A former Notre Dame football recruiting target just found his new home with an SEC program that’s riding some momentum
Notre Dame appeared to be the team to beat for talented 2027 wide receiver target Cade Cooper. He finally found his new CFB home.
It wasn’t long ago that 2027 Malvern (Pa.) Prep wide receiver Cade Cooper was considered to be an important recruiting target for Notre Dame football. After head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish landed a commitment from Littleton (Co.) Valor Christian standout Jackson Coleman, the formula for their 2027 wide receiver class changed quite a bit.
Once Notre Dame moved off Cooper, the SEC battle ensued for the talented pass catcher. While it looked like Ole Miss could end up being the team to beat, the LSU Tigers were able to grab the momentum recently, especially after the official visit. Head coach Lane Kiffin and the staff earned a commitment from Cooper, which is continuing the recruiting momentum from the past official visit season.
The Irish staff decided to go big game hunting once Coleman was in the class. 2027 Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas star Julius Jones Jr. has long been the priority target for Notre Dame. Other players to keep a close eye on are Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy pass catcher Osani Gayles and Severn (Md.) Archbishop Spalding standout Myles McAfee.
Notre Dame’s quest to put together a good wide receiver class begins this week when they host both Jones and McAfee. There’s a chance that the Irish are able to answer some remaining questions for that group. They will need to keep the momentum that they gained during the 2026 recruiting class.
Cade Cooper’s recruiting background
Depending on which of the major recruiting platforms you look at, Cooper is rated between a three-star and four-star player, but mostly the former. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, the Pennsylvania native is currently pegged as a four-star, the No. 297 overall player, the No. 37 wide receiver, and the No. 10 player from the state of Pennsylvania for the 2027 recruiting class.
Despite those somewhat underwhelming rankings, Cooper’s offer list has continued to expand quickly over the last several months. Some of his top offers now include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Ohio State, LSU, Penn State, Ole Miss, Auburn, Nebraska, Kentucky, Pitt, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Illinois, Cincinnati, Virginia, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Virginia Tech, Northwestern, Duke, Wake Forest, West Virginia, and Syracuse, among several others.
As a junior, Cooper turned in a good season for Malvern Prep. The 6-3, 192-pound pass catcher managed to haul in 44 receptions for 644 yards and six touchdowns, an average of 14.6 yards per reception. Cooper’s combination of size, twitch, and physicality brings an intriguing skill set for the next level.