Notre Dame football 2027 EDGE commit Jackson Vaughn has made a significant move in his prep career, transferring from Bergen Catholic to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

The 6-3, 225-pound pass rusher, originally considered one of the elite players in the 2028 recruiting class before reclassifying to 2027 this past offseason, needed a school that could support the reclassification process. Bergen Catholic did not have the ability to accommodate that timeline, making the move to IMG Academy a logical next step for Vaughn’s development.

Why the move to IMG Academy matters

This transfer gives Vaughn a jump start on multiple fronts.

At IMG Academy, he will practice and play against some of the top players in the 2027 and 2028 recruiting classes on his own team every single day. The competition jump from Bergen Catholic isn’t vast for those who follow the North Jersey Catholic League, which features strong programs week in and week out. IMG Academy does allow for potentially more travel, however, and provides a pathway to developing for an early role at the college level.

Vaughn has the tools to be a premier pass rusher, and now he will be in an environment designed to maximize that potential heading into his senior season.

Jackson Vaughn’s recruiting background

Vaughn was on the verge of five-star status as a 2028 recruit, but since moving to the 2027 class, his recruiting rankings have not yet caught up.

On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, he currently sits as the No. 155 overall player, the No. 16 edge, and the No. 18 player from the state of Florida for the 2027 recruiting class. Each of the major recruiting platforms rates him as a four-star player.

With a huge season at IMG Academy, it’s conceivable that Vaughn could take a massive step forward in those rankings. The talent has always been apparent, and the offer list reflects it.

Vaughn originally committed to Notre Dame over the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, USC, Auburn, Boston College, Cal, Colorado, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Minnesota, Miami, Missouri, NC State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rutgers, South Carolina, Syracuse, UCF, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Washington, SMU, and West Virginia, among many others.

A dominant sophomore season

Vaughn is coming off a dominant 2025 season with Bergen Catholic, recording 40 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and three pass breakups. He was named a MaxPreps Sophomore All-American selection for his efforts.

Heading into his senior season, Vaughn is one of the potential big risers in the 2027 class. This move helps him get to Notre Dame under head coach Marcus Freeman for the 2027 college football season. The talent is immense, and Vaughn now has a chance to play on the biggest stage as a vital part of what is shaping up to be an elite Notre Dame 2027 defensive line class.