Notre Dame football landed a massive commitment from elite 5-star Lake Charles (La.) Sam Houston offensive lineman Albert Simien on Friday. Head Coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish were able to win out over Texas A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, and Nebraska. It was a tremendous addition to the 2027 class.

With Simien now in the class, let’s take a look at who the next five commitments could be for Notre Dame. The 2027 class is quickly finishing up, but the attention will quickly turn to the 2028 recruiting class. Here are some top targets to keep a close eye on.

LB Roman Igwebuike – Chicago (Ill.) Mount Carmel 

Notre Dame didn’t have much momentum early, but that has changed under linebacker coach Brian Jean-Mary, even with the Henderson news last week. They are going to have to beat out Clemson, Tennessee, and Indiana, but I believe they can after what they accomplished during the official visit two weekends ago. The 6-3, 220-pound defender brings some insane versatility to play in the middle of a defense, while also rushing off the edge. They need to finish, but I think they will. 

DT Brayden Parks – Chicago (Ill.) Brother Rice

The recruitment for Parks has been a wild ride up until this point. Oregon has made things difficult multiple times, but the latest feedback strongly favors the Fighting Irish, especially after his official visit to South Bend a couple of weekends ago. Notre Dame will have to finish strong, but they clearly value the 6-3, 305-pound defensive tackle at a high level. Freeman and Co. are hard to win against down the stretch. I am not betting against them often this time of the year. 

TE Jack McNamara (2028) – Chicago (Ill.) Brother Rice

While Notre Dame has had some mixed results in Chicago recently, McNamara has quickly become a player that they want in the 2028 recruiting class. At 6-5 and 235 pounds, he is a very talented athlete at the tight end position with all the upside in the world. There hasn’t been a firm timeline given from McNamara yet, but with the 2027 recruiting class slowly winding down, don’t be surprised if the Irish staff starts making a strong push for several members of the 2028 class.

WR Maddox Weil (2028) – Fort Wayne (Ind.) Northrop

Notre Dame has put itself in a great early spot with Weil, who is one of the best overall players in the state of Indiana in his class. He has already visited South Bend several times, and he is clearly a player that the Irish staff likes. At 5-10 and 160 pounds, Weil is a smaller pass catcher who is impressive in space. This would be a very intriguing early addition for the Notre Dame class.

OT Wyatt VanBoening (2028) – Mundelein (Ill.) Carmel Catholic

At 6-7 and 280 pounds, VanBoening is a local offensive tackle that Notre Dame likes quite a bit early on. He received his offer from the Irish staff this offseason after camping in South Bend. There is a lot to love about his combination of size, length, movement skills, and upside. It is early, but I like where Notre Dame currently stands with the Illinois native. I expect things to progress quickly.