While the Notre Dame football team has one of the best classes in the 2026 cycle, Marcus Freeman and Co. are also working on nailing the 2027 class, and two-way star Richie Flanigan is the latest payoff for those efforts.
Flanigan isn't simply someone who has been described as a "two way wrecking ball" on both the offensive and defensive line. He's also a player whose brother and father also played for the Fighting Irish.
The Notre Dame football team lands a legacy lineman in Richie Flanigan
The 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive and offensive lineman from Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is the brother of current Notre Dame tight end James Flanigan, and visited during the Texas A&M game. Flanigan chose the Irish over an early offer list that included the Michigan Wolverines, Illinois Fighting Illini, Duke Blue Devils, Wisconsin Badgers, and others.
Richie and James are the sons of former Irish defensive lineman Jim Flanigan, a four-year contributor at Notre Dame and a third-round NFL Draft pick in 1994.
Ranked as the No. 311 overall player nationally and No. 3 prospect in Wisconsin in the 2027 class according to Rivals, he announced his scholarship offer from the Irish during the program's St. Patrick's Day-themed Pot of Gold Day recruiting event on March 17.
Since then, Richie visited campus three times as an offered recruit. He also saw Wisconsin, Duke, Illinois, Northwestern, and Michigan — five of the six other schools that offered him scholarships. Those visits only clarified that the Irish would be the pick.
The Notre Dame football team now has four commits in its 2027 recruiting class. As of now, the Irish are already inside the Top 10 with the addition of Richie Flanigan to QB Teddy Jarrard, LB Ellis McGaskin, and long snapper Sean Kraft.