(Photo: Joe Weiser)
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are set for a top-25 showdown with USC this Saturday in South Bend — but the matchup under the lights isn’t the only big event of the weekend. The Irish are expecting more than 70 visiting prospects, including about 40 priority offensive targets and 30 defensive and special teams targets, making this one of the biggest recruiting weekends of the year.
Among the notable visitors:
- Jamier Brown – Ohio State commit, five-star wide receiver from Dayton, Ohio, ranked No. 1 at his position in the 2027 class.
- Kemon Spell – Recent Penn State decommit, five-star running back from McKeesport, Pennsylvania, ranked the No. 1 RB in 2027.
- Amir Brown – Recent North Carolina decommit, four-star running back from Rolesville, North Carolina, ranked No. 27 among 2027 RBs.
- David Jacobs Jr. – Five-star edge rusher from Roswell, Georgia, ranked the No. 2 edge in the 2027 class.
- Marcus Fakatou – Five-star defensive lineman from Orange, California, the top-ranked DL in the 2028 class.
- Asher Ghioto – Five-star defensive lineman from Jacksonville, Florida, ranked No. 3 among 2028 DLs.
With a primetime stage and a top-25 matchup against one of its biggest rivals, Notre Dame has a golden opportunity to show why South Bend remains one of the most special stages in college football.
The Irish offense continues to click, piling up points with balance and efficiency, while the defense has surrendered just 27 total points over its last three games — a statement that should resonate with prospects on both sides of the ball.
Since taking over, Marcus Freeman has built momentum as one of the nation’s premier recruiters. This weekend’s massive visitor list is yet another sign that Notre Dame’s recruiting machine is only getting stronger.