Notre Dame’s newest hire could give them the inside track for one of the more interesting risers in the 2027 recruiting class
There is a new 2027 defensive recruiting target to know for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The Notre Dame coaching staff is busy behind the scenes recruiting hard for the 2027 class. With seven commits already for the Fighting Irish, the group is taking great early shape. While head coach Marcus Freeman and the staff have some priority targets that everyone knows about, recruiting is a constantly changing process.
Notre Dame made a very intriguing offer this week to 2027 Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna defensive back John Gay III, a player who has received more and more attention this offseason from a recruiting perspective. It’s uncertain just what this means for the 2027 defensive back board, and whether Gay will be someone that the Irish push for.
One interesting thing to note about this offer, however, is the source of it. Typically, when players get offered, they tag the coach who extended it. The only Notre Dame coach mentioned in the post was Shaun Shivers, a recent hire by the Irish to be an assistant wide receivers coach.
Shivers spent some time coaching at Chaminade-Madonna earlier in Gay’s high school career, which is also his Alma mater. With Gay being a bit of an underrated recruit right now, that connection is extremely interesting. It hasn’t taken long, but it appears Shivers may have already had some impact on recruiting in a very small amount of time.
John Gay III’s recruiting background
Gay is not currently rated by any of the major recruiting platforms. Despite that lack of stars, Gay has continued to expand his offer list this offseason. Some of his top offers so far include the Fighting Irish, Texas A&M, SMU, Pitt, Minnesota, FAU, and South Florida. That offer list promises to continue expanding heading into his senior season.
As a junior in 2025, Gay put together a strong season for Chaminade-Madonna. In 12 games, Gay ended up collecting 32 total tackles, one interception, and three pass breakups. The 6-1, 185-pound defensive back also managed to record three tackles for loss and scored a defensive touchdown. The majority of Gay’s production came while playing the slot.
The 6-1, 185-pound defensive back has a unique blend of size, length, and movement skills to wear a lot of different hats for a defense. While Gay plays mostly in the slot, there should be no issue for him to grow into a full-time safety on the college level. It also wouldn’t shock me if some teams would want to give a look at outside corner. That versatility makes Gay extremely interesting, and he has the potential to be a huge riser in this class.
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