Notre Dame received some great news on Friday when 2027 Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep defensive end Aidan O’Neil opted for the Fighting Irish over Penn State and Kentucky. Head coach Marcus Freeman and the Irish staff are riding a lot of momentum in the 2027 recruiting class right now. Things don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. 

Now that O’Neil is in the class, this feels like the perfect time to talk about what’s next for Freeman and Co. in the 2027 group. To have a little bit of fun, I projected the next five commitments for the Fighting Irish. It has a chance to be an elite group for Notre Dame. 

Here are the top targets to keep a close eye on moving forward. 

Predicting next Notre Dame commitments 

QB Wonderful “Champ” Monds  – Vero Beach (Fla.) High School 

Later today, Monds is also set to make his college decision. The talented passer is deciding between Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Florida State, but the Fighting Irish lead. With Monds being the only uncommitted quarterback target left on the board, closing on him is very important, and I think they will. 

WR Julius Jones Jr. – Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas 

With Jones being a legacy recruit for Notre Dame, he has made him a very important 2027 target. Outside of his familiar name, Jones also possesses some tremendous upside as a wide receiver, including home run speed and the ability to make big plays after the catch. Notre Dame continues to battle Oregon for the talented pass catcher, but they are very much the leader right now. 

OT Cameron Wagner – St. Joseph (Ill.) Ogden

At this point in Wagner’s recruitment, I’m not sure who the main competitor is, even against Notre Dame. The 6-6, 300-pound offensive tackle is someone that offensive line coach Joe Rudolph has prioritized for a long time. As long as this recruitment ends somewhat in the near future, it’ll be Freeman and Co.’s battle to lose. 

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

Notre Dame was the early leader for Parks, but Oregon has certainly given them a run for their money. The Irish staff have recovered and are still the assumed leader for the 6-3, 305-pound defensive tackle. Paris has been a priority for a very long time, and this program desperately wants to keep the Chicagoland standout near home. 

OT Layton von Brandt – Middletown (Del.) Appoquinimink 

I’ve repeated this comparison before, but von Brandt gives me the same feeling that Owen Strebig did in the 2025 recruiting class. While some other elite programs are pursuing von Brandt heavily, like Strebig, I would be extremely surprised if the pick wasn’t Notre Dame in the end. This very much feels like when, not if, the Delaware native opts for the Irish.