Many Notre Dame's 2027 commits were back in action across the country this weekend, with multiple future Irish players delivering standout performances.
There was also significant news away from the field as quarterback commit Wonderful Monds IV announced his high school career has come to an early end.
2027 QB Wonderful Monds IV
Monds (pictured above) didn't get an opportunity to add to his impressive start this weekend and he won’t in the future as Notre Dame’s 2027 quarterback commit announced on Saturday that his high school career is over.
Monds sat out Vero Beach's matchup with St. Frances Academy on Friday before announcing on Instagram the following day that his season had been cut short because of an “unexpected minor procedure” that needed to be addressed.
“Even with how disappointing this is for me, I'm excited about a new start 100% healthy in South Bend! Irish fans, see you soon!!” Monds wrote.
The news ends what had been an outstanding start to his senior season. Monds led Vero Beach to a 2-0 record while completing 33 of 40 passes for 591 yards and seven touchdowns.
It also denies Monds the extended game experience we felt was important for his development after having accelerated his prep career.
Monds missed most of the 2025 regular season with an ankle injury before returning late in the year. He then reclassified from 2028 to 2027, leaving him with fewer high school starts than most quarterbacks in his class.
We still view Monds as an elite physical talent with big-time arm strength, impressive deep-ball accuracy and legitimate dual-threat ability. The biggest question now for the Irish is finding ways to get him ready for college ball with such few reps at the high school level.
2027 RB Lathan Whisenton
Lathan Whisenton showed exactly why Notre Dame was so intrigued by his combination of speed and power on Friday night.
The 2027 Texas running back rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns while averaging almost 10 yards per carry as Waco Midway knocked off Aledo 28-21. The victory pushed Midway to 2-0.
Big plays have been a defining part of Whisenton's game throughout his high school career.
The 6-foot, 200-pounder committed to Notre Dame earlier this year after developing strong relationships with running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider and head coach Marcus Freeman. Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, Florida, Baylor and SMU were among the other programs that offered him.
Whisenton's explosiveness has always been one of the most impressive parts of his game. The Texas native has run a verified 10.54-second 100-meter dash and 4.45-second 40 while also possessing the contact balance and lower-body strength to run through defenders.
That combination helped Whisenton score 42 touchdowns during his sophomore and junior seasons and had us viewing him as a potential big-play back for the Irish.
Friday offered another example.
2027 LB Roman Igwebuike
Roman Igwebuike was all over the field for Mount Carmel on Friday. The Irish linebacker commit led the Caravan with eight tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss in a 35-7 victory over Nazareth.
Mount Carmel improved to 2-1 while keeping Nazareth scoreless until the final six minutes.
The performance comes after Igwebuike helped Mount Carmel rally from a 30-point deficit to beat St. Joseph Regional the previous week.
This type of production is nothing new for the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder. Igwebuike recorded 111 tackles as a junior while helping Mount Carmel win a state championship. His versatility was a significant part of Notre Dame's interest and something that consistently stood out in our evaluations.
Igwebuike is an effective pass rusher who can potentially move to the edge on third downs while possessing the length and athleticism to make plays in space. His combination of size, pass-rush ability and versatility reminded ISD’s Jamie Uyeyama of former Cincinnati linebacker Darrian Beavers, who played for Freeman with the Bearcats.
2027 WR Jackson Coleman
Jackson Coleman's tremendous start to his senior season continued against one of the country's premier high school programs, albeit in a losing effort.
The Notre Dame receiver commit finished with 81 receiving yards and a touchdown in Valor Christian's 38-22 loss to Mater Dei on Friday. Valor Christian fell to 2-1 with the loss.
Coleman's performance comes one week after he exploded for seven catches, 194 yards and three touchdowns in a 46-9 victory. Through three games, Coleman has continued to display the traits that made him such an intriguing addition to Notre Dame's 2027 class.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder didn't receive his Irish offer until April, but things moved quickly from there. Coleman visited for the Blue-Gold Game and committed less than three weeks after receiving the offer, giving Notre Dame a tall receiver with the ability to stretch the field vertically.
We've consistently viewed Coleman as much more than simply a big target. A 10.75-second 100-meter runner, Coleman possesses legitimate deep speed, tracks the football well and has shown the ability to create yards after the catch.
So far this fall, those traits have translated into production.
2027 DT Brayden Parks
Brayden Parks didn't get the big-man touchdown he briefly envisioned Friday night, but he did help set one up. The Notre Dame defensive tackle commit recovered a fumble to begin the third quarter of Brother Rice's 43-0 victory over St. Francis.
Brother Rice scored on its ensuing possession to extend its lead to 28-0. Parks also teamed with top 2028 Notre Dame target Kameron McGee for a safety as the defending Class 7A state champions improved to 2-1.
The 6-foot-2, 305-pounder was one of Notre Dame's longest-standing priorities in the 2027 class before eventually choosing the Irish over Oregon. His offer sheet also included Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, Florida, Tennessee and Miami, among others.
Parks' ability to impact the game in multiple ways is part of what has made him such an intriguing interior defensive line prospect.
Parks has the potential to develop into a rare three-down nose tackle because of his combination of powerful hands and athleticism. Parks recorded 23 tackles for loss as a junior and is already advanced with his hands compared to most young defensive tackles.
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