Notre Dame has continued to trend for a top 2027 linebacker target. They have quickly become a can't-miss recruit after some recent bad news.
Notre Dame football is expecting some bad news later today when elite 2027 Tampa Bay (Fla.) Jesuit linebacker Kaden Henderson makes his college decision. Despite head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish looking like they were in pole position, the Texas A&M Aggies have captured all the momentum down the stretch. Barring something unforeseen, Mike Elko and Co. have the upper hand.
With the impending bad news coming from Henderson, it has made Notre Dame's push for 4-star Chicago (Ill.) Mount Carmel linebacker Roman Igwebuike a lot more important. Coming out of his official visit to South Bend this past weekend, the Irish staff made the jump to the top of the leaderboard for the Chicagoland native. We have seen several predictions come in for Igwebuike, including a new one this week.
Rivals' national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu released an updated recruiting update, which included a new set of predictions. Trieu picked Igwebuike to land with the Fighting Irish. Here is what he wrote in the article.
There have been a lot of schools recruiting Igwebuike and he has been open to the entire country but the school that happens to be closest to home is trending right now. Tennessee has generated some buzz as has Mizzou and Indiana , but I like the Irish to get this done.
PREDICTION: Notre Dame
I also love where Notre Dame currently stands with Igwebuike. New linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary needs to land a big recruiting win, and Igwebuike has quickly become a "can't miss" target. He is a versatile defender who brings all the upside in the world. If the Irish do land Igwebuike, Notre Dame will most likely need to reevaluate and expand the board to find a second linebacker.
Igwebuike is considered a four-star player and a Top-200 recruit by multiple major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, the talented linebacker currently ranks as the No. 137 overall player, the No. 9 linebacker, and the No. 8 player from the state of Illinois for the 2027 recruiting class. Keeping top talent "at home" should always be a top priority for the Irish staff.
A long list of impressive programs has been pursuing him, over 40 of them to be exact. Some of the top offers for the Chicago native include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Ohio State , Oregon , Michigan , Texas , Oklahoma , Tennessee, Ole Miss, Miami, USC, Florida , Auburn, Florida State , Nebraska , Arizona State, Arkansas , Louisville , Iowa State, Kentucky , Georgia Tech , Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota , Missouri , NC State, Mississippi State, Maryland , Illinois, Kansas State, Syracuse, Boston College , Vanderbilt, Wisconsin , Washington, West Virginia, Baylor, Kansas, and Purdue , among others.
Leading one of the top programs in high school football, Mount Carmel is loaded with next-level talent. The 6-3, 220-pound linebacker is one of the team's top overall talents, which is saying something. He has the combination of size, explosiveness, and physicality to become a stellar inside linebacker on the next level. The versatility that Igwebuike brings is extraordinary.
During his junior season, Igwebuike led the team with 115 total tackles. He also recorded 13.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, three pass breakups, a fumble recovery, and 17 more quarterback hurries.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Notre Dame football is predicted to land a priority target at the perfect time for the Fighting Irish recruiting class
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