There’s a fast rising 2027 WR that Notre Dame football should be keeping a close eye on to start the season
Notre Dame football could have their eyes on a fast rising 2027 wide receiver recruit. It would be a nice injection of speed and big play ability.
Notre Dame football currently holds two commitments in the 2027 class from wide receivers, including Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas star Julius Jones Jr. and Littleton (Co.) Valor Christian standout Jackson Coleman.
Judging by the early returns from Jones and Coleman during their senior seasons, head coach Marcus Freeman, wide receiver coach Mike Brown, and the Fighting Irish should be very happy with their wide receiver class right now, even if it is a smaller group.
There’s a chance that Notre Dame could eye a third wide receiver in the 2027 class if a player wows them during the evaluation period. One player that has my eye is Geneva (Ill.) High School wideout Bennett Konkey.
Bennett Konkey’s recruiting background
The 6-foot-1, 189-pound wide receiver is currently committed to the Illinois Fighting Illini, where he made that public commitment on June 16. Konkey is rated as a four-star player on the 247 Sports ranking, currently sitting as the No. 237 overall player, the No. 35 wide receiver, and the No. 12 player from the state of Illinois for the 2027 class.
He is also ranked as a four-star and the No. 407 overall player on the 247 Sports Composite ranking.
Konkey is a player right in Notre Dame’s backyard in the state of Illinois, and he brings a unique athletic profile that the Irish staff should keep evaluating. He chose Illinois over other offers that included Iowa, Iowa State, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Duke, Indiana, and Syracuse, among several others.
Do not be surprised if Konkey now begins to garner the interest of several other big-time programs.
A blazing start to his senior season
Through two games in the 2026 season so far, Konkey has hauled in 14 receptions for 395 yards and six touchdowns, an average of 28.2 yards per reception. He has also returned a kickoff for a touchdown. With a personal best time of 10.25 seconds in the 100-meter dash, Konkey is one of the fastest overall players in the 2027 recruiting class.
That athleticism and explosiveness has been on full display during the first two games of his senior year, and he is already halfway to his receiving total as a junior.
Having looked back at his junior year highlights, this is a player who has taken a massive step forward. Anytime you’re talking about a player with elite speed who probably times somewhere in the 4.3s in the 40-yard dash, that is a player who needs to be heavily considered.
He’s also a high academic player, which would make this a very easy transition to Notre Dame.
Why Notre Dame should be paying attention
While it remains to be seen if Notre Dame becomes one of the schools that pursues Konkey, this is a prospect not far from South Bend whose recruiting rankings continue to trend upward. His senior season is beginning to put people on notice.
Notre Dame could easily stick with Jones and Coleman in this class and no one would say a word against it. That is a great two-man class to start with.
Konkey, however, would be a player who would be conceivably easier to flip from a program like Illinois. Based on what he has put forth on film over the last couple of weeks, Notre Dame should certainly keep a close eye on him.
