The Notre Dame Football recruiting machine is absolutely dialed in right now. On Friday, 5-Star defensive lineman David Folorunsho gave his commitment to Marcus Freeman and this 2027 Notre Dame Football recruiting class.
The Irish continue to have national success on the recruiting trail, but Folorunsho is a fairly local victory. The 6’3” 285 pounder from St. Patrick High School in Chicago, Illinois, chose the Irish over his other finalists; the Miami Hurricanes, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Michigan Wolverines, and Georgia Bulldogs. He also held offers from all over the country including the Alabama Crimson Tide, LSU Tigers, Ohio State Buckeyes, and many others.
David’s high school coach at St. Patrick is Notre Dame legend, Tommy Zbikowski.
-Explosive interior defender with the get-off, quickness and hands to be a difference-maker up front.
-Owns a squatty and compact build, but has a longer wingspan and could eventually play at 300 pounds.
-Fires hips through contact.
-Slips blocks with a brawler mentality.
-Agile enough to quickly plant and redirect.
-Empties the tank while in chase mode.
-Got looks up and down the line as a junior while also doubling as a blocking back on offense and should offer the same alignment possibilities in college as he can shade up or over a guard.
-Will need to keep improving his play-strength and mastering his craft, but projects as a potential impact player for a College Football Playoff hopeful with his range and energy.
David is the 17th commitment for this 2027 Notre Dame football recruiting class, and the first one from the state of Illinois. While Notre Dame hasn’t done big numbers in Chicago lately, the caliber of prospect that Folorunsho is, makes a lot of things up.
Notre Dame is working its way back to having solid depth along its defensive line, and a 5-Star prospect is more than just depth — he’s the real future inside. We could see the Irish add a couple more here in this class at DL, but it may still be a position they will invest heavily in during transfer portal season.
This is a huge win for Notre Dame. Even though Chicago should be Notre Dame’s to lose, when there is a top prospect like Folorunsho, the big boys come calling and you can throw proximity out of the window.
