Notre Dame landed its first running back commitment in the 2027 class on Wednesday as Lathan Whisenton announced his pledge to the Irish.
Whisenton becomes the eighth commit in Notre Dame’s 2027 class and gives the Irish their first addition at the running back position in the cycle.
The 2027 Texas running back chose Notre Dame over a long list of offers that includes schools like Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, SMU, LSU and Florida among others.
The 6-foot, 200-pounder has been a priority target for Notre Dame at the position and built strong bonds with running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider and head coach Marcus Freeman.
“My relationship with Coach Seider for sure,” Whisenton told Irish Sports Daily previously about what stands out about Notre Dame.
“Our relationship is pretty good, pretty genuine and that made me want to come out.”
The Waco Midway High School standout made his way to South Bend last weekend for Junior Day, a visit that helped solidify Notre Dame’s position in his recruitment.
He learned more about Seider’s teaching style and football knowledge during the trip.
“I’d say he's deep,” Whisenton said. “He knows a lot of ball and I find it interesting.”
He also learned more about how offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock uses running backs in his system.
“They’re trying to get running backs into open space,” Whisenton said. “From there, it's all up to what you can do.”
The Waco, Texas, native has been one of the more sought-after backs in the 2027 class with offers from across the country and had several programs involved late in his process and had several official visits planned down the road.
In the end, the combination of relationships, development and overall fit led Whisenton to South Bend.
With his commitment, Notre Dame continues to build momentum in the 2027 class while addressing a key position early in the cycle.
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