Notre Dame football was predicted to miss out on one of its top defensive tackle recruiting targets to an SEC program
Notre Dame is expecting some bad news for their defensive line recruiting in the future.
When it comes to defensive line recruiting for Notre Dame in the 2027 class, Birmingham (Ala.) Ramsay defensive tackle Karlos May has been a key target to know for a very long time. Outside of Illinois native Brayden Parks, you could argue that May has been arguably the top player to know on that board. He is a player that head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish staff have a high opinion of.
Unfortunately for Notre Dame, it appears that May might be trending away from the Irish. Steve Wiltfong from Rivals recently logged an expert prediction for May to land with the Auburn Tigers, which would be a tough blow for Notre Dame. We have seen new defensive line coach Charlie Partridge begin to expand the board recently, so it probably isn’t a big shock that this news follows.
As is always the case in recruiting, things aren’t over until the prospects sign on the dotted line, and sometimes that doesn’t always matter (looking at you, Ole Miss). If Notre Dame were to lose out on May, it would be a loss, but it would not be the end of the world. The team has plenty of time to solidify a tremendous defensive line group in 2026. Even if they end up making a gamble or two, you have to feel good about a coach like Partridge getting the most out of the group in the end.
Karlos May’s recruiting background
Despite missing his sophomore season due to injury, May is highly thought of from a recruiting rankings perspective. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, he is currently pegged as the No. 200 overall player, the No. 25 defensive lineman, and the No. 6 player from the state of Alabama for the 2027 recruiting class. Those rankings should only continue to go up for May based on his junior season performance.
A long list of prominent programs continues to pursue May in a big way. Some of the top teams that have offered the Alabama native include the Fighting Irish, Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Oregon, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Auburn, Florida State, Missouri, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia, among many others.
At 6-3 and 305 pounds, May is a big and explosive interior presence who can command a lot of attention. In the Notre Dame defense, May could potentially play either three technique or nose tackle. His versatility and playmaking upside provide him with a lot of upside. He would be a great addition for any program in college football and would be a difficult loss for the Irish if he does land with the Auburn Tigers.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish News
Notre Dame football is considered to be the leader for multiple 2027 recruits heading into an important part of the offseason
Notre Dame is front running for several top 2027 recruiting targets right now.
