The 2027 Notre Dame
wide receiver recruiting is off to a bizarre start. Who are the remaining realistic targets on the board for the Irish?
Notre Dame football
has been pretty inconsistent with wide receiver recruiting recently, although the 2026 class ended up being quite good. For the 2027 recruiting class, it is once again off to an interesting start, gaining a commitment from Littleton (Co.) Valor Christian wide receiver Jackson Coleman
, a few weeks ago. The finish will determine the excitement for this latest Mike Brown
haul.
Advertisement
Head coach Marcus Freeman
and the Fighting Irish
do have several key targets remaining on the board. Depending on how things go over the next several weeks, it is possible that Notre Dame could sign just two wide receivers in this class, including Coleman. There is, however, a desire to get to three commitments if the right players want to come.
Here are a few of the top Irish wide receiver targets to know. That includes where things currently stand in each recruitment.
Advertisement
You could make a strong argument that there isn't a more important 2027 recruiting target remaining on the board than Jones, and I certainly wouldn't argue with you. The 5-10, 175-pound pass catcher is an explosive passing game weapon, and is also a legacy Notre Dame recruiting target, something we have seen be very important for Coach Freeman. There is no question that the Fighting Irish lead for Jones right now. They are battling Oregon
and Miami down the stretch, but I remain very, very confident that they close this one out.
I do not doubt that Notre Dame has a lot of interest in Gayles, who is one of the more explosive wide receivers in the 2027 recruiting class. The 5-11.5, 185-pound wide receiver is coming off a productive junior season for IMG Academy, hauling in 20 receptions for 492 yards and five touchdowns, which is an average of 24.6 yards per reception. The Irish program is fighting against Alabama
, Tennessee
, and USC for his services. As of today, I believe that Notre Dame is not the top school for Gayles, but that can change if they get him to South Bend for his official visit on June 19-21.
Advertisement
Notre Dame didn't offer McAfee until early March, but it appears that they have made up quickly for lost time. They are battling the likes of Ohio State, Maryland
, and Virginia Tech
to land the 6-1, 170-pound pass catcher. When you pop on McAfee's film, there is a lot to like from his junior year film, including hauling in 54 receptions for 651 yards and 10 touchdowns. Whether the Irish land McAfee probably depends on how several things go with the rest of their board, but I am keeping a close eye on him.
