Notre Dame football secured a massive 2027 commitment on Thursday when Chicago (Ill.) Brother Rice four-star defensive tackle Brayden Parks pledged to the Fighting Irish.

The 6-3, 305-pound defensive tackle was a priority recruit for head coach Marcus Freeman and his staff, and his addition solidifies a six-man defensive line class that rivals the best in Notre Dame history. New defensive line coach Charlie Partridge deserves tremendous credit for putting this group together.

With Parks now in the fold, Notre Dame could theoretically close the book on the 2027 recruiting class. However, everyone should expect the Fighting Irish to continue pursuing several targets and filling a couple of holes that still exist. Here is the outlook for the rest of the class and the positions where Freeman and his staff are still searching.

Linebacker remains the most glaring need

The most obvious hole in the 2027 recruiting class is a second linebacker. Notre Dame landed Chicagoland four-star linebacker Roman Igwebuike a couple of weeks ago, but there is an intention to carry a second linebacker in this group. That urgency is amplified by the possibility of losing Drayk Bowen, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, and Jaylen Snead to the NFL next offseason.

The obvious name to watch is five-star Florida standout Kaden Henderson, who appeared poised to opt for the Irish several weeks ago but ended up taking a substantial offer from Texas A&M. While Henderson is technically off the board, I don’t expect Notre Dame to turn down the heat anytime soon. This is a recruitment that I believe the Fighting Irish will take all the way up to National Signing Day if they need to.

Henderson was a priority recruit for a reason, and that has not changed even while he is committed to head coach Mike Elko and the Aggies. On the surface, everything about Henderson says Notre Dame fit. From his high academic background to his high school, to the player himself, to the lineage Notre Dame has created at the linebacker position, everything speaks to it.

That is why I think the Fighting Irish will continue to pursue him.

While that pursuit plays out, don’t be surprised if Notre Dame pushes for another linebacker as well. Two is the number. Depending on what happens with Henderson, there are a couple of other flip candidates that Notre Dame fans need to keep a close eye on.

Tight end and defensive back are secondary priorities

Aside from linebacker, no position qualifies as a major need, although I do expect Notre Dame to keep its eye on a second tight end. The Fighting Irish have a commitment from Titus Hawk out of Oklahoma, a toolsy tight end with a ton of upside to continue tapping into.

Notre Dame did initially want a second tight end in this group, so whether that comes from a flip candidate or a player who takes a massive step forward during their senior season evaluation period, the conversation is not going away.

I could also see Notre Dame looking for an additional defensive back.

The Fighting Irish were pushing hard for Greedy James, who was initially committed to Texas but eventually flipped to LSU. There is an initiative to add another corner if the right player presents himself.

Notre Dame will be losing Leonard Moore, Christian Gray, and DJ McKinney all this offseason, so adding another depth piece would be incredibly vital for the health of this roster.

Wide receiver and the big picture

Beyond those positions, I could see Notre Dame eyeing a third wide receiver, but I don’t expect the staff to push for someone they don’t love simply to fill a number. Freeman and his assistants have shown throughout this cycle that they will prioritize fit over volume.

That is where things stand for the 2027 recruiting class.

Parks’ commitment was the headline, but the work is far from over. The linebacker pursuit of Henderson will be the storyline to watch through the fall, and the Fighting Irish still have the pieces in place to make this class even stronger before National Signing Day arrives.