David Folorunsho remembers the conversation that shifted his perspective.
About a year ago, the 2027 Illinois defensive lineman felt he was ready to begin landing some big-time offers and even started talking about wanting to receive one from Notre Dame.
That’s when his trainer and former Irish defensive lineman Kerry Neal offered a blunt assessment.
“I used to tell him I wanted a Notre Dame offer,” Folorunsho remembers. “He told me my work ethic at the time wasn’t going to get me one. I thought I was working hard, but working with him really showed me there’s always another gear.”
Neal, now the CEO of WIN Performance, where he trains linebackers and defensive linemen in the Chicago area, has been a steady presence in the 2027 Illinois defensive lineman’s development. The message early last year was simple: if Notre Dame was the goal, the standard had to rise.
That goal became reality earlier this month, when Notre Dame offered Folorunsho.
New Irish defensive line coach Charlie Partridge extended the offer over the phone after building a relationship in recent weeks.
“Coach Partridge reached out to me,” Folorunsho says. “He said he really liked the way I played and that he’d love to coach me. He wants me to get down on campus.”
The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder also connected with head coach Marcus Freeman shortly after the offer.
“Coach Freeman is an all-around great dude,” Folorunsho says. “I can tell he wants to build a genuine relationship with me, not even about football. He wants to understand who you are as a person.”
Notre Dame’s interest did not develop overnight.
The Chicago native has been to South Bend three times already, twice for camps and once to see practice, experiences that helped solidify his motivation.
“I love it every single time,” the St. Patrick High School standout says. “I can’t say what specifically, but I’m around Notre Dame guys all the time.
“My president’s a Notre Dame guy. My trainer’s a Notre Dame guy. My head coach is a Notre Dame guy. Being around them just motivated me to try to go down there and really get that offer.”
Director of Recruiting Carter Auman and assistant tight ends coach Harris Bivin have also spent time with him at St. Patrick, reinforcing the relationship-first approach he referenced with Freeman.
“They want to understand who you are as a person and what you want out of your college career,” Folorunsho says. “That’s just huge.”
He is now working to schedule a return trip for Notre Dame’s spring game, but hopes to arrive early to see even more.
“I want to go to two practices, Friday and Saturday, just to get the full experience,” he says.
Folorunsho’s offer sheet reflects the national attention he’s drawn as a rising defensive line prospect. In addition to Notre Dame, he holds interest from schools like Miami, Nebraska, LSU, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Illinois, Maryland, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and Penn State among others.
Spring visits to Miami, Nebraska, LSU, Georgia and Vanderbilt are also on the board as he continues to evaluate his options. After those stops, he plans to narrow his list and then set official visits, with a decision likely coming before his senior season.
For now, the Notre Dame offer stands as validation of the work Neal challenged him to embrace.
“I can’t wait to get down there and meet them again on campus. It’s going to be a great experience.”
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