Here comes Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame recruiting machine. On Friday during a live announcement on YouTube, 4-Star EDGE Aidan O’Neil gave his commitment to Notre Dame and its 2027 football recruiting class.
The 6’5” 240 pound EDGE from Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey, chose the Irish over his other two finalists; the Kentucky Wildcats and Penn State Nittany Lions. O’Neil had major offers from all over the country including the Georgia Bulldogs, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes,
Texas A&M Aggies, Texas Longhorns, and many more.
-High-effort edge defender that can go speed to power on the corner.
-Owns promising physical features with his barrel chest and big 10.25-inch hands.
-Ramped up the production and impact plays as a junior, tripling his sack total from sophomore year.
-Attacks with urgency and frequently initiates contact.
-Showcases the ability to dip under blocks and slide through gaps.
-Instinctive on run calls and quick to redirect with his agility.
-Got some interior looks on passing downs as an 11th grader and could provide that same flex in college, especially as the body continues to mature.
-Needs to keep fine-tuning his craft, but should be viewed as a potential three-down defensive end for a College Football Playoff contender that can will his way into stops.
O’Neil is the 11th commitment for Notre Dame’s 2027 football recruiting class, and the first from the state of New Jersey. In all, 8 different states are represented in this 11 man class, as the Irish recruit nationally better than any program in the country.
The Irish have really done a nice job loading up on the future of the defensive line. Marcus Freeman has used a solid combination of high school recruiting and the transfer portal to help craft a defensive line that is capable of helping the Irish compete for a national championship.
It’s kind of wild how under the radar this recruitment of O’Neil has been given his ranking and coming from a known national producer of top talent at Don Bosco Prep. But that quiet and business like approach from Aidan (along with his skillset) should make Irish fans swoon with anticipation for when he wears the Blue and Gold of Notre Dame.
