2027 Malik Howard Emerges As New Notre Dame TE Target

Malik Howard‍ has felt the recruiting spotlight turn his way as attention shifts to the 2027 class.

“It feels great,” Howard told Irish Sports Daily. “Schools are starting to shift their focus on us and it makes me feel like even more of a priority.”

The 2027 Tennessee tight end has started hearing more from college programs as the cycle moves forward, including Notre Dame.

The Oak Ridge High School standout said his communications with the Irish have centered on building a relationship after the staff extended an offer earlier this month.

“I’ve talked to them a couple times now,” he said. “We’ve just been trying to build our relationship up since they offered me fairly recently. I’m trying to get to know them, and they’re trying to get to know me as a person.”

Notre Dame’s history at his position stands out to the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder as he continues learning more about the program.

“I know that they produce a lot of tight ends that go to the NFL,” Howard said. “Probably one of the top five or so schools in the country at putting them in The League.

“They’re a winning football program with a great culture.”

The Oak Ridge, Tenn., native’s early impressions of the Notre Dame staff have been positive, particularly offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Mike Denbrock.

“I like him so far,” Howard said. “He seems like a fiery coach. I would love to get up there and see how everything is in person, but over the phone it just seems like a good situation.”

Plans to visit South Bend are still being discussed as Howard maps out his spring.

“Those are still in the works right now,” he said.

If that trip comes together, Howard already knows what he wants to see.

“I’d like to make it up for a spring practice,” Howard said. “Just to see how everything runs and how Coach (Marcus) Freeman is and all that.”

Howard released a Top 6 prior to Notre Dame extending its offer, a group that includes Alabama, Miami, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.

“I’ll probably cut down to maybe three or four sometime right before the summer starts,” he said. 

Although Notre Dame was not part of that initial group, Howard said the Irish are now firmly in the mix.

“They weren’t originally,” he said. “But I think they’re definitely a school that could creep in and move one or two schools back.”

As the process continues, Howard said his priorities remain consistent.

“Really just development for me. Development at my position and the culture of the school. Building bonds with the coaches and seeing how I’d fit in the system and all those things.”

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