Notre Dame Hoping To Make A Big Move This Weekend With DT Brayden Parks
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has said from the moment he was hired that the Irish will be a line driven program. The good news for Freeman in the 2027 and 2028 recruiting cycles is that there are loads of big time defensive linemen right down the road in Chicago, and one of those standouts is Brother Rice defensive tackle Brayden Parks. The 6-3, 295-pound interior standout is making yet another trip to South Bend this weekend in what is a very important visit for both Parks and the Irish coaching staff.
On a crisp October Friday evening this past season, I stood on the sidelines of Gary Little Stadium on the south side of Chicago. A Brother Rice staff member inquired about who I was there to see. It might seem obvious since Parks is a big time prospect, but the Crusaders had a loaded defensive line that included Illinois signee King Liggings and 2028 five-star end Kameron McGee, as well as talented 2028 tight end Jack McNamara. Once we began to discuss Parks, this staff let it be known that the Notre Dame was recently at Brother Rice, and the Irish staff made it crystal clear that Parks was a must-get prospect for them.
Since that evening, the Irish defensive coaching staff has gone through some twists and turns, leading to three new assistants on that side of the ball. The changes put some top targets in a holding pattern as they waited to see who the new coaches would be. Parks was disappointed that changes were being made, but he was patient and confident that the next man was going to be a good coach.
"I wasn’t worried about it," Parks told Irish Breakdown. "I just wanted to see who it would be. Coach Freeman and Coach (Nick) Sebastian were talking to me a lot, and I talk to Coach (Charlie) Partridge a lot now, so we’re building a good relationship."
The Fighting Irish made the recent Top 8 schools list for Parks, who grades out as a Top 100 recruit on the Irish Breakdown board. Notre Dame was joined by Michigan, Ohio State, Georgia, Illinois, Oregon, Miami, Georgia and Tennessee. He plans to visit all of those schools this spring, with Notre Dame getting the first crack on his spring visit tour this weekend. It will be a chance for Parks to get a better grasp on everything he’s learned about Partridge to this point.
"I have a lot of respect for him," Parks said of the new Notre Dame defensive line coach. "He’s developed a lot of guys in college and the NFL just like me, so he knows what it takes to get there. I know we’re going to spend some 1-on-1 time together, so I’m excited about that."
This weekend will be Parks’ fourth visit to South Bend, so he’s very comfortable with the campus, fanbase and culture. His relationship with Partridge is important, but he’s going to use the practice to see how the defensive linemen are responding to the coaching.
"The practice will show me a lot," Parks explained. "I want to see how his guys react to how he’s coaching and how they work together and get better."
The Fighting Irish remain at the top of his remaining suitors because he values everything the program has to offer on and off the field. His recruitment enters the home stretch with some of the best defensive line coaches in the country like Oregon’s Tony Tuioti, Ohio State’s Larry Johnson and others preparing to make their pitch heading into the summer and official visits. Parks will return to South Bend for his official visit June 12-14.
"Notre Dame has everything," Parks stated. "That’s why they’ve always been one of my top schools. Relationships and development are what I’m looking at. I’m going to make another cut after my spring visits and then take my officials. I’ll make a decision after."
His recruitment signals a more intensified effort when it comes to securing elite talent from the Chicagoland area. The previous staff on defense and in the recruiting office clearly valued Parks, and that has continued with the arrival of Partridge and several new members of the recruiting office. This weekend will be another step towards doing whatever it takes to get Brayden Parks in the 2027 class.
———————
Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and our premium message board! Click on the link below for more.
Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!
Join the Irish Breakdown community!
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel
Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes
Follow me on Twitter: @SD2Mics
Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook
Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos