Notre Dame is considered to be the front-runner for a 4-star defender, with a commitment date coming soon
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Notre Dame is expecting some more good news in the future with another top safety target from the Sunshine State.
Notre Dame football added an extremely talented 2027 Florida defender this week with Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna three-star safety John Gay over Florida and Ole Miss, among others. It appears that head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish aren’t done with their success in the Sunshine State. They are expecting a lot of good news in the not-too-distant future.
That good news could be coming on Saturday when the 2027 Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas safety Zayden Gamble is ready to make his college decision. He will be choosing between Notre Dame, Ohio State, Florida, and Miami. It would be a tremendous addition for the Fighting Irish if they could get it done.
Heading into that decision, Freeman and Co. are viewed as the absolute front-runner for the Florida standout. The Buckeyes are the main competition in that group, but coming off his trip to South Bend last weekend, it’s going to be hard for any team to pull this upset. Notre Dame put together a stellar visit with an impressive pitch, and it has really pushed the needle with the Gamble camp.
If the Irish can land Gamble, keep a close eye on his teammate, Julius Jones Jr., as well as quarterback Champ Monds. Notre Dame has a chance to make a statement in the state of Florida this cycle.
Zayden Gamble’s recruiting background
Gamble is rated as a four-star player by each of the major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Gamble currently sits as the No. 176 overall player, the No. 14 safety, and the No. 21 player in the state of Florida for the 2027 recruiting class. Rivals is the lowest on the Florida native, pegging him as the No. 236 overall player on their ranking.
If the rankings for Gamble don’t impress you, his offer list certainly will. Some of his top offers include the Fighting Irish, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, Oregon, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ole Miss, Florida, Missouri, Florida State, Auburn, Indiana, Washington, Colorado, UNC, Virginia Tech, Pitt, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Maryland, Boston College, Syracuse, Cal, West Virginia, SMU, Oregon State, UCF, and Purdue, among others.
The 5-11, 190-pound defensive back has been an outstanding player for St. Thomas Aquinas for the last couple of years. During the 2025 season, Gamble managed to record 65 total tackles, three interceptions, five pass breakups, three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. The Florida native is one of the top coverage safeties in the 2026 class, demonstrating the talent to make plays all over the field.
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