Nation's No. 19 DL Announces His Top 8 Schools

One of the more promising defensive line prospects in the talented 2027 college football recruiting class is getting serious interest from elite programs around the country, and now he appears to have narrowed his own focus to eight prospective finalists.

Four-star Chicago (Ill.) defensive lineman Brayden Parks is down to eight schools as he nears a decision, the prospect told Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett.

Who are the Elite Eight?

Among the 35 offers Parks received from around the nation, the prospect has fine-tuned his interest in a list that includes four Big Ten programs, two SEC blue bloods, the national title runner up, and college football’s most famous independent.

Notre Dame is part of that list, currently sitting in fourth-place in the national average 2027 recruiting rankings with a strong defensive class, and will host Parks on a visit on March 21.

Exactly one week later, Parks will take in Miami, fresh off playing for the national championship and boasting a small but high-quality class with four commitments currently onside.

At the end of March, on the 30th and 31st, the player will meet with Tennessee, which sits inside the top 20 of the ‘27 recruiting standings with four pledges.

Elite programs will host Parks in April

On the second day of April, first-year coach Kyle Whittingham and Michigan will host a visit with Parks in an effort to improve a class that ranks 28th nationally and boasts four-star No. 17 edge rusher Recarder Kitchen.

Two days later on April 4, Ohio State will get a crack at the Chicago product, with the Buckeyes currently ranked No. 3 overall, buoyed by the commitment of DJ Jacobs, considered the No. 1 edge rusher in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Georgia will look to lure Parks down into SEC country on a two day visit from April 6-7 to boost the nation’s No. 8 recruiting class, but one yet to nab a defensive lineman.

Parks will then go across the country to meet with Oregon on April 10. Four-star No. 21 edge rusher Cameron Pritchett has committed to the Ducks’ 13th ranked 2027 haul.

And finally, hometown Illinois, fresh off a nine-win season capped off by a win over the Vols in the Music City Bowl, and with just one commitment to its No. 52 class, will host Parks at a yet to be determined date.

How he rates as a recruit

The Chicago native has been considered one of the most important defensive linemen in the 2027 high school football recruiting class since the beginning.

Parks is currently listed as the No. 20 defensive lineman in the country and the No. 8 overall prospect at any position in the state of Illinois, according to an industry weighted average of the national recruiting services.

That average rates Parks as the No. 167 overall prospect in the 2027 class nationally and a consensus four-star recruit.

What the experts are thinking

Right now, one area school is running away with Parks’ future commitment, according to the latest projections from the national experts.

Notre Dame sits well out ahead of the other contenders currently, with an overwhelming 87.6 percent chance to earn his commitment, according to Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine.

In-state Illinois sits in second place, but at a considerable distance, with 1.9 percent odds, according to that same metric.

Big Ten contenders Ohio State is listed at 1.4 percent and Oregon rates under 1 percent.

(Rivals)