Notre Dame has one remaining hurdle in front of them to steal a priority target out of the backyard of a hated Midwest rival
Notre Dame is trying to close down the stretch for a priority recruiting target.
When it comes to secondary recruiting, things have been as good as they have been historically for Notre Dame under Mike Mickens. After having already solidified an elite group for the 2026 class that is signing on Wednesday, the Fighting Irish staff has already turned its full attention to the 2027 group. One of the key names to know right now is Cincinnati (Ohio) Anderson cornerback Ace Alston, a player the Irish have valued highly for some time now.
Head coach Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame just took a huge step forward when it was announced by Kyle Kelly of Blue and Gold Illustrated that Alston has set a commitment date for Dec. 9. The Ohio standout will be choosing between the Fighting Irish, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, LSU, Tennessee, Penn State, USC, Missouri, and Indiana. It is an impressive group, and Notre Dame is right in the thick of that race.
The vibes have been very strong in favor of Notre Dame for some time now. Many people have considered the Fighting Irish the team to beat, and that includes me as well. With only a week left until his decision, there is still one big hurdle that Notre Dame will need to get over to land Alston. There is optimism for Notre Dame here, but this isn’t quite a done deal yet. The Irish need to close.
Ace Alston’s recruiting background
Alston is considered a four-star recruit and a top-150 overall player by each of the major recruiting platforms right now. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Alston is rated as the No. 115 overall player, the No. 11 cornerback, and the No. 2 player in the state of Ohio for the 2027 recruiting class.
While Alston has impressive recruiting rankings, his offer list is even better. Some of the top schools that have offered Alston up until this point include the Fighting Irish, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, LSU, Tennessee, USC, Texas A&M, Auburn, Nebraska, Louisville, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Pittsburgh, Arkansas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, Michigan State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Cincinnati, Duke, West Virginia, UCLA, Vanderbilt, and Purdue, among many others.
During the 2025 season, Alston put together yet another strong season for Anderson. The 5-11, 175-pound cover man has recorded 46 total tackles, two interceptions, 16 pass breakups, and 3.5 tackles for loss. That’s coming off a sophomore year in 2024, where Anderson also managed to record 46 total tackles, two interceptions, 10 pass breakups, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish News
Notre Dame takes a massive step towards landing an elite recruiting target in an increasing area of importance for the Fighting Irish
Notre Dame is closing quickly for a priority recruit.
