Notre Dame could be on the outside looking in for an elite recruiting target with a decision date coming soon
Notre Dame football appears to be fading for one of the very best players in the 2027 recruiting class.
Notre Dame football is in the top group right now for 2027 San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic safety Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, who is one of the best overall athletes in the entire country. With a long list of suitors and possibilities, head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish have done a good job keeping pace in this recruitment.
Fa’alave-Johnson recently set a commitment date for March 14, which only gives the contenders a couple more days to make their final pitches. Based on the recent feedback, it does appear that Notre Dame is trending closer to the backend of that top group, which isn’t much of a surprise. USC has been considered the slight leader for the talented athlete, with Oregon making a push to the top.
The Fighting Irish were always viewed as more of a dark horse contender, but didn’t have much more than an outside shot. Barring something unforeseen, it does appear like that will be where it finishes. It will be interesting to see how much Notre Dame continues to push for Fa’alave-Johnson if Notre Dame misses out on him this weekend. I wouldn’t put anything past Freeman, but it feels doubtful.
Fa’alave-Johnson’s recruiting background
Fa’alave-Johnson is one of the more diverse athletes in the 2027 recruiting class, with some viewing him as a safety and others preferring him on the offensive side of the football. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, the California native currently ranks as a five-star, the No. 16 overall player, the No. 1 safety, and the No. 1 player from the state of California from the 2027 class. He is considered a consensus top-50 recruit by each of the major recruiting platforms.
As you would expect based on his recruiting rankings, Fa’alave-Johnson is being courted by some of the top programs in all of college football. Some of his top offers currently include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, Oklahoma, Michigan, LSU, Ole Miss, USC, Miami, Auburn, Florida State, Nebraska, Arizona State, Utah, Washington, BYU, SMU, Oregon State, Washington State, Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, UNC, Georgia Tech, UCF, UCLA, Cal, and Purdue, among several others.
The 6-1, 190-pound athlete was a dominant player for Cathedral Catholic as a junior in 2025. On the offensive side of the football, Fa’alave-Johnson managed to rush for 1,532 yards and 23 touchdowns on just 150 carries, an average of 11.9 yards per carry. The California native also hauled in 35 receptions for 564 yards and seven more scores, a reception average of 16.1 per catch. His offensive impact was a huge reason why Fa’alave-Johnson was able to be named the KUSIPPR Silver Pigskin Player of the Year this past season.
On the defensive side of the football, Fa’alave-Johnson was also a tremendous performer. He managed to collect 40 total tackles, three interceptions, and one forced fumble. His 10.48-second speed was on full display, which is a big reason why some teams have valued him on both sides of the football. This is a special athlete.
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