Notre Dame is really stacking the talent along the defensive line with its 2027 football recruiting class. On Thursday, one of the big additions to that group finally made a public announcement. 4-Star defensive lineman Brayden Parks gave his commitment to Marcus Freeman, Charlie Partridge, and Notre Dame via an announcement ceremony on CBS Sports.

The moment 4⭐️ DL Brayden Parks commited to The Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

But why Notre Dame?

“They give me the best choice on and off the field. Not just with football but life after football.”

Football is a career. Notre Dame is a lifetime ☘️🔔

🎥 @247Sports… pic.twitter.com/WLdcU2xz2K

— CathVSConf☘️ (@CathVSConf) July 23, 2026

The 6’3” 305 pound defensive tackle from Brother Rice High School in Chicago, Illinois, chose the Irish over his other finalist, the Oregon Ducks. Parks also held major offers from all over the country including the Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan Wolverines, Alabama Crimson Tide, Miami Hurricanes, and many more.

From 247:

-Wide, stout-bodied interior defender who makes life challenging for Middle 3 blockers with his rate of movement off the ball.
-Possesses the rush get-off and skill level to consistently shave edges or pry open rush paths with inside moves.
-Can rip and swipe his way to immediate victories, with an effective hump move sprinkled in.
-Natural leverage advantage simplifies his ability to anchor and root into the ground against downhill run efforts for new lines of scrimmage.
-Power-packed player who doesn’t lose steam on his way to the quarterback at various parts of the field.
-Falls shy of positional size thresholds, but has the length to overwrite those shortcomings.
-Looks the part of a productive, multi-year contributor for a Power Four program who specializes in even-front deployments.

From ISD:

I think Parks is one of the most underrated prospects in Notre Dame’s class. He dominated as a junior with 23 tackles for loss and he’s much further ahead of most young interior linemen when it comes to his hands.

Notre Dame’s depth at defensive tackle may not allow any freshman to crack the rotation immediately, but I think Parks could compete to do so. I’ve been extremely impressed with him since seeing him in person at Irish Invasion in 2025 and his twitch at his size is legit.

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This is the 23rd commitment for Notre Dame’s 2027 football recruiting class, and it’s an elite class. The Irish are now firmly in place as the No. 2 class in the country, and according to some recruiting insiders… Notre Dame plans on doing some “big game hunting” for other 5-Stars before National Signing Day.

POSITION	PLAYER	STATE	HT	WT	RIVALS	RIVALS INDUSTRY	247 SPORTS	247 COMPOSITE	ESPN	COMMIT DATE
LS	Sean Craft	NC	6’4″	215	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️	6/24/25
OL	Richie Flanigan	WI	6’3″	263	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	9/25/25
OL	James Halter	PA	6’5″	268	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	10/22/25
CB	Ace Alston	OH	5’11”	175	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	12/9/25
CB	Xavier Hasan	NC	5’11”	195	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	12/15/25
RB	Lathan Whisenton	TX	6’0″	200	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	3/25/26
RB	Isaiah Rogers	MA	6’0″	205	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	3/30/26
S	John Gay III	FL	6’1″	190	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	4/22/26
S	Zayden Gamble	FL	5’11”	190	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	4/25/26
DL	Aidan O’Neil	NJ	6’5″	240	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	5/1/26
QB	Champ Monds	FL	6’2″	225	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	5/1/26
WR	Jackson Coleman	CO	6’3″	195	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	5/4/26
TE	Titus Hawk	OK	6’7″	210	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	5/4/26
OL	Oluwasemilore Olubobola	NJ	6’6″	295	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	5/12/26
OL	Jackson Hill	CA	6’6″	300	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	5/14/26
DL	David Folorunsho	IL	6’3″	285	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	5/15/26
DE	Jackson Vaughn	NJ	6’3″	225	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	5/26/26
DE	Abraham Sesay	PA	6’6″	235	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	6/16/26
WR	Julius Jones Jr.	FL	5’10”	175	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	6/22/26
DT	Segun Alexander	GA	6’2″	300	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	6/23/26
OL	Albert Simien	LA	6’4″	295	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	6/26/26
LB	Roman Igwebuike	IL	6’3″	220	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	7/11/26
DL	Brayden Parks	IL	6’3″	305	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️	7/23/26

As it goes with great programs, it’s not just the ONE recruiting class — it’s how a program stacks blue-chippers on its roster. Notre Dame is doing a fantastic job there with what they are accomplishing, and Charlie Partridge is a big reason for this success.

Player/Class	Freshmen	Sophomore	Junior	Senior	5th Year
Quarterback	Champ Monds	Noah Grubbs, Teddy Jarrard	Blake Hebert	C.J. Carr	–
Running Back	Lathan Whisenton, Isaiah Rogers	Javian Osborne, Jonaz Walton	Nolan James	Aneyas Williams, Kedren Young	–
Tight End	Titus Hawk	Preston Fryzel, Ian Premer	James Flanigan	Jack Larsen	Cooper Flanagan
Wide Receiver	Jackson Coleman, Julius Jones Jr.	Dylan Faison, Bubba Frazier, Kaydon Finley, Devin Fitzgerald, Brayden Robinson	Elijah Burress, Jerome Bettis Jr., Quincy Porter	Cam Williams, Micah Gilbert, Logan Saldate, Mylan Graham	Jordan Faison
Center	–	–	Cameron Herron	–	Joe Otting
Guard	Albert Simien	Sullivan Garvin, Tyler Merrill, Gregory Patrick	–	–	Chris Terek, Sullivan Absher, Devan Houstan
Tackle	James Halter, Oluwasemilore Olubobola, Jackson Hill	Ben Nichols, Grayson McKeogh, Charlie Thom	Will Black, Owen Strebig, Matty Augustine	Peter Jones, Anthonie Knapp, Styles Prescod, Guerby Lambert	Charles Jagusah
Defensive Tackle	Richie Flanigan, David Folorunsho, Segun Alexander, Brayden Parks	Tiki Hola, Elijah Golden	Christopher Burgess, Davion Dixon, Gordy Sulfsted	Cole Mullins, Sean Sevillano, Francis Brewu, Tionne Gray	Elijah Hughes
Defensive End	Aidan O’Neil, Jackson Vaughn, Abraham Sesay	Ebenezer Ewetade, Rodney Dunham	Dominik Hulak, Joseph Reiff	Bryce Young, Loghan Thomas, Keon Keeley	–
Linebacker	Roman Igwebuike	Thomas Davis Jr., Kobe Clapper	Madden Faraimo, Ko’o Kia,	Teddy Rezac, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Kahanu Kia	Jaiden Ausberry, Drayk Bowen
Safety	John Gay III, Zayden Gamble	Ayden Pouncey, Joey O’Brien, Nick Reddish	Ethan Long, Brandon Logan	Tae Johnson	Luke Talich
Cornerback	Ace Alston, Xavier Hasan	Chaston Smith, Khary Adams	Dallas Golden, Mark Zachery, Jayden Sanders	Leonard Moore	Christian Gray
Specialists	Sean Craft (LS)	Jasper Scaife, Micah Drescher	Erik Schmidt	Spencer Porath	–
Totals	23/105 (23)	53/105 (30)	76/105 (23)	101/105 (25)	113/105 (12)

Parks is a big get for the Irish in a number of ways, but maybe the biggest way is that he is a fantastic defensive line prospect, and could provide a major impact early in his career in South Bend.

WELCOME TO ND BRAYDEN!

jacobogalu@gmail.com

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