Newsstand: Elite defensive back recruit includes Notre Dame in top schools

Notre Dame received a better look at its competition for one of its top cornerback recruiting targets in the 2027 cycle on Sunday. 

Raleigh (N.C.) Cardinal Gibbons four-star prospect Xavier Hasan released a top 12 schools list that featured Notre Dame, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, North Carolina, NC State, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, South Carolina and Tennessee. 

Before narrowing his recruitment, the 6-foot, 180-pound Hasan reported scholarship offers from 30 Power Four programs. Miami, Auburn, Ole Miss, Wisconsin and UCLA are among the teams that missed the cut. 

Hasan is one of the most coveted recruits in his class. According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, he is the No. 55 overall player, No. 7 cornerback nationally and No. 1 player in North Carolina. 

On June 6, Hasan visited Notre Dame for the first time. He left campus with a pretty good idea that the Irish would be on his eventual top schools list and on his game day visit schedule this football season.

“It’s one of my top schools, and they believed in me early,” Hasan told Blue & Gold recruiting insider Mike Singer. “I want to keep building the relationship with them. Coach J Cod (Jevaughn Codlin) knows my DB trainer, and I know they keep in touch.”

Hasan will return to South Bend on Sept. 13 when Texas A&M comes to town. He is one of a dozen 2027 recruits who hold a Notre Dame offer that plans to be in the stands for the marquee Week 3 matchup. And certainly, one who already has the Irish among his public favorites.

Notre Dame Posts of the Weekend

Former Irish defensive back Max Hurleman (left) and linebacker Jack Kiser (right) squared off in an NFL preseason game Saturday night.

Irish freshman safety Ethan Long made an impressive play during Sunday’s fall camp practice.

Irish junior linebacker Drayk Bowen had an interception in Sunday’s practice. 

Notre Dame Quote of the Weekend

“Drayk’s a guy that — you feel him out there. You feel him. You see him. He’s in front of the group. It means the world to him.”

— Irish linebackers coach Max Bullough on Bowen emerging as a team leader. 

Notre Dame Headlines of the Weekend

• 21 days until ND football: What could the third-down defense look like in 2025?
• Why ND 2025 linebackers aren’t devoid of leadership even without a graduate senior
• Where ND stands in Rivals Industry Team Rankings after Elijah Golden commitment
• Observations from ND football fall camp practice No. 9: Offense
• Observations from ND Football fall camp practice No. 9: Defense
• Intel: ND well-positioned with multiple DL and EDGEs in the 2027 class
• Don’t sleep on ND DT Donovan Hinish as a real breakout candidate
• Behind The Ballot: Inside the numbers that helped shape an AP Top 25 projection
• 22 days until ND football: The hope for ND’s transfer portal receivers
• Four-star DL Elijah Golden commits to ND football over Alabama and Oklahoma
• Five thoughts on four-star DL Elijah Golden’s ND football commitment
• Film Study: New ND DT commit Elijah Golden
• What the experts are saying about new ND commit Elijah Golden
• What Kedren Young injury means for ND football running back room
• What the Kevin Bauman injury means for ND football tight end unit
• ND tight end Kevin Bauman medically retires after left knee injury
• ND running back Kedren Young out for 2025 season with significant fall camp injury