It was a busy weekend for Notre Dame football, holding its annual Blue-Gold Game, which signals the end of spring practice. On top of the excitement over the event, and a large contingent of the Fighting Irish fanbase in attendance, head coach Marcus Freeman and Co. also hosted a long list of impressive 2027 and 2028 recruiting targets. 

This weekend is usually a huge indicator of what the recruiting class will look like every year. That should hold after another vital recruiting weekend. After talking to folks on both the Notre Dame and player sides, it appears that the Irish staff knocked this event out of the park. 

Here’s the early intel I’ve gathered from this past weekend. Everyone should expect some good news on the horizon.

Latest Notre Dame recruiting intel 

Arguably, the most important visitor of the weekend was elite 2027 Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou. The 6-6, 275-pound defender was originally a member of the 2028 recruiting class before reclassifying this offseason. No matter the class, Fakatou has been a top target for Notre Dame from the beginning, 

The Irish were the early leader for the California native, but eventually other big programs like Georgia, Oregon, and Ohio State got involved. Notre Dame has been left to fight the good fight for Fakatou over the last several months, and they really needed to have a big weekend. They did just that. Vibes were high both on the Fakatou side and Notre Dame’s. 

Notre Dame feels like they really sold the fit and were able to put together an outstanding visit. This thing is not over, but the Irish recovered some momentum that was lost. They will be in it until the very end. 

I continue to have mixed feelings when it comes to 2027 Chicago (Ill.) St. Patrick defensive tackle David Folorunsho. Like Fakatou, Notre Dame was the assumed early leader for the Chicago native. That has faded a bit, and now the Irish are in a three-team race with Miami and Texas Tech. 

There is optimism coming out of this weekend. It sounds like Notre Dame has been very receptive to every part of this recruitment, from the personal fit to education and NIL. As of today, I think this one comes down to Miami or Notre Dame. There’s just a weird feeling in my stomach that I can’t shake. 

Notre Dame made a huge move with 2027 Choctaw (Okla.) High School tight end Titus Hawk this weekend. This isn’t a new player for the Irish staff, having had him camped and visited South Bend in the past. With the tight end board getting smaller, the heat has been turned up for Hawk, and I believe that the Irish are now the leader for the Oklahoma native. 

There is still an intention to pair Hawk with another tight end in this class, and ideally, it would be one of Jaxon Dollar or Malik Howard. While Hawk is skinny right now at 6-7 and 210 pounds, he has the frame to eventually develop into a physical force in-line. Pairing more of a flex tight end would be ideal. I love where Notre Dame is with Hawk right now. 

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The Irish staff also hosted elite 2027 Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep offensive tackle Oluwasemilore Olubobola for a visit. Notre Dame has had some success in the past in St. Peter’s, and, funny enough, the program welcomed back Irish alums Shayne Simon, Jayson, and Justin Ademilola. They would obviously provide some insight into being a Notre Dame player from that high school. 

From the sounds of it, Notre Dame did a tremendous job. I just don’t think it’ll be enough in the end. There are a lot of top programs going after Olubobola, and the odds are that he ends up elsewhere. If they do miss on the New Jersey native, the team will be just fine when it comes to 2027 offensive line recruiting. 

Notre Dame once again hosted 2027 Oak Lawn (Ill.) Brother Rice defensive tackle Brayden Parks, a player they have been on since the beginning. The 6-3, 305-pound defender knows that he’s a priority player for the Irish. That has been very clear. 

The Irish held a strong early lead for Parks, but Oregon has cut the gap. Notre Dame has gotten that momentum back, and now it’s about closing. This weekend went a long way toward accomplishing that. I like Notre Dame’s chances to be the pick in the end. 

One of the wildcards in the 2027 defensive line class is Wellington (Fla.) Palm Beach Central defensive tackle Tyler Alexander. He’s a player who hasn’t had a ton of conversation around him based on the recruiting rankings. Notre Dame does like the 6-3.5, 315-pound run stopper quite a bit. 

I think if Notre Dame chooses to push, they will have a good chance with Alexander in the end. I am admittedly waiting to see how things play out a bit with Parks and Folorunsho before casting any predictions with Alexander. For now, they are trending in a strong direction with him. 

Let’s keep going…

A top target in the 2028 recruiting class, Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic defensive end Jackson Vaughn has the look of an elite pass rusher. The Irish staff was able to get on him early in the process, and that impact has continued throughout this recruitment. I’m told that Notre Dame lengthened their lead this weekend, and if a decision comes anytime in the near future, the Irish are firmly the team to beat. 

Heading into this weekend, I didn’t know what to make of Notre Dame’s chances with 2027 South Houston (Texas) High School defensive end Xavier Muhammad.  Considered a top-100 player in the class, the Irish just offered Muhammad last week. The Irish staff was quickly able to get the talented pass rusher to take the trip to South Bend, which is a great sign. 

The 6-4, 225-pound defensive end has a commitment date set for July 3rd, so it was important for the Irish to make a strong move this weekend, and they did just that. From everything I have gathered, there’s some very real confidence on Notre Dame’s side. Getting Muhammad back on campus for another visit will be telling for their chances but it appears they could be a real player here.

Notre Dame got in on 2027 Littleton (Co.) Valor Christian wide receiver Jackson Coleman a little later in the process, but they have made up that ground quickly. Despite that, the Irish have made up ground in a hurry. Following a strong visit this past weekend, it’s fair to call Notre Dame the leader for the talented pass catcher. 

The recruiting rankings are very low for Coleman, but he has the feel of a big riser in the future. Even without those high rankings, a lot of programs have been in pursuit. That includes Oregon, the biggest threat to Notre Dame right now. Coleman’s game reminds me a lot of current Indianapolis Colts standout Alec Pierce, possessing a tremendous blend of size, length, and long speed. 

Under Coach Freeman, Notre Dame has valued NFL bloodlines tremendously. In the 2028 recruiting class, Pearland (Texas) Shadow Creek wide receiver Jaylen Addai is an early name to know. The son of former LSU and Indianapolis Colts standout Joseph Addai, the young wide receiver is considered one of the very best in the 2028 class. 

Getting Addai on campus this early was a great step for the Irish. There’s no telling if Notre Dame will be able to close on Addai in the end, but the fact that there is that much interest in visiting is huge. The staff gave Addai a great visit and a ton to think about as he goes through this process.