Notre Dame Loses 4-Star LB Ellis McGaskin, Impacting 2027 Recruiting Class

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Notre Dame Loses 4-Star LB Ellis McGaskin, Impacting 2027 Recruiting Class

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish finished the 2025 college football season going 10-2. Their only losses came against the Texas A&M Aggies and Miami Hurricanes. After failing to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff, the team opted out of the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

Despite reaching eligibility, this is the first time the Fighting Irish haven’t played in a bowl game since 2016.

Well into the offseason, Marcus Freeman and his staff continue to stay busy. While the transfer portal is the primary focus for many, high school recruiting remains important. Notre Dame’s 2027 class already has seven commitments and ranks fifth in the nation. However, the group took a hit on Friday.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman.Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Ellis McGaskin, a 5-foot-11.5 and 210-pound linebacker out of Mobile, Alabama, committed to Notre Dame in July. As a junior at Williamson High School, he racked up 160 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, four sacks and one interception.

It’s not just his production that made him an exciting addition for the Fighting Irish. McGaskin is a four-star recruit, the No. 14 linebacker and the No. 254 player in the nation, per Rivals Industry Rankings. He’d committed to them over the LSU Tigers, Florida State Seminoles, Mississippi State Bulldogs and Auburn Tigers.

However, on Friday, Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett reported that McGaskin has decommitted from Notre Dame.

While McGaskin’s backing out is unfortunate, the Fighting Irish aren’t empty at the linebacker position. They have a commitment from four-star Amarri Irvin, who is the No. 12-ranked linebacker in the nation.

Related: Miami Predicted to Land 1,100-Yard WR in College Football Transfer Portal

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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