After Aiden O'Neill took a visit to see the Notre Dame football program up close and personal, he included the Fighting Irish in his Top 7 teams. As it turns out, the big reason why Marcus Freeman and Co. are in such good standing is because of what the defensive lineman saw for sure, but also what he heard.
"It was great," O'Neil recently told Irish Sports Daily. "I had a great time. Their hospitality was great. I felt very welcomed there, and I felt like I belonged." That belonging could go a long way towards allowing ND to keep its foot in the door and eventually become the king of the hill.
Aiden O'Neill loved the coaches, but he also really hit it off with the Notre Dame players. "I think the guys are just so down to earth,” he added. "I got to talk to a couple of the players and got the opportunity to go out to dinner with some of the coaches and players. They were just really nice, and they felt like real people."
Aiden O'Neill says Notre Dame football made him feel like he belonged
It's not a surprise that the Irish want O'Neill and want him badly. He's rated as the No. 108 player in the class according to Rivals Industry Rankings and No. 127 according to 247Sports Composite. Both sites have him as the third-best player in New Jersey, and both sites have him inside the Top 15 of EDGE rushers in the 2027 class.
Notre Dame still has its work cut out for it, even if it's had a ton of success making inroads with players in the 2027 class. Texas A&M, Tennessee, Penn State, Illinois, Indiana, & Kentucky round out his list of Top 7 teams. The Fighting Irish made a very strong impression. Now they need to keep the pressure up and win a big recruiting battle for Aiden O'Neill.