Notre Dame Football Recruiting

2027 Four-Star DL Brayden Parks Continues Strong Relationship with Notre Dame

2027 four-star defensive lineman Brayden Parks recaps his latest visit to Notre Dame, shares thoughts on coach Charlie Partridge and previews his next steps in recruitment.
April 27, 2026
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2027 Brother Rice High School (Ill.) defensive lineman Brayden Parks‍  is already well-acquainted with Notre Dame and that familiarity continues to grow.

The four-star prospect has made multiple trips to South Bend over the past year and returned again on Saturday for his second visit of the spring.

After attending a practice earlier this offseason, Parks came back with a specific objective.

“I had never been to a spring game at Notre Dame,” Parks told ISD. “Also, seeing Coach (Charlie) Partridge coaching in a game-type environment was good to see.” 

With Partridge only four months into his tenure, building relationships in the 2027 class has been a priority and it’s clear that progress has been made with one of the country’s top interior defensive linemen.

“Coach Partridge is into the details of defensive line work,” explained Parks. “He has coached some great players at the NFL level and also great players at the college level.” 

In addition to Parks, Notre Dame hosted some of the nation’s top defensive linemen over the weekend. Parks enjoyed getting to know other elite talents from across the country.  

“Meeting the other defensive line recruits is always cool,” Parks said. “We are all on the same path, trying to find a school that makes us feel the most comfortable on and off the field.” 

In addition to his two trips to Notre Dame, Parks has been a busy man this spring. 

The Chicagoland native made stops at Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Tennessee and two stops at Oregon, which has provided clarity in what he wants in a future school. 

“I have had a good amount of spring visits this year,” explained Parks. “I’m just trying to gather a ton of information about each school and also take in the environment and culture around the football facility and campus.” 

As for what’s next, official visits will play a key role. While Parks doesn’t currently have a leader, that could change once he and his family take a deeper look at his options in the coming weeks. 

“Once I sit down with my family and evaluate each school, then I will know who the leader is,” said Parks. “That is down the road. I’m trying to process information at this time. They are all great universities and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. The fit has to be right.” 

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