Notre Dame fading quickly with an elite priority recruiting target who would be a massive blow to the 2027 Fighting Irish class

It appears Notre Dame may end up missing out on one of their top 2027 recruiting targets.

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman looks on in the second half of a NCAA football game against NC State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in South Bend.

It has felt like 2027 Chicago (Ill.) Mount Carmel wide receiver Quentin Burrell has been a priority recruiting target for Notre Dame football for a very long time. Head coach Marcus Freeman, wide receivers coach Mike Brown, and the Fighting Irish have managed to put themselves in a great spot early in the process, with many believing that they were the team to beat for Burrell. Some even thought that it was a matter of when Burrell joined the class, not if.

Over the last several weeks, the vibes around that Burrell recruitment have drastically changed. The folks around South Bend feel less and less confident about their standing, and as of today, I wouldn’t expect the Chicago star to end up with the 2027 Fighting Irish class. We are a long way away from National Signing Day, but this has gone South in a hurry, with schools such as Arizona State seemingly holding most of the momentum. This is a fit that I just don’t see happening right now.

If Notre Dame were to miss on Burrell, it would be a massive blow to their 2027 recruiting class. In general, the team needed to close on a difference-making boundary receiver in this cycle, and that is the skill set that Burrell brings to the table. Also, potentially missing out on a player from Chicago, the home base for Notre Dame, would be a tough pill to swallow. This is a player that you just need to hit on more consistently, especially at wide receiver.

Quentin Burrell’s recruiting background

Burrell is considered a four-star and a top-100 overall player by each of the major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Burrell is rated as the No. 50 overall player, the No. 9 wide receiver, and the No. 2 player in the state of Illinois for the 2027 recruiting class. Burrell is one of the headliners in an outstanding crop of talent from the state of Illinois in this cycle. 

If you aren’t impressed by Burrell’s recruiting rankings, then you will be with his offer list. Some of the top programs that have offered the Chicago star include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, Miami, Indiana, Auburn, Nebraska, South Carolina, Louisville, Arizona State, Iowa, Missouri, NC State, Missouri, Illinois, Maryland, UNC, Vanderbilt, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Minnesota, Kansas State, Northwestern, Syracuse, Purdue, Stanford, and Kansas, among others. 

The 6-3, 175-pound pass catcher put together a fantastic sophomore season in 2024 for Mount Carmel. Burrell managed to haul in 75 receptions for 1,257 yards and 18 touchdowns during that tremendous campaign. Burrell continued his dominance as a junior, where he hauled in another 67 receptions for 1,139 yards and 16 touchdowns. This is one of the most productive pass catchers in the entire 2027 class.

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