Notre Dame football is coming off its first official visit weekend of the offseason. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish are quickly closing on an elite 2027 recruiting class, especially on the defensive side of the football. There are just a few missing pieces to solidify that talented group. 

With a high emphasis on offensive recruits coming this upcoming weekend, it feels like the perfect time to predict what the 2027 defensive class will look like in the end. Here are the current commits, not including long snapper Sean Kraft, and how I see the class finishing. It has a chance to be a special group. 

Here are my predictions for the final 2027 defensive class. 

Defensive line 

During this past weekend, Notre Dame hosted elite pass rusher Abraham Sesay and star defensive tackle Brayden Parks for official visits. They are considered the team to beat for both players, which would be an incredible ending for a historic defensive line class. That group is filled with impressive physical traits and a ton of upside. 

EDGE Jackson Vaughn – Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic 

EDGE Aidan O’Neil – Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep 

EDGE Abraham Sesay – Exton (Pa.) Downingtown East 

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

DT Brayden Parks – Chicago (Ill.) Brother Rice 

Linebacker 

As things currently stand, Notre Dame holds a commitment from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy linebacker Amarri Irvin, but I don’t see him sticking in this class. The Irish are, however, trending quickly for a pair of talented linebackers: Tampa Bay (Fla.) Jesuit star Kaden Henderson and Chicago (Ill.) Mount Carmel defender Roman Igwebuike. The latter officially visited South Bend this past weekend, while Henderson is set to make his return in a few days. 

LB Roman Igwebuike – Chicago (Ill.) Mount Carmel 

LB Kaden Henderson – Tampa Bay (Fla.) Jesuit 

Secondary 

Notre Dame currently holds four secondary commitments in the 2027 recruiting class. Aaron Henry would like to bring in one more talented defensive back, however. The player to keep a close eye on is Manvel (Texas) High School star Karnell “Greedy” James, who is currently committed to Texas. The Fighting Irish are battling against LSU for James’s services, and it could go either way, but I’ll give the nod to Notre Dame for now. 

CB Ace Alston – Cincinnati (Ohio) Anderson 

CB Xavier Hasan – Raleigh (NC) Cardinal Gibbons 

CB Karnell “Greedy” James – Manvel (Texas) High School 

S Zayden Gamble – Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas 

S John Gay III – Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna