Notre Dame football commit officially flips to an ACC program, but the Fighting Irish could recover at an elite level
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Notre Dame loses a talented defender from its 2027 recruiting class. However, the Fighting Irish faithful shouldn’t be too worried.
When 2027 Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy linebacker Amarri Irvin officially visited Michigan State a couple of weeks ago, his father’s alma mater, it felt like only a matter of time until he left the Notre Dame class. That became official on Monday when Irvin flipped his commitment to the Virginia Tech Hokies. It was a nice addition for head coach James Franklin.
While Irvin is a good football player, head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish shouldn’t be too torn up about the departure. In fact, they look poised for an elite finish with linebacker recruiting in the 2027 class. Linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary has been working overtime over the last several weeks to get Notre Dame into this position.
The official visit season has just begun for the Notre Dame program, but they are in a great position to close on two of the top linebackers in the 2027 class: Tampa Bay (Fla.) Jesuit five-star Kaden Henderson and Chicago (Ill.) Mount Carmel star Roman Igwebuike. If Jean-Mary can close on both, that is one of the more impressive linebacker duos the team would land in quite some time.
They are in a great position to close the deal in the near future.
Amarri Irvin’s background and recruitment
If the last name sounds familiar, he is the younger brother of Sedrick Irvin Jr., who was once committed to the Irish back in the 2023 recruiting class. Notre Dame opted to move on from Irvin at the time, and he now plays for Stanford. His father was a standout running back with Michigan State in the 1990s.
The younger Irvin is a talented player in his own right. He is considered a four-star player by multiple major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Irvin sits as the No. 286 overall player, the No. 23 linebacker, and the No. 26 player in the state of Florida for the 2027 recruiting class.
The 6-0, 220-pound defender has been pursued by a long list of extremely impressive programs. Some of Irvin’s top offers include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, Michigan, Florida, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Penn State, Florida State, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Kansas State, Pittsburgh, SMU, Louisville, Michigan State, Colorado, UNC, Arkansas, Stanford, and Duke, among others.
As a junior, Irvin solidified himself as an important member of the IMG Academy defense. In nine games, he finished fourth on the team with 36 total tackles. Irvin has also recorded six tackles for loss, four sacks, 13 quarterback hurries, three interceptions, and another pass breakup. The versatility that he brings is impressive.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Notre Dame football commit officially flips to an ACC program, but the Fighting Irish could recover at an elite level
© 2026 A to Z Sports.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos