Predicting the next five Notre Dame commitments following the Fighting Irish flipping Jackson Hill from the UCLA Bruins

Who are the next potential Notre Dame 2027 recruiting targets to know following the flip of former UCLA offensive tackle Jackson Hill?

Ryan Roberts National College Football Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
Lakeland's Jordan Young tackles St. Thomas Aquinas' Julius Jones on Thursday night at Pitbull Stadium in the 2025 FHSAA Class 5A State Football Finals.
Lakeland’s Jordan Young tackles St. Thomas Aquinas’ Julius Jones on Thursday night at Pitbull Stadium in the 2025 FHSAA Class 5A State Football Finals.

Notre Dame football got some interesting news on Thursday when they landed a commitment from 2027 West Hills (Calif.) Chaminade offensive tackle Jackson Hill. He was previously committed to the UCLA Bruins, but head coach Marcus Freeman, offensive line coach Joe Rudolph, and the Fighting Irish made a huge impact over the last couple of weeks. This continues an impressive offensive line class under Coach Rudolph.

With Hill now aboard, let’s take a look at who could join the 2027 class next. The next couple of days promise to be very busy. Here are my predictions for the next five commitments for the Fighting Irish, but not necessarily in order.

DT David Folorunsho – Chicago (Ill.) St. Patrick

Notre Dame has done an outstanding job recruiting Folorunsho. After some Texas Tech hype a few weeks ago, the Fighting Irish and Miami Hurricanes have stood strong as the dust has cleared. With Folorunsho set to make his commitment on Friday, many on the Notre Dame side are confident. Miami won’t go away in their pursuit of the five-star defender, so they must be ready for a fight until the very end for the 6-4, 285-pound defensive lineman. 

WR Julius Jones Jr. – Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas 

As a legacy recruit for Notre Dame, Jones is a very important 2027 target. Outside of his familiar name, Jones also possesses some tremendous upside as a wide receiver, including home run speed and the ability to make big plays after the catch. Notre Dame continues to battle Oregon for the talented pass catcher, but they are very much the leader right now. 

EDGE Jackson Vaughn – Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic 

Vaughn opted to reclassify to the 2027 class from 2028 recently, giving Notre Dame another opportunity to bring in another potentially elite pass rusher. The 6-4, 225-pound pass rusher has been a dominant force against some of the best competition in high school football. The Irish lead for one of the higher upside defensive ends in the 2026 class, who recently just set a commitment date for May 26. 

OT Layton von Brandt – Middletown (Del.) Appoquinimink 

I’ve repeated this comparison before, but von Brandt gives me the same feeling that Owen Strebig did in the 2025 recruiting class. While some other elite programs are pursuing von Brandt heavily, like Strebig, I would be extremely surprised if Notre Dame wasn’t the pick in the end. This very much feels like when, not if, the Delaware native opts for the Irish. 

Even with the Hill commitment, I do still believe that Notre Dame will push for von Brandt.

EDGE Abraham Sesay – Exton (Pa.) Downingtown East  

At 6-5 and 225 pounds, Sesay is a dynamic pass rusher with all the upside in the world. Rated among the top 100 players by multiple recruiting platforms, Sesay would be a tremendous addition to the 2027 Notre Dame class. They are currently battling Penn State for the talented defensive end, so this one isn’t over yet. I do, however, like where the Irish stand.