Published Jun 30, 2025
Rivals100 LB Ellis McGaskin commits to Notre Dame football's 2027 class
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Tyler James  •  InsideNDSports
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Notre Dame football might not sign a Rivals100 linebacker in the 2026 recruiting cycle.

Both of Notre Dame’s linebacker commitments in the 2026 class — Thomas Davis Jr. and Ja’Kobe Clapper — are outside the Rivals100 heading into their senior seasons this fall. Barring a new addition or a rankings upgrade, the Irish will break a four-class streak of signing a Rival100 linebacker.

But Notre Dame put itself in position to get right back on track with that streak in the 2027 class when linebacker Ellis McGaskin announced Monday his commitment to the Irish. Rivals ranks the Mobile (Ala.) Williamson product as the No. 3 linebacker and No. 78 overall in the 2027 class.

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McGaskin committed to Notre Dame over offers from the likes of Auburn, Florida State, LSU, Ohio State and Michigan. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound linebacker made his first visit to Notre Dame earlier this month to attend the Irish Invasion and Grill & Chill event on campus.

McGaskin left Notre Dame’s campus feeling like he could call it home during his college career. Now he’s planning to do just that.

“They’re at the top of my scale," McGaskin said following his Notre Dame visit. "The things I’ve seen, I loved. So far, I haven’t been anywhere like it.”

Notre Dame offered McGaskin in March on Pot of Gold Day, and linebackers coach Max Bullough made a trip to Mobile to evaluate McGaskin. They’ve grown connected throughout the process.

“Me and Coach Max Bullough’s relationship is through the sky," McGaskin said earlier this month. "I couldn’t wait to come up here and connect with these guys. They just showed me a whole ‘nother world.”

McGaskin also appreciated how head coach Marcus Freeman made time for him during his visit.

“I was very impressed, because a lot of coaches don’t really make time to connect with recruits," he said of Freeman. "But he went out of his way to make sure that he was connecting with every recruit that was there.”

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McGaskin totaled 130 tackles, 21.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks in 10 games as a junior at Williamson High. He also rushed 37 times for 206 yards and six touchdowns as a running back.

McGaskin’s recruiting travels included multiple visits to Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, LSU and Mississippi State. Alabama and Georgia have yet to offer the four-star recruit.

McGaskin watched the Irish make a run to the national championship game in last season's College Football Playoff.

"One of the biggest boxes they check for me is their ability to compete for a national championship year in year out," he told Rivals. "I wanna be a winner and they’re gonna give me a chance to develop and become the best football player I can be.

"After being on campus and seeing how they operate on and off the field, I know it’s a place that I can develop as a player and person."

Notre Dame now has two commitments in the 2027 class. Long snapper Sean Kraft became the first last Tuesday. Notre Dame’s 2026 class, which is awaiting announcements from at least five targets in July, is currently ranked by Rivals as fourth-best in the country with 22 commitments.

Notre Dame could still try to recruit a third linebacker in the 2026 class, but the addition of McGaskin in the 2027 class makes it even less pressing. Davis, who Rivals ranks as the No. 10 linebacker and No. 177 overall in the 2026 class, has been verbally committed to Notre Dame since November and recently dismissed a pursuit from Georgia, where his father was an All-American. Clapper, who Rivals projects as an edge defender and No. 30 at the position, committed to Notre Dame in early May. Both made official visits to Notre Dame earlier this month.

The Irish have been recruiting elite linebackers since Freeman arrived as defensive coordinator in 2021. The Irish have signed eight Rivals250 linebackers in the past four recruiting classes. Four of them were ranked in the Rivals100: Jaylen Sneed (No. 46) in 2022, Drayk Bowen (No. 48) in 2023, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (No. 19) in 2024 and Madden Faraimo (No. 61) in 2025.

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