Notre Dame Football Lands Yet Another 5-Star Talent on Defense

Notre Dame picked up yet another massive recruiting win with the commitment of the extremely talented Xavier Hasan from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive backs coach Mike Mickens against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After securing commitments from numerous 5-stars on the defensive side of the ball last cycle, the Irish are at it again. This time, they secured a commitment from Xavier Hasan, who’s ranked as the 38th overall player in the 247Sports composite rankings.

Hasan, rated as the 4th-best cornerback in the class, adds to an already talented cornerback room for the class of 2027. Just last week, the Notre Dame football program and Mike Mickens landed a commitment from Ace Alston, another outstanding defender.

Notre Dame was battling the likes of Ohio State, Tennessee, and, of course, the team in his backyard: North Carolina. Notre Dame has been absolutely dominant on the recruiting trail in North Carolina recently, and landing Xavier Hasan just adds to that for the Irish. Head football coach Marcus Freeman has ensured Notre Dame's recruiting is nationwide, not just in certain hotspots; it’s paying dividends.

The recruiting staff had already secured a commitment from Sean Kraft, the number one long snapper in the nation. Now, they add the best cornerback in the state and one of the best in the nation in Hasan. Up next could be Jaxon Dollar, the 3rd-ranked tight end in the class and, depending on which recruiting site you follow, the number one talent in the state of North Carolina.

After securing Khary Adams, Joey O’Brien, and Ayden Pouncey in the class of 2026, Mickens and company kept the ball rolling. The scariest part for Notre Dame opponents is Mickens's eye for talent. Leonard Moore, the best cornerback in the nation as a true sophomore, was a 3-star coming out of high school. Benjamin Morrison was a relatively lower 4-star recruit.

Don’t let Mike Mickens get hot when it comes to not only developing talent but also recruiting at the highest level. Mixing his eye for spotting talent and now doing it with some of the best players in the country, Mickens will make the secondary a force to be reckoned with for years.

With Hasan in the fold, the Notre Dame recruiting class for 2027 is coming together quite nicely. They’re in the hunt for a plethora of extremely talented players and should once again walk away with a top 10 recruiting class in the nation.

Even with the media backlash of the last week or so, even longer if we’re being honest, the recruits can see the vision. Marcus Freeman is not messing around.