Notre Dame is "the dark horse team to watch" for one of the most dynamic offensive weapons in the 2027 recruiting class
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Notre Dame football has developed the tight end position as well as any college football program historically. In the 2027 recruiting class, head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish staff received some bad news recently when Danville (Ky.) Boyle County tight end Seneca Driver opted for the Oklahoma Sooners.
That has turned their attentions fully on several other talented tight end options on the board, including 2027 Pierre (S.D.) TF Riggs tight end Cooper Terwilliger. The South Dakota native has been a player to know for the Irish, but it does appear the push could be amplifying with that recent Driver news. In a report from Greg Smith of the Rivals network, he went in-depth on the latest with Terwillinger.
While Penn State has been the assumed leader for the talented pass catcher, it does appear that the Irish are a program to watch. Smith called them a dark horse, and it appears they are a team to watch closely down the stretch.
“The Pierre (S.D.) T.F. Riggs standout looked like he was close to committing to Nebraska a couple months ago, Smith wrote in his update. “But after the hire of Matt Campbell at Penn State, the Nittany Lions have taken total control of this recruitment. My prediction remains on Penn State here. But now the dark horse team to watch is Notre Dame. The Irish have always liked Terwilliger and missing out on Seneca Driver could cause them to turn up the heat.”
I agree with Smith’s assessment on the Terwilliger recruitment based on conversations that I have had. If I were a betting man, the money would be on the Nittany Lions. Over the years, however, I have learned not to count out a recruit that Freeman and Co. want. It’ll be interesting to watch the next couple of months.
Cooper Terwilliger’s recruiting background
Terwilliger is considered to be a four-star player by each of the major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, the South Dakota native currently sits as the No. 259 overall player, the No. 12 tight end, and the No. 1 player from the state of South Dakota in the 2027 recruiting class. Those rankings have continued to rise more and more as people have gotten eyes on Terwilliger this offseason.
As his recruiting rankings continue to rise, Terwilliger’s offer list is already bordering on elite status. Some of the top programs that have offered him so far include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Florida State, Auburn, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Indiana, Arkansas, Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Kansas State, Kansas, Wisconsin, UNC, Purdue, UCF, and Stanford, among several others.
As a junior, Terwilliger put together a tremendous season for TF Riggs. The 6-5, 230-pound pass catcher managed to haul in 38 receptions for 549 yards and four touchdowns. That is an average of 14.4 yards per reception, which demonstrates his big-play ability from the tight end position. The overall talent for Terwilliger is substantial, and a lot of really impressive programs are taking notice.
This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Mar 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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