One of the last big targets for the Notre Dame football team in the 2027 class is officially in the boat. Defensive lineman Brayden Parks made his commitment to the Fighting Irish on Thursday afternoon after several months of back and forth on just when he planned to give his pledge.
Parks picked Marcus Freeman and Co. over Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks. In the process, he picked one shade of green over another. And for quite a long time, there was a real question as to which green he would wear come game days in 2027.
There was, in fact, a time when it looked like the Chicago-land prospect might pick the Ducks over Notre Dame. However, earlier this week, analysts started to see a pattern that was very good news for the Golden Domers. Just a few days ahead of his commitment, experts began putting in predictions that he wanted to settle in South Bend. After the usual commitment day shenanigans, he did, in fact, name the Irish as his future team.
In the process, Freeman and his staff scored a very good defender. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound four-star defensive lineman from Brother Rice High School (Chicago, IL), Parks is ranked as the No. 184 player in the 2027 class, the No. 22 player at his defensive lineman position and the No. 10 player in the state of Illinois according to Rivals Industry Rankings.
Brayden Parks commits to Notre Dame over Oregon
He’s considered a versatile defensive lineman who can either line up at tackle or on the edge. That’s why the Ducks’ staff, including defensive line coach Tony Tuioti and defensive coordinator Chris Hampton, traveled across the country to visit Parks at Brother Rice. Parks also made the trip to Eugene for his official visit in June and during Junior Day weekend at the end of January.
And yet, when the defensive lineman made his announcement on the CBS Sports College Football YouTube channel, he made it clear that the Fighting Irish were the group that grabbed his attention and never let go. It doesn’t hurt that he’s been playing his high school games in the elongated shadow of Touchdown Jesus.
It’s not hard to figure out why Notre Dame worked so hard to land the big-bodied defender. Parks recorded 61 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one interception during his 2025 junior season. He was named the CCL/ESCC Blue Defensive Player of the Year while helping Brother Rice win the Illinois Class 7A state championship. The Fighting Irish are looking forward to seeing him repeat that kind of performance in his senior year, and then in South Bend.
Add us as a preferred source on Google