Irish Invasion updates?
Sounds unrealistically optimistic? Are we really going to land all the guys we wanted who visited last weekend and this upcoming one?
Not to be terribly pedantic
But it seems like the coaching staff has changed Irish Invasion into, essentially, a camp for much younger guys to work out for offers. We aren't typically seeing offered upperclassmen attending the camp any longer.
However, last weekend's official visits seem to have gone very well, and there's already a ton of positive buzz about this weekend's upcoming visitors. Its not out of the realm of possibility that we close the class with the following:
OL Albert Simien
WR Julius Jones Jr.
DT Brayden Parks
DE Abraham Sesay
LB Kaden Henderson
LB Roman Igwebuike
Still have some concerns about closing Parks, since he's apparently taking the Oregon visit this weekend. But everyone else is trending heavily our way at present.
Sesay just committed!!!
by NDinVA 
, Yorktown, VA, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 13:11 (3 days ago) @ Jeremy (WeIsND)
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Since about 30 minutes after Sesay committed, all the news
by BillyGoat , At Thanksgiving with Joe Bethersontin, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 11:38 (1 day, 22 hours, 52 min. ago) @ NDinVA
and discussion have been about the guy we might not get. Certainly, Henderson is a great prospect at a position relatively of need in this class.
However, it feels like the fanbase (drink) hasn't duly celebrated our FIFTH top 100 and probable game-wrecking DE prospect over the last two classes.
If our DL develops remotely close to their collective potential, there isn't really going to be all that much for our LBs to even do.
Jamie's comp for Sesay was Justin Tuck.
And he's not typically effusive in making those, but they've been getting increasingly eye-opening lately with a few of these high-end dudes.
What may also get lost in the shuffle is that ND made what's been described as a rather enticing offer to Henderson. I'm guessing it's one of the most generous NIL packages to date. If he fucks off to A&M, that portion of the budget doesn't vanish into thin air. It's very likely to be repurposed at some point, whether that means flipping a desired recruit later in the process, spending in the portal for 2027 or retaining a current player who has a big season and might otherwise move on. Freeman and Martin will use the resources allocated to improve the roster in some way.
Someone somewhere else mentioned
That we should use his package to make sure Ausberry stays for 2027. Perhaps even to help convince KVA that he should stick around as well. I know we talked about that elsewhere, but I'd say that's a pretty good way to spend found money.
It will be interesting to see what happens. Everyone seems
by BillyGoat , At Thanksgiving with Joe Bethersontin, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 12:25 (1 day, 22 hours, 5 min. ago) @ Jeremy (WeIsND)
to be assuming there will be wholesale turnover at LB this offseason. That's not necessarily the case.
Sneed is the only guy gone for sure.
Ausberry certainly could come back.
I've already offered my thoughts on KVA's draft future in 27 vs 28.
Apparently, with the change to the "5 in 5" rule, Bowen could come back, too.
If you bring back all 3 of those guys, you probably face a mass exodus of the other guys behind them. But could you bring back 2 of the 3 and continue the deep rotation approach with Faraimo and then the best of the bunch of the guys behind them.
Vinny Ceratto weeps at being born 4 decades too early
by Joe I , Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 14:13 (3 days ago) @ NDinVA
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Kaden Henderson now announcing in 2 days.
by NDinVA , Yorktown, VA, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 16:43 (3 days ago) @ Joe I
edited by NDinVA, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 16:47
Everything is coming up shamrocks.
Henderson is ranked as the #1 LB in the country per Rivals and should be our 3rd consensus 5 star in the class.
Loy just posted bad news re: aTm, so don't too excited yet
Oil money will just keep raising the bid
meanwhile
by HumanRobot , Cybertron, Thursday, June 18, 2026, 06:12 (1 day, 4 hours, 18 min. ago) @ cdawg
Everybody's feeling great about landing Roman Igwebuike who is a consensus top 150 linebacker from Mt Carmel (IL). Ho hum.
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Freeman's got so much riz they need to call him Aura Parseghian
Damn! Did I just jinx it?
by NDinVA , Yorktown, VA, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 17:10 (3 days ago) @ cdawg
edited by NDinVA, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 17:45
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Ha. No. Prister did that with his film review. You're good.
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Sounds like he might have jinxed Simien too
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Do tell.
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"F--- everyone who isn't us."
#Team128
Rumblings that we're running 3rd behind aTm and LSU
Going into this weekend. And possible concerns that he might not make the visit.
I think it was a Wiltfong update that talked about a surge
by BillyGoat , At Thanksgiving with Joe Bethersontin, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 11:35 (1 day, 22 hours, 55 min. ago) @ Jeremy (WeIsND)
by LSU in this recruitment.
It's certainly possible that LSU and A&M might get into a bidding war that keeps him from coming to ND. It's also likely if not certain that both schools are trying to pay him not to come to ND at all.
This is all so freaking gross.
He was also less enthusiastic
About ND getting Kaden Henderson when all the predictions/crystal balls were rolling in.
Interesting that we were able to close so well with all our top targets last year but are seemingly having more difficulties this year. Perhaps mainly because we're up against other schools that are playing in the deep end of the NIL pool this time around.
Last year, we basically closed by throwing a perfect
by BillyGoat , At Thanksgiving with Joe Bethersontin, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 12:07 (1 day, 22 hours, 23 min. ago) @ Jeremy (WeIsND)
game. This year, we are on our way to like a one-hitter. I don't think we are struggling. I think we are going toe to toe with the big dogs on the field and the big dogs in the checkbook. And you're never going to run the table with those prospects.
The idea of closing the class with Siemen and Henderson was like finding a thousand dollar bill in my pocket.
Close this chapter with Jones, Parks, and R.I. And we'll be sitting pretty. Throw in an Alexander to bolster the DT spot, and so much the better.
At that point, we'll undoubtedly be looking to flip a LB down the road. And maybe add another DB. If this season goes the way we expect, we should be able to pull that off. Especially since missing on Henderson and Simien would leave a LOT of dry powder.
I expect missing on Simien
Would probably lead them to look for a late-blooming OL prospect, or perhaps try to swoop in a steal someone late.
I wonder whether we've been keeping the stove warm
by BillyGoat , At Thanksgiving with Joe Bethersontin, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 13:44 (1 day, 20 hours, 46 min. ago) @ Jeremy (WeIsND)
under Esposito.
I really like Tyler Alexander as a drop in for Parks
by HumanRobot , Cybertron, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 09:07 (3 days ago) @ Jeremy (WeIsND)
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Freeman's got so much riz they need to call him Aura Parseghian