Notre Dame football kicked off a massive month of June with its first official visit weekend of the offseason. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish were hosts to several top targets in the 2027 recruiting class. As is typically the case, it was a tremendous weekend for the Irish program. 

It was the smaller of the official visitor weekends in terms of total numbers, bringing in five uncommitted targets to South Bend, on top of the current commits. That intimate setting played into Notre Dame’s favor, allowing them to seemingly carry momentum with each player. It’s hard to imagine that the last couple of days could have gone much better for the Irish. 

After conversations with several sources on both sides, here’s what Notre Dame was able to accomplish this weekend. There should be a ton of good news in the future. 

DT Brayden Parks – Chicago (Ill.) Brother Rice

Heading into this official visit, it felt like a 50/50 battle between Notre Dame and Oregon. This recruitment has had a ton of ups and downs, with the Ducks seemingly having taken the lead multiple times. Freeman and defensive line coach Charlie Partridge deserve a lot of credit for staying in this race and always having an answer for when things were trending away from them. 

There was a lot on the line this weekend, and Notre Dame knocked it out of the park. So much so that they are now clearly the team to beat, and I don’t think that Oregon can recover. Parks has been a priority for the Irish for a very long time, and there are a lot of influences around him that would steer the momentum toward South Bend. Notre Dame is firmly the team to beat. 

There are some who are nervous about how things could change if Parks makes the trip to Eugene for an official visit this weekend. Whether he does or not, I still think Notre Dame finishes this one out. 

LB Roman Igwebuike – Chicago (Ill.) Mount Carmel

The Igwebuike recruitment has been a fascinating one to watch. Notre Dame wasn’t in it before Brian Jean-Mary took over as linebackers coach, but they turned up the heat once he was on staff. Things have been trending in a good direction over the last few weeks. 

Heading into the weekend, there was still work to do, however. Programs like Clemson, Indiana, and Tennessee have been pushing extremely hard. After this official visit, I don’t think it’s going to matter how hard other teams push. Notre Dame showed Igwebuike and his family everything they needed to see. They are now the firm leader for the 6-3, 225-pound defender. If this recruitment ends sometime soon, it’ll be the Irish. 

With the recent buzz surrounding 5-star Kaden Henderson, linebacker recruiting appears to be trending in an elite direction. Jean-Mary has a chance to make a statement down the stretch. 

EDGE Abraham Sesay – Exton (Pa.) Downingtown East 

There was some buzz around LSU following Sesay’s official visit to Baton Rouge, but that was extremely overstated. This has been Notre Dame’s recruitment to lose for quite some time now. Following his return to South Bend, that hasn’t changed. If anything, the lead has only widened in Notre Dame’s favor for the 5-star pass rusher. 

While there hasn’t been a public commitment date announced, this recruitment feels like a matter of when, not if, Sesay ends up with Notre Dame. If Partridge can land both Sesay and Parks, this has the chance to be one of the best defensive line classes in a very long time. Sesay, individually, might be the most talented pass rusher that the Irish have landed in decades, assuming they can close. 

DT Tyler Alexander – Wellington (Fla.) Palm Beach Central 

I’m fascinated to watch where things go with Alexander following the visit. Heading into the trip, both Colorado and Georgia were thought to be higher on his list, and Texas is also still pushing hard. Alexander clearly likes Notre Dame, but just how much was the biggest question. 

The Irish staff eliminated the gap between Notre Dame and the other top schools this weekend. They made such an impact that there are folks who believe that the Irish staff can close if they close well. My biggest remaining question is with Parks trending quickly to the Irish, just how hard will they push? I would always make things work for talented defensive tackles, but whether the numbers and money make sense is something to consider. 

I would keep a close eye on Alexander over the next couple of weeks. 

CB Karnell “Greedy” James – Manvel (Texas) High School 

Greedy James has gone from an underrated Texas commit to a prime flip candidate for multiple programs. Notre Dame is currently battling LSU to land the top-100 defensive back. There was a lot on the line going into this weekend, especially after a successful official visit to Baton Rouge a couple of weeks ago. 

Based on early feedback, it sounds like the Fighting Irish continued its momentum with the Texas standout over the last couple of days. While some schools have viewed James as more of a safety, the Notre Dame staff thinks he can play outside cornerback, and I wouldn’t be shocked if the nickel could be in his future. Notre Dame has cemented itself as a top threat for James, but I’m curious to see LSU’s counter. 

Regardless of whether the talented cover man picks the Tigers or Fighting Irish in the end, I would be surprised if he sticks with his Longhorn pledge.