As Notre Dame’s defensive staff resumed in-person recruiting this week, an early stop was made to see one of the Midwest’s top 2027 defensive backs.
Tavares Harrington connected with Irish coaches at Mount Carmel High School on Monday as the contact period opened, a trip that reinforced Notre Dame’s standing as he looks toward a busy spring.
The in-person visit made a strong impression, particularly with coaches making him a priority early in the evaluation window.
“It was big,” Harrington said. “Showing interest, showing love and building relationships.”
The 2027 Illinois defensive back holds offers from Notre Dame, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Miami, Oregon, USC and Ole Miss, among others.
Harrington plans to return to South Bend soon as another campus visit is already part of his plans.
“Oh yeah, for sure,” he said. “I’ll be down there this spring.”
The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder has already made multiple trips to Notre Dame and pointed to the program’s atmosphere and recent defensive back development as elements that stand out.
“The culture,” Harrington said. “And the DBs they have now. They’ve got some great DBs. They’ve got some great DBs coming in, and they’re building a 2027 class with who they’ve got now. Just the DBs they produce and (Irish defensive backs coach Mike) Mickens for sure.”
Mickens plays a central role in Harrington’s interest in the Irish.
“He’s a great coach,” Harrington said. “He’s produced great DBs, and he was a great player when he played.”
When he returns to campus, Harrington wants to spend more time observing day-to-day operations and the staff’s interaction with players.
“Just to see Coach Mick coach his players,” Harrington said. “Seeing how they treat the players, the new freshmen coming in. Just seeing how everybody’s operating and how they respond and react.”
The Chicago native expects to be on the road throughout the spring and said he plans to visit several programs during that stretch.
“I’ll probably be visiting Miami for sure,” Harrington said. “Make sure to get down to Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, USC, Oregon.”
Harrington expects to begin trimming his options soon.
“I’ll be narrowing the list down in March, for sure,” he said. “Probably down to eight to 10 schools, and then I’ll probably be committing after the official visits.”
As he evaluates contenders, stability, environment and people will be the deciding factors.
“The culture of the school and the coaches,” Harrington said of what will matter most. “Just the relationships with the coaches. If a coach is going to be there, that’s a big thing because coaches move. The relationships with the players too, seeing how they are and what’s going on there.”
Several programs remain involved as his recruitment continues and he isn’t ready to put any on top just yet.
“Not really. A lot of schools are in it.”
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