Notre Dame football is in the midst of putting together an elite 2027 recruiting class. The finish will matter a lot, but head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish have done a great job at closing over the last couple of recruiting cycles. There is no reason to believe that they won’t finish strong.

On the defensive side of the 2027 class, there is a long list of important targets that are still out there. Here is the latest intel on where Notre Dame stands with each player. The finish on defense will determine just how elite and historic this group will be.

EDGE Abraham Sesay – Exton (Pa.) Downingtown East

Notre Dame has been the assumed leader for the 6-5, 225-pound defensive end for quite some time. While programs like Penn State have continued to push, I still like the Fighting Irish for the five-star pass rusher. The fit just makes so much sense.

EDGE Jackson Vaughn – Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic

Vaughn is set to commit on Tuesday night. The 6-4, 225-pound pass rusher will be selecting between Notre Dame, LSU, Miami, Auburn, and South Carolina. The Fighting Irish are the strong leader for Vaughn.

EDGE/DT Marcus Fakatou – Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon

The months of June and July will be huge for Fakatou’s recruitment. Heading down the stretch, Notre Dame is battling Ohio State for the 6-6, 275-pound defensive lineman. The Fighting Irish are firmly in the game, but the finish will be a make-or-break section of this recruitment.

DT Brayden Parks – Oak Lawn (Ill.) Brother Rice

Parks’ recruitment has been a bit of a roller coaster. Notre Dame held a strong early lead, but Oregon seemed to flip the script several months ago. The Irish staff was then able to regain momentum, seemingly becoming the leader before Oregon’s latest push. There are folks confident on both sides, but I like where things are trending for the Fighting Irish.

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

The 6-3.5, 315-pound defensive tackle is a massive interior presence. How strongly Notre Dame pushes for Alexander will depend on where things are with Parks. They are positioning themselves well, but the next few weeks will be vital.

DT Segun Alexander – Rabun Gap (Ga.) Nacoochee

Originally a member of the 2028 recruiting class, Alexander opted to reclassify to 2027 recently. Notre Dame is battling against Texas A&M for the 6-4, 275-pound defensive lineman. The Aggies hold the lead right now, but I do think that the Fighting Irish can make a push, based on what I have been told.

LB Kaden Henderson – Tampa Bay (Fla.) Jesuit

While Notre Dame has done a very good job in this recruitment, I do think that Texas A&M still holds the lead for Henderson. The Irish staff will continue to fight until the very end. This recruitment will come down to the official visit for the five-star defender.

LB Roman Igwebuike – Chicago (Ill.) Mount Carmel

Before Brian Jean-Mary took over as the linebacker coach, there was no momentum with Igwebuike. Notre Dame is now firmly in the game. The next several weeks will determine if they will be able to close the deal in the end.

LB Toa Satele – Mililani (Hawaii) High School

Despite never visiting South Bend, Notre Dame has become a top-4 team for Satele, joined by Texas, Oregon, and Cal. The Fighting Irish’s chances will depend on how well his official visit to Notre Dame goes from June 9-11. They have a chance to make a strong push.

LB Sean Fox – Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central

I am having some trouble figuring out where things stand with Fox. There is clearly interest in the 6-5, 225-pound linebacker, but I am not sure he is a top priority right now. Depending on how things go with Henderson and Igwebuike, I could see the Irish staff turning up the heat.

LB Noah Glover – Haymarket (Va.) Battlefield

I have been surprised to see how much interest that Notre Dame has been able to create with Glover. Despite those efforts, I don’t believe that he will end up with the Fighting Irish. Georgia is considered to be the team to beat.

LB Brayton Feister – Massillon (Ohio) Washington

Notre Dame made a good run at Feister, but they haven’t been able to make up enough ground. Oregon is considered to be the leader for the Ohio native, and I don’t see that changing.

CB Monsanna Torbert Jr. – Cincinnati (Ohio) Princeton

The Fighting Irish, Ohio State, and Michigan are the teams to know for the former Indiana commit. Notre Dame will host Torbert for an official visit on June 19-21, but the Buckeyes are the team to beat right now.

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

James is currently committed to Texas, but that hasn’t stopped programs like Notre Dame, Ohio State, and LSU from pushing for him. There is growing optimism on Notre Dame’s side. The Irish staff thinks they can get this one done.