Notre Dame football and HC Marcus Freeman just received some bad news about an early recruiting victory
Notre Dame football just received some bad news on the recruiting trail.
With how well Notre Dame football has been recruiting recently, there have been nothing but good vibes on that operation. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish staff just put together arguably the best class in 30 years in 2026, and are off to another fast start for the 2027 group.
It’ll be hard, but Freeman and Co. will aim to outdo themselves once again.
The 2027 class got off to a fast start, but Notre Dame received a tough loss this week when Mobile (Ala.) Williamson linebacker Ellis McGaskin announced that he had decommitted from the Fighting Irish. The talented Alabama defender had been committed to the Irish since June of last year, but he will now be looking for a new home. When you really dissect the decision, it shouldn’t have surprised many.
McGaskin clearly liked Notre Dame, but he made a decision very, very early in the process, and honestly, I am not sure he had enough information to make a sound decision.
During the season, McGaskin took multiple visits to other schools, including LSU and Mississippi. He also has multiple visits planned in the future and has been open to other programs. It just didn’t feel like McGaskin was settled in his decision.
On the field, this is a loss for Notre Dame. While McGaskin is a smaller linebacker, he is an extremely productive player with great instincts and strong overall movement skills.
Ellis McGaskin’s recruiting background
When McGaskin committed to Notre Dame in June, it took many by surprise. At that time, the Alabama native was considered to be a consensus three-star player. McGaskin now ranks as a four-star player on the 247 Sports Composite ranking, sitting as the No. 263 overall player, the No. 17 linebacker, and the No. 10 player from the state of Alabama for the 2027 recruiting class. His rankings have continued to go up throughout the process.
The offer list for McGaskin has continued to populate, even while committed to the Fighting Irish. Some of the top offers for the talented linebacker include the Fighting Irish, Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Michigan, Miami, Florida, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Missouri, Florida State, Nebraska, Auburn, South Carolina, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi State, and UCF, among several others.
The 6-0, 205-pound linebacker put together an outstanding season as a junior in 2025. In 13 games played, McGaskin managed to collect 160 total tackles, 26 tackles for loss, and four sacks. The Alabama star also made another 15 quarterback hurries, one interception, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and four blocked kicks. McGaskin’s combination of explosiveness and tenacity makes him a potentially high-impact defender on the next level.
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