Chicago Mount Carmel four-star LB Roman Igwebuike incudes Notre Dame in top five

Notre Dame football is one of five programs still in contention for Chicago Mount Carmel four-star linebacker Roman Igwebuike’s commitment.

On Thursday, Rivals national recruiting reporter Hayes Fawcett revealed that Igwebuike is down to Notre Dame, Clemson, Indiana, Missouri and Tennessee. He has official visits scheduled with each program and a commitment date set for July 11.

As Blue & Gold previously reported, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Igwebuike’s Notre Dame official visit will be the weekend of June 12. According to Fawcett, the top linebacker recruit in Illinois will also officially visit Indiana on May 16, Clemson on May 29, Missouri on June 5 and Tennessee on June 19.

Whichever school lands Igwebuike will be getting one of the nation’s top prospects in the 2027 class. According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, he is the No. 161 overall player, No. 15 linebacker nationally and No. 9 prospect in Illinois in the soon-to-be high school senior class.

Rivals views Igwebuike even more favorably, slotting him as the No. 13 linebacker and No. 139 recruit nationally and No. 8 player in Illinois.

Notre Dame initially offered Igwebuike in October. However, former Irish linebackers coach Max Bullough did not make a strong push — in part because Notre Dame had already secured two linebacker commitments in Amarri Irvin and Ellis McGaskin by late-November.

That began to change in January.

The Irish hired former Michigan linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary to replace Bullough, who left in December for an elevated role at his alma mater, Michigan State. Mobile (Ala.) Williamson’s McGaskin later decommitted, opening the door for Jean-Mary to pursue Igwebuike more aggressively.

Notre Dame would love to add Igwebuike to a linebacker class that currently only features Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy’s Irvin, the No. 25 player at the position and No. 303 overall recruit nationally, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

Of Igwebuike’s finalists, Clemson has two 2027 class linebacker commits and Missouri and Tennessee each have one. Indiana is still searching for its first. His upcoming official visits to each program will play a pivotal part in helping him make an informed decision ahead of his July 11 announcement.

“Comfortability and development,” he told Ethan McDowell of The Wolverine on April 23. “Now, I’m starting to, not talk money, but talk business. Not the money I’m going to get, but the after-football part. How I can help myself if football wasn’t to work out? What I would do after that? What major I’m going to have, what school has that major and that business?”