent SEC visit, the Fighting Irish need to recover quickly.

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman looks on in the second half of a NCAA football game against NC State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in South Bend.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman looks on in the second half of a NCAA football game against NC State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in South Bend.

For a couple of months now, Notre Dame football has been considered the leader for elite Exton (Pa.) Downingtown East EDGE Abraham Sesay. Vibes have been so solid that many have described this recruitment as not if, but when Sesay ends up with head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame’s chances to land Sesay just got a bit more difficult after he took an unofficial visit to head coach Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers. According to Steve Wiltfong from Rivals and On3, LSU has been gaining momentum since the trip. They aren’t the only elite program that is sniffing around the Pennsylvania native.

Despite the recent momentum for LSU, I remain very firm in my opinion on Notre Dame’s chances. They are still the team to beat, and they would be my pick to land Sesay in the end. Folks on the Notre Dame side also remain confident. From every vantage point, this is a clear fit with the Fighting Irish program, both on and off the field.

If Freeman and Co. were able to land Sesay in the end, he would be arguably the most talented defensive end recruit that the team has landed in several years, even including Bryce Young and Rodney Dunham. You just can’t undersell his combination of size, length, and explosiveness, which is elite.

Abraham Sesay’s recruiting background

Sesay is a four-star player and near-consensus top-100 recruit on each of the major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Sesay currently sits as the No. 63 overall player, the No. 8 EDGE, and the No. 3 player from the state of Pennsylvania for the 2027 recruiting class. 247 Sports is the highest on the Pennsylvania native right now, pegging him as the No. 27 overall player and No. 6 EDGE in the class, while Rivals isn’t far behind.

The 6-5, 225-pound pass rusher has demanded the attention of some of the top programs in all of college football. Some of Sesay’s top offers include the Fighting Irish, Ohio State, Oregon, Alabama, Florida, Penn State, Ole Miss, Auburn, USC, Nebraska, Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Maryland, NC State, UNC, Boston College, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Duke, and Northwestern, among others.

As a junior, Sesay put together a tremendous season for Downingtown East. The talented pass rusher recorded around 80 total tackles and 13 sacks. With long limbs and explosiveness, Sesay has the talent to develop into a big-time defensive end on the college level. As he continues to grow into his frame, there is no reason why he can’t become a stellar three-down player.

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